Gdansk; Thursday, 24 July, 2008

The usual routine of breakfast and bus into town was quickly dispensed with and by 10:30 I found myself in the queue at Gdansk Glowney ticket office to buy a ticket to Malbork. 10 minutes later I was on the platform waiting for the 11:14 and an hour later it finally pulled in!

The journey only took a little over 30 minutes, with the most stunning part left to last. As the train crosses the river into Malbork you are given a stunning view of the castle, the reason for visiting.

Malbork castle is the largest in Poland, and one of the most impressive I have ever seen. There are three castles within the castle complex, set amongst concentric rings of defensive walls. This place was built with one thing in mind, to keep people out.

It was built by the Teutonic Knights after they had come to Poland to “Christianise” the local populace, and at one point became the capital of their empire (after having relocated from Venice.)

Much of the castle was destroyed during the Second World War, virtually the whole of the lower castle disappeared to the point where there is nothing left to restore. The middle castle, which was home to the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights and the guest quarters has been virtually all restored, although frescos have only been repainted in areas where they are certain what they originally looked like. Finally the upper castle, which was the monastery has been virtually all restored except for the chapel, which is at least another 20 years away from completion according to the tour guide.

The tour through the castle, and you have to go on a tour to be able to look around!, takes about three hours, and covers the whole of the middle and upper castles. At the end of the tour there is the opportunity to climb the main tower of the high castle for stunning views over the site, and the surrounding countryside.

By the time I had descended back down from the tower it was gone 5pm and time to head back to the station (where the train was late again, but only by 5 minutes), and catch the train back to Gdansk, then after a quick pause at the hotel for a freshen up, it was back out for my final dinner in Gdansk.