Königsberg Castle now. Koenigsberg is like a fortress. How Konigsberg Castle was finally destroyed

Königsberg Castle or Königsberg Castle (German name Das Königsberger Schloß) is the symbol and pride of Königsberg. It was from this castle that the birth of Königsberg began.

The name of this castle (“Königsberg”) gave the general name for the city that arose near the castle walls - Königsberg (now Kaliningrad).

Königsberg Castle is also called the Royal Castle.

Once upon a time, Königsberg Castle, along with the Cathedral, was the most important and oldest landmark of the city.

The castle has a very long and very rich history, but, unfortunately, the castle has not survived to this day. Currently, on the site of the once majestic and, without a doubt, beautiful Royal Castle, only a small part of the ruins remains (archaeological excavations):

Fragments of the castle dungeons;

A fragment of the South Terrace of the Royal Castle, which can be seen from Moskovsky Avenue.

The southern terrace of the castle was equipped in the 19th century. To build the terrace, a complex of old buildings in the northern part of Altstadt was demolished. A portal with a niche was made in the wall, where a sculpture of King Friedrich Wilhelm I, the work of I. Meisner (1730), was installed. In the summer, tubs with exotic plants were placed along the retaining wall. The southern castle terrace was a popular place for walks and recreation for townspeople.

Now, we can see the past grandeur and beauty of the castle only from the few surviving photographs, some of which are on permanent display.

Castle courtyard

Northeast corner of the castle

Also, the royal castle is depicted on the model of Koenigsberg in 1937, the author is the artist-architect of the Kant Museum - Dyryshchev Albert Mikhailovich. The layout is in .

Foundation and history of Königsberg Castle

At the end of the 12th century, the Teutonic Order was founded in Palestine during the Crusades, along with other monastic orders. The Crusaders in Palestine were defeated by the Muslims and were forced to leave the Holy Land and return to Europe.

By the beginning of the 13th century in Europe, only the population of the South-Eastern Baltic region (the ancestors of the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian peoples, as well as the ancient Prussians) remained pagans. The Polish prince Konrad of Mazowiecki, who fought with the Prussians, called on the Teutonic Order for help. Having secured the support of the Pope, the Teutonic Order began the forcible Christianization of the Prussians. The systematic conquest of Prussian lands began, stretching from the mouth of the Vistula to the mouth of the Neman. During the campaigns, the knights founded castles, relying on which they moved further.

In December 1254, detachments of volunteer knights led by the Czech king Otakar II Přemysl and Margrave Otto II of Brandenburg set out to help the defeated knights of the Order.

At the beginning of 1255, the united army of knights reached the area called Tuvangste by the Prussians. According to legend, it was here, on the high bank of the Liptsa River (German name - Pregel, Russian - Pregolya), King Otakar advised the knights of the Order to build a castle and left “rich gifts” for this. In memory of the king, the castle was named “Königsberg” (“Royal Mountain”).

Construction of the fortress lasted several decades. The castle turned into the center of the command of Königsberg, which included the north-eastern lands of Prussia, and, along with the military, the castle also performed administrative functions.

Since 1323, Königsberg Castle became the residence of the Supreme Marshal of the Order and the organized center of the crusades against Lithuania that continued until the end of the 15th century.

Since 1457, Königsberg Castle has been the seat of the Grand Master, the head of the Teutonic Order.

In 1525, the order state was transformed into the Duchy of Prussia, and the castle housed the court of the Duke of Prussia.

In the second half of the 16th century, the convention house (the western part of the castle) was demolished, and construction of an outbuilding began in its place. This defensive structure had two powerful round towers on either side, the wall between which was reinforced with buttresses. A gate was made to exit into the castle courtyard.

The outbuilding had basements for storing food supplies and, later, ammunition. On the first floor there were service premises, on the second - the castle church.

In 1697, within the walls of a large celebration hall, which was located on the third floor of the castle, then Elector Frederick III received the Great Moscow Embassy, ​​which included Tsar Peter I. Perhaps it was after this reception that the hall received the name “Muscovite Hall”.

In 1701, the coronation of the first Prussian king, Frederick I, took place within the walls of the castle.

After the First World War, the provincial museum “Prussia” moved to the castle, and weapons collections were presented in the Muscovite hall. The round towers housed office space, workshops and libraries.

In August 1944, as a result of air raids, the castle was damaged, calling into question its continued existence.

Photo of Königsberg Castle after the Second Pestilence

The ruins of the castle survived until the second half of the 1960s, when the regional authorities decided that it was impossible for them to continue to be located in the city center and that it was inappropriate to restore an object of a different, non-Soviet, culture.

The ruins were demolished; the foundation was covered with Kaliningrad Square slabs; the remains of the retaining walls of the southern terrace were gradually dismantled to restore other city objects, and at the turn of the 1970s-80s the lower retaining wall was finally dismantled, while the small remaining fragments of the upper retaining wall were covered with concrete and lined with limestone slabs.

This is exactly how, sadly, the full history of Königsberg Castle ended.

Fragments of the dungeons and southern terrace of the castle were discovered during archaeological excavations in 2001 - 2005 and 2016.

In 2018, landscaping work was carried out on the territory of the former castle, funded by a private investor, in preparation for the FIFA World Cup. Conservation of the remaining remains of the castle has been carried out.

Approximately on the site of the southeastern part of Königsberg Castle, the House of Soviets, which was built (and unfinished) during Soviet times, currently stands.

The Amber Room and Königsberg Castle

Königsberg Castle is the last precisely known location of the legendary Amber Room (1942-1945).

During the assault on Königsberg by Soviet troops in April 1945, the Amber Room disappeared without a trace. Her further fate still remains one of the mysteries of history.

Some researchers of the location of the room believe that it is still located in the basements of the castle, although no reliable sources have been found to confirm this information. The search for the amber room was one of the goals (not the main one) of the castle excavations carried out in 2001-2008 by the German magazine Der Spiegel.

There are also other versions related to the location of the amber room (its remains and parts). Some suggest that it was taken to Berlin, then transferred to the United States, other versions say that the room was taken out and buried in the northern part of the Jutland Peninsula, or even hidden in one of the caves near Dresden, or perhaps it was simply dismantled into small parts and transported to various parts of the world.

What to visit near the ruins of the Royal Castle in Kaliningrad

On which are located: the Cathedral, the Honey Bridge connecting the island with the Fishing Village, Kant’s grave and the sculpture park.

Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow is an entire architectural complex, which is the most important symbol of the country.

The history of Wawel begins in the 10th century. The castle at this time became a symbol of both political and spiritual power. For quite a long time, from the 11th century to the 17th century, Wawel Castle had the status of the main residence of local rulers, since the capital of Poland at that time was located in Krakow. The best time for the royal palace came in the 14th century, during the reign of Casimir the Great and then the Jagiellon dynasty. Later, after Poland and Lithuania concluded a historic agreement, the Wawel complex began to be geographically located on the very border of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, as a result of which its position began to deteriorate, and the importance of another Polish city - Warsaw, located in the geographical center of the country - on the contrary, to grow. At the same time, a large fire occurred in Wawel, after which a decision was made to move the capital. In 1609, during the reign of Sigismund III, Warsaw actually finally became the capital of the state, and the city was officially given this status in 1795. In the same year, Wawel Castle became the property of Austria.

This complex has experienced many vicissitudes over the centuries of its existence. For example, after Napoleon's invasion in 1815, Krakow was defeated and became a separate free city that did not belong to any country. In 1846, the Austrians settled in these places again and built barracks here for their military. In 1905, the Polish government bought the lands and territory of Wawel and returned them to its historical ownership. After this, the castle began to be restored, and in 1930 it again acquired the status of a state residence for special occasions, and part of the Wawel territory became a museum. During wartime, Wawel Castle was the headquarters of a German general.

Inside the castle

Wawel Royal Castle includes many architectural historical attractions. The most famous and visited of them are: the castle itself, the cathedral, and the castle fortifications. Entrance to the complex itself is free, but each exhibition has a separate entrance fee (there is no single ticket for all exhibitions).

Sights of Wawel:

  • Cathedral House
  • the Royal Castle
  • Royal cuisine
  • Rotunda of the Blessed Virgin Mary
  • Cathedral of Saints Stanislaus and Wenceslas
  • Church of St. Gereon
  • St. Michael's Church
  • Church of St. George
  • Sigismund's Chapel
  • Fortification
  • Administrative building
  • Wikarówka
  • Gate of Bartolomeo Berrecci
  • Hospital
  • Seminary building
  • Bastion of Vladislav IV
  • Bernardine Gate
  • Vazov Gate
  • Armorial Gate
  • Villain Tower
  • Panenskaya Tower
  • Sandomierz Tower
  • Senator's Tower
  • Tenchin Tower
  • Nobles' Tower
  • State Art Collection
  • Wawel dragon
  • Wawel Chakra
  • Courtyard of Stefan Batory
  • Royal Gardens
  • Unpreserved Wawel
  • Monument to Tadeusz Kosciuszko

At the entrance to the complex there is a main gate, which is reached by an ancient paved path. To the left of the entrance there is a wall on which are engraved the names of people and companies (as well as the year and amount) who at one time donated a certain amount for the restoration of Wawel. Just outside the entrance you can see a monument to Tadeusz Kościuszko, a famous Polish hero who led a popular uprising in 1794. During World War II, the statue was destroyed, but then restored and placed in its original place.

To the right of the entrance there is a ticket office and an information center for tourists, where you can order excursion support, including in Russian.

When entering Wawel Castle through the coat of arms gate on Kanonicze Street, the Cathedral in honor of Saints Stanislaus and Wenceslas will be located on the left. It is easy to recognize by the real mammoth bones hanging right above the doors, which, according to legend, bring happiness and good luck. The cathedral building was erected in the 11th-12th centuries; Polish rulers were crowned there at one time, and it also served as a tomb for them in the future. To this day, a small part of the old cathedral remains from the tower of the Silver Bells and the crypt of St. Leonard, in which the remains of Józef Piłsudski are buried. The Cathedral acquired its modern Gothic appearance in the 14th century. Inside, the Altar of the Fatherland occupies its central position, and nearby are stone sarcophagi and the tomb of Casimir Jagiellon. The cathedral tower houses the Sigismund Bell, which is one of the largest bells in the country. At the farthest north-eastern end of Wawel there is a beautiful old medieval tower, which, due to its seclusion and inaccessibility, throughout its existence served as the personal apartments of local rulers, and was therefore called the “Chicken's Foot”. If you go a little further, on the right side of the gate you can visit the Cathedral Museum.

In the courtyard of the architectural complex of Wawel Castle on the right there is a huge lawn on which the ruins of ancient castle buildings are located. Among the buildings that have survived to this day, you can see the palatium of the 11th century, which was the residence of the princes, stone fortifications, a small castle in the Romanesque style built in the 12th century, rebuilt in the 14th century into a large Gothic castle. To the left is another exhibition “Lost Wawel” (which, among other things, includes the oldest surviving building in the city - the rotunda of the Blessed Virgin Mary), and right there is a small cafe where you can take a break from walking around the castle. To the left of the cafe, if you follow the road that winds between the brick building and the tower, you can get to the entrance to the dragon's cave. According to legend, a ferocious dragon lived here, taking away the most beautiful representatives of the city. He was defeated only by the clever son of King Krakow, who founded the city of the same name Krakow.

Next, after the ancient arch, is the central royal courtyard. On its right side there are three floors of royal chambers and royal rooms, in the chambers of which the main value is large canvases depicting historical events and antique furniture, and in the main hall there is a ceiling decorated with carved “Wawel heads”. On the left side you can visit the armory (with a collection of Polish and European weapons of the 15th-18th centuries, as well as many ancient swords and armor) and the treasury, as well as an interesting exhibition called “The Art of the East”.

In the central square of the complex there is also the Sigismund Chapel, inside which are the tombs of the Polish rulers: Sigismund the Old and Sigismund Augustus. Nearby stands the 16th-century Jagiellonian Chapel with the tomb of Anna Jagiellonka. To the left of it is a chapel from 1676 with burials of the Vasa dynasty.

Ticket to Wawel Castle

How to get to Wawel Castle in Krakow

The Wawel architectural complex can be reached on foot from the Krakow railway or bus station. To do this, you need to go left along Lubicz, Pijarska or Flopianska streets, then through the underground passage there will be access directly to the city walls. Walking along the walls, the road will lead to the Market Square and Grodska Street. At the very end of this street on the right side is Wawel Castle. You can also use taxi services in Krakow: Radio Taxi Mega, Eco Taxi Krakow, Radio Taxi 919 and many others.

You can get to Wawel Castle by public transport. To do this, take trams 1, 3, 6, 8 and 18 and get off at the Wawel stop - this is the stop closest to the complex. If you go a little further, you can take trams 10, 19, 22 and 40 and buses 128 and 184, their stop will be called Stradomska. A little further away is the Jubilat stop for tram 2 and buses 103, 114, 124, 144, 164, 169, 173, 179, 194, 279, 289, 409 and 424.

Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow on Google panoramas

Architecture of the Wawel Royal Castle complex in Krakow inside

Bird's eye view video of Wawel Castle

Video inside the Wawel Royal Castle complex in Krakow

Königsberg Cathedral Royal Castle Konigsberg Museum of the World Ocean, photo of the museum embankment

In the Soviet Union, no one knew how to build castles, but there were people who could destroy them.

Date of photography: September 2008

The history of the city of Königsberg begins with this castle. The Royal Castle of Koenigsberg (German Konigsberg, translated into Russian as the Royal Mountain, also known as the Royal Castle) was founded in 1255 by the Czech king Ottokar II Přemysl and existed until 1968. This castle of the Teutonic Order gave the general name to the city that arose near the castle walls.

The royal castle was beautiful:

Königsberg Castle evolved from a wooden structure to a brick fortress and a castle, which at different times was the residence of the leaders of the Teutonic Order, the Duke of Prussia, and later became the site of coronations of Prussian kings.

Coats of arms of Königsberg

Below you can see all the coats of arms of Königsberg from the very foundation of the city to the present day.


This is where my patriotism ends. I like the Prussian coats of arms better (and not only me, by the way). Obviously, any Prussian coat of arms looks more respectable than the coat of arms of Kaliningrad, approved in 1996. Many people find it more pleasant to observe the grandeur and significance of royal symbols compared to the standard and primitive coats of arms of Russian cities.

Royal Königsberg Castle after the war

During the war, the Royal Castle received great damage, but survived. Its condition was even better than the condition of the Cathedral, which suffered more significantly during the bombing and storming of the city.


The ruins of the Royal Königsberg Castle were a real treasure. The ruins of the castle were not guarded, so everyone was involved in treasure hunting here: children, adults, local party workers, and visiting expeditions.

The Royal Castle is also famous for the fact that from 1942 to the spring of 1944 it housed an amber room, which disappeared without a trace after the Soviet troops stormed Königsberg in April 1945.

From the memories of Kaliningrad residents:

“We, as children, also climbed in the ruins, looked for mysterious passages, treasures, found something, broke something, but the atmosphere around the castle was always magical, mystical and romantic.”

However, the Royal Castle of Koenigsberg, as “a stronghold of the Prussian military and militarism,” haunted the leadership of the Kaliningrad region.

From “Information on proposals for the conservation of the ruins of the Royal Castle in the city of Kaliningrad” dated December 3, 1965:

“The Royal Castle in the former Königsberg was founded in 1255 by the knights of the Teutonic Order as a stronghold for aggressive campaigns against the Slavic peoples on the shores of the Baltic. For centuries, this castle, being the residence of the highest ranks of the order, and later of the Prussian kings, was the personification of the predatory aspirations of the Teutonic-Prussian conquerors against the Polish, Russian, Lithuanian lands and peoples.

During the Hitler period, it repeatedly hosted Hitler, Himmler, Goering and other prominent Nazis. All this determines the special attitude towards him on the part of apologists of fascism. Currently, revanchists in West Germany are writing scientific treatises on the role of the castle in the history of the creation of Prussia, regretting its destruction.

Considering this, the thesis that the ruins of the castle are of cultural and historical value and deserve to be immortalized in the ensemble of the new socialist city of Kaliningrad is extremely doubtful.

...Restore castle ruins, which was a symbol of the Teutonic Order, and later of Prussian militarism, Hitlerism, investing huge investments, in fact, in the construction of a new building, we consider it inappropriate. The draft of a new master plan for the city center developed by Giprogor provides for the demolition of the castle ruins and the construction in their place of a new public building that will truly decorate Soviet Kaliningrad.”

In short, the fate of the Royal Castle was tragic. The castle, which stood for 700 years, was completely destroyed in 1969.

Today, on the site of the Royal Königsberg Castle there is an observation deck of its ruins and the House of Soviets. Among German tourists this House of Soviets is called the “new Königsberg castle”.


To the left of the entrance to the observation deck of the Royal Castle you can see a memorial plaque to Immanuel Kant.



There are many signs in German at the entrance, 2008

The observation deck of Königsberg Castle consists of mountains of stones, each of which has a sign indicating which part of the castle these stones and debris were.


Photo 1. Concrete lining of the balustrade of the southern promenade of the Royal Castle
Photo 2. A group of brick blocks remaining from the destruction of the castle walls (16-18 centuries)
Photo 3. Step to the castle church (18th century). In the background is the House of Soviets


Warhead of a (possibly French) siege gun 1914-1918.
Exhibit of the military-historical exposition of the Muscovite Hall (4th floor of the western wing)

Königsberg Castle in Kaliningrad (Kaliningrad, Russia) - expositions, opening hours, address, phone numbers, official website.

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The ruins of Königsberg Castle still excite the imagination. And this feeling was not destroyed either by the fact that the castle was almost completely destroyed (first during the war, then by the Soviet authorities), nor by the fact that during excavations the Amber Room was never found here. Perhaps this is due to the fact that this is one of the most ancient castles in the region, or the fact that the Amber Room may still be here - the excavations are not finished, or maybe the general feel of the place is actually very... very old.

However, the ruins of Königsberg (or, as it is also called, Royal) Castle are now open to visitors and can be viewed. This is a branch of the Kaliningrad Regional History and Art Museum, and the museum itself calls it “Open exhibition “Ruins of the Royal Castle””, and the townspeople call it “Observation Deck”. Despite this local name, there is no elevation gain here; everything is visible from the ground - the towers have not been preserved.

History of creation

Königsberg Castle was built in 1255 by the knights of the Teutonic Order, and, in fact, this is where the city of Königsberg began, which grew from a small village formed around the castle. Then the castle (together with the city) came into the possession of Prussia and was rebuilt for the Prussian kings, and then used for the needs of Germany. Two of the Prussian monarchs were crowned here; Peter I, Napoleon and Russian emperors visited the castle. The restaurant, located under lock and key in the former court casemate, was visited by Thomas Mann, Richard Wagner and many others.

Before the war, the castle housed halls for celebrations, collections of rarities and local government structures. During the war, the castle was almost completely destroyed, and the remains of the walls and towers were demolished in 1967, and the ruins stood half-abandoned for a long time.

the Amber Room

In 1993, excavations began from the Russian Academy of Sciences, and they continued until 2007. Since 2001, they were partially financed by the German concern Spiegel, because, in its opinion, the Amber Room was hidden in the basements of the palace.

The Amber Room, as you know, was taken from Leningrad to Königsberg, and that’s when it disappeared. Perhaps hidden somewhere, perhaps stolen, or perhaps lost. As a result, the room was not found during the excavations, and the excavations were not completed - they were frozen, but even what has already been done is impressive.

During the restoration, the underground parts were opened, everything that had fallen there during the collapse of the castle was raised, they did not find the sought-after Amber Room, but they found many (several thousand) ancient objects from the 14th to 19th centuries, a lot of decorative elements, a secret underground passage and a treasure - a set of astronomical objects.

Exposition

Now the museum is an observation deck at the excavation site. You can see the excavations of the West Wing, an open area where large architectural details found are displayed, and an exhibition dedicated to the history of the castle.

There are few places where castles of this age are well preserved - most of them are in ruins, and on the territory of Russia there are almost none of them, so this is an interesting option.

The best day to visit is the day when historical holidays are held here. There are many of them held here, conducted by the museum administration in collaboration with local historical reconstruction clubs. On such days, a medieval military camp with tents appears on the territory, knightly fights take place (clothing, weapons and methods of their use are reconstructed from historical literature), and a fair of craftsmen takes place. In addition to knightly tournaments, there are shooting competitions with medieval weapons (bows, crossbows, etc.) and historical game events for children.

Practical information

The site is open daily, from May to October, from 10:00 to 18:00, ticket price is 150 RUB.

Address: Kaliningrad, st. Shevchenko, 2.

 

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