Szymbark, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship

Szymbark [ˈʂɨmbark] (German: Schönberg)[1] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Iława, within Iława County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland.[2] It lies approximately 8 kilometres (5 mi) north-west of Iława and 69 km (43 mi) west of the regional capital Olsztyn. The village has a population of 395.

Szymbark
Village
Teutonic Knights castle ruin
Szymbark
Coordinates: 53°38′54″N 19°28′58″E
Country Poland
VoivodeshipWarmian-Masurian
CountyIława
GminaGmina Iława
Population
395

The castle

The construction of the castle began in 1301.[3] It was built by the Teutonic Order as a summer residence of one of the four bishops of Prussia, the Bishop of Pomesania. A Latin inscription above the main gate (Hec Porta Constructa Est Anno Domini MCCCLXXXVI Tempore Fratris Henrici De Skarlin Prepoziti) dates back to 1386 and mentions brother Henry of Skarlin as constructor.[4] Sometimes he is described as the founder of the castle.[4] The castle became property of the last Catholic and first Lutheran Bishop of Pomesania, Georg von Polentz, after the secularization of the Order. In 1699 it was bought by Ernst Graf Finck von Finckenstein and remained property of the Finckenstein family until 1945.[5][6]

In April 1945, about three month after the conquest by the Soviet Union, and again in 1947 the castle was set on fire and completely destroyed.[7] The ruins were used for the 1996 movie The Ogre by Volker Schlöndorff with John Malkovich in the title role.

  • The south-east flank
  • The south view
  • Courtyard
  • The north-west tower
  • The north-east tower
  • The main gate tower

Notable residents

Notes and references
  1. M. Kaemmerer (2004). Ortsnamenverzeichnis der Ortschaften jenseits von Oder u. Neiße (in German). ISBN 3-7921-0368-0.
  2. "Central Statistical Office (GUS) - TERYT (National Register of Territorial Land Apportionment Journal)" (in Polish). 2008-06-01.
  3. von Lorck, Carl (1992). Landschlösser und Gutshäuser in Ostpreussen (in German). Flechsig. ISBN 978-3-8035-1200-0.
  4. The history of Szymbark Castle at zamkipolskie.pl(in Polish)
  5. Jackiewicz-Garniec, Małgorzata; Garniec, Mirosław (2007). Burgen im Deutschordensstaat Preussen (Zamki państwa krzyżackiego w dawnych Prusach. Powiśłe, Warmia, Mazury) (in German). Arta. ISBN 978-83-912840-6-3.
  6. Turnbull, Stephen; Dennis, Peter (2003). Crusader Castles of the Teutonic Knights. Osprey Publ. p. 38. ISBN 9781841765570.
  7. Finck von Finckenstein, Renate (2000). Burg Schönberg in Westpreussen (in German). Starke. ISBN 978-3-7980-0565-5.


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