Malbork Castle

Malbork Castle is the largest castle in the world by land area. That claim gets made a lot about a lot of places, but in this case the numbers support it: 143,591 square metres of fortified complex, built almost entirely from brick, rising from the flat Żuławy lowlands of northern Poland beside the Nogat River. The Teutonic Knights built it starting in 1274 and used it as their headquarters for over a century. It is an extraordinary building.

Getting There

Malbork is 60km southeast of Gdańsk. Direct trains from Gdańsk Główny run roughly every hour and take around 45 minutes (PKP Intercity and regional services). The castle is a 10-minute walk from Malbork station. This makes it an easy day trip from Gdańsk, and most visitors treat it that way. If you want to stay overnight, there is more accommodation than you might expect in a town of this size.

The Castle

Entry costs 70 PLN (roughly £14) in peak season, less in winter. The visit includes three interconnected parts: the High Castle, Middle Castle, and Lower Castle, each dating from different phases of construction. A self-guided audio tour is included in the ticket and is better than average; the explanations are detailed without being overwhelming.

The High Castle is the oldest and most fortified section. The chapter house, covered with original medieval vaulting, is the architectural highlight. The refectory next door uses a palm column design to support the ceiling from a single central point, a structural audacity that still impresses.

The Grand Master’s Palace in the Middle Castle is the most elaborate section and was partially rebuilt in the 19th century in a Gothic Revival style. This has irritated architectural purists for decades but the rooms are nonetheless impressive in scale.

Allow three to four hours for a thorough visit.

Gdańsk as a Base

Gdańsk is worth a day or two in its own right. The Old Town (Stare Miasto) was largely destroyed in World War II and rebuilt from historic drawings and photographs; the result is convincing and the coloured merchant houses along Długi Targ are well-preserved in feel even if post-war in construction. St Mary’s Church, the largest brick Gothic church in the world (another superlative in a region full of them), is free to enter and has 405 steps to the tower.

For food in Gdańsk, the restaurants along Długa Street range from tourist traps to genuinely good. Tawerna Mestwin on Stągiewna serves traditional Pomeranian dishes. Restauracja Pod Łososiem on Szeroka has been in business since 1598 and has the menu prices to prove its ambitions, but the salmon dishes are excellent.

Staying Near Malbork

In Malbork itself, the Hotel Malbork and Hotel Stary Malbork are the main options, both comfortable and priced in the 200-350 PLN/night range. Most visitors prefer Gdańsk for its greater range of restaurants and nightlife, then do Malbork as a rail day trip.

August is the busiest month; the Siege of Malbork reenactment festival in late July draws crowds but is worth timing a visit around if medieval spectacle appeals.