Malbork Castle

On Thursday we took a day trip to the town of Malbork, Poland. We have taken the train many times south to Warszawa and beyond. On each of these trips we have passed the beautiful Malbork Castle. It is massive and a very impressive sight. We decided to take Pam there with us on her last day here in Poland.

We took a train at 11:00 a.m. and arrived in Malbork at about noon. We walked from the train station through their little downtown area where there were several cute little shops and restaurants.

We had a quick lunch at the Malbork McDonald's, which is right on the walking path to the castle. We then went to the castle and went on a tour with an English speaking guide. Malbork is the largest castle in Europe. This picture is only of a small section.

It was first built by the Teutonic Knights in what was then known as Prussia in the 1200s.

It has seen it's share of battles over the centuries. But the fortification was very strong and deliberate. There were moats 17 meters deep. They have been drained now. There are three fortification walls to keep enemies out. The walls are four or five meters thick. This is a very impressive place. Here are Ben and Trey in the courtyard with centuries old cannon balls.

Over the years there had been restorations but the castle continued to stand. Until 1945.

WWII was brutal in Poland. The castle was destroyed by Russians and Germans. We saw bullet holes in some of the bricks from one of the battles. The Church of the Virgin Mary, part of the castle, has been left in ruins. Our guide told us that there is constant debate about what to do with it. Some want to restore it and some want to leave it as it is. Myles asked our guide what her opinion is. She said that she wants to leave it as it is as a reminder of the war.

We ended our Malbork visit with dinner at a local restaurant and then we took a train back to Gdansk.

Pam left us this morning to head back to her family in California. We are so glad she made this big trip to visit us and we are missing her already.