Braniewo Castle ( pl, Zamek w Braniewie, german: Bischofsburg Braunsberg) is a castle built in the thirteenth century in

Braniewo Braniewo () (german: Braunsberg in Ostpreußen, la, Brunsberga, Old Prussian: ''Brus'', lt, Prūsa), is a town in northern Poland, in Warmia, in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, with a population of 16,907 as of June 2021. It is the capital of ...

. The castle's remains are located in south-eastern side of the Old Town by St. Catherine's Basilica.

History

The castle was built during the lifetime of

Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

Heinrich Fleming (1279–1300). After the year of 1340, the residence of the Warmian Bishops was moved to Wormditt (today

Orneta Orneta (german: Wormditt, Prussian: ''Wurmedītin'') is a town in northern Poland, with a total population of 8,951 (2016). It is situated in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship and within the historical region of Warmia. History Wormditt, a vil ...

), the castle became the residence of the

Burgrave Burgrave, also rendered as burggrave (from german: Burggraf, la, burgravius, burggravius, burcgravius, burgicomes, also praefectus), was since the medieval period in Europe (mainly Germany) the official title for the ruler of a castle, especial ...

. In 1454, the castle was seized by the

Kingdom of Poland The Kingdom of Poland ( pl, Królestwo Polskie; Latin: ''Regnum Poloniae'') was a state in Central Europe. It may refer to: Historical political entities *Kingdom of Poland, a kingdom existing from 1025 to 1031 *Kingdom of Poland, a kingdom exist ...

, and up to 1461 the castle was the residence of the Warmian Bishops. During the years of 1633 to 1635, the castle was seized by the

Swedes Swedes ( sv, svenskar) are a North Germanic ethnic group native to the Nordic region, primarily their nation state of Sweden, who share a common ancestry, culture, history and language. They mostly inhabit Sweden and the other Nordic countr ...

, which built

bastions A bastion or bulwark is a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification, most commonly angular in shape and positioned at the corners of the fort. The fully developed bastion consists of two faces and two flanks, with fi ...

around the castle and bulwarks. In 1811, the castle housed a school. In the years of 1873 to 1874, certain portions of the castle's fortifications were deconstructed. The castle was burned down during the Vistula–Oder Offensive of 1945. The ruins were deconstructed in 1958. The remains of the castle is a tower with a chapel on the second floor.

History

See also