Szymbark () is a
village
A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban v ...
in the administrative district of
Gmina Iława
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Gmina Iława is a rural gmina (administrative district) in Iława County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. Its seat is the town of Iława, although the town is not part of the territory of the gmina.
The gmina covers an ...
, within
Iława County
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Iława County () is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, northern Poland.
In the years 1945-1958 it existed under the name Susz County (), subsequently renamed Iława County ...
,
Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
.
It lies approximately north-west of
Iława
Iława (; ) is a town in northern Poland with 32,276 inhabitants (2010). It is the capital of Iława County in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship.
The town is located in the Iławskie Lake District, on the longest lake in Poland – Jeziorak. and west of the regional capital
Olsztyn
Olsztyn ( , ) is a city on the Łyna River in northern Poland. It is the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, and is a city with powiat rights, city with county rights. The population of the city was estimated at 169,793 residents
Olsz ...
. The village is located on the northern shore of Szymbarskie Lake.
The castle
The construction of the castle began in 1301. It was built by the
Teutonic Order
The Teutonic Order is a religious order (Catholic), Catholic religious institution founded as a military order (religious society), military society in Acre, Israel, Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Order of Brothers of the German House of Sa ...
as a summer residence of 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.
[The history of Szymbark Castle at zamkipolskie.pl]
/ref> Sometimes he is described as the founder of the castle.[ 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
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.] The ruins were used for the 1996 movie The Ogre by Volker Schlöndorff
Volker Schlöndorff (; born 31 March 1939) is a German film director, screenwriter and producer who has worked in Germany, France and the United States. He was a prominent member of the New German Cinema of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
He ha ...
with John Malkovich
John Gavin Malkovich (born December 9, 1953) is an American actor. He is the recipient of several accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and ...
in the title role.
File:Szymbark, zamek, pierzeja wschodnia.jpg, The south-east flank and main gate
File:Szymbark, zamek, pierzeja południowa.jpg, The south view
File:Szymbark5(js).jpg, The north-west tower
File:Szymbark4(js).jpg, The north-east tower
Sports
The local football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
club is LZS Zamek Szymbark. It competes in the lower leagues.
Notable residents
* Katharina Dorothea Finck von Finckenstein
References
External links
Szymbark and John Malkovich
19th century view
{{Authority control
Populated lakeshore places in Poland
Villages in Iława County