Kreuzburg Castle in Slavskoe

(54° 29′ 36″, 20° 26′ 24″)

The castle was built after the capture of Frisches Haff and the Prussian fortress of Honeda, on the site of which the Balga fortress was erected. There was also a Prussian stronghold about 30 km away. After its capture, the Order erected its own castle, which was called Kreuzburg (Fortress of the Cross).

There is a belief that it was named this way after the castle in Hungary, from which the Order was expelled. During the first Prussian uprising the castle was seized and burnt down by the Prussians in 1243. After the uprising, the castle was rebuilt. A new phase of building works followed in 1253.

During the second Prussian uprising the castle was seized and almost the entire garrison was destroyed. After the suppression of the uprising, it was decided to rebuild it. Construction work began in 1274.

After 1309, a new phase began and the castle was built in brick.

Another settlement known as Liške was formed next to the castle and received town rights in 1315. For some time Kreuzburg was the seat of the council of Natangia, which was later moved to Brandenburg. As a result, the castle became the seat of the commander of Kreuzburg in 1325.

Although the castle was captured during the Thirteen Years’ War, it was returned to the Order in 1455. However, after the war, just like other castles, due to the lack of money the Order was mortgaged for 2383 marks to Ansel Tettau and Michael Groising, leaders of the mercenary units. Bishop Johannes of Riesenburg purchased the mortgage in 1497 and took possession of Kreuzburg, and after his death the castle was inherited by his successor, Hiob von Donebeck.

After the secularisation in 1525, Kreuzburg Castle was laid out several times, and in 1565 Duke Albrecht presented the town and castle to Paul Skalich, who called himself the sovereign Prince of Kreuzburg. His residence was located in the castle. By that time, the castle had fallen into disrepair and was being dismantled for building materials. After Skalich, Kreuzburg was ownedby Caspar von Fasolt, Albrecht Truchses von Wetzhausen and Melchior von Kreutzen. In 1585, the mortgage was repurchased by the city and the remains of the castle belonged to the Duchy.

In the 17th century, the castle was actively dismantled. Eventually, only a part of the wall on the south side, the remains of the west wall and the foundations remained. Lieutenant J. M. Giese used these fragments to draw a plan of the castle, but it has not been preserved to this day. In 1881, Reichermann, the owner of the mill, organised excavations on the site of the castle. As a result, a plan of the castle was drawn and several cellars were discovered.

In the 20th century, the castle hill and the foreburg were used as a recreation area with benches over the precipice and a view of the river. The town of Kreuzburg was severely destroyed during the Second World War, there were fierce battles in this area in 1945.

D. I. Veber 

Photos

Ruins of Kreuzburg castle

Ruins of Kreuzburg castle

Tags: castles and fortresses, 13 century, Teutonic Order (Prussia), The ways of the Teutonic knights: Prussia in the 13th century, Teutonic knights