Neuhausen Castle in Gurievsk

 (54.775439, 20.619825) 

Neuhausen Castle belonged to the Sambian cathedral chapter. It was most likely founded in 1292 in the vicinity of an earlier Prussian stronghold. Until the 14^th century, it had been an earthen fortification which was later rebuilt into a stone castle.

Its history became richer after 1525 when it served as an administrative center for the administration of the ducal domains, as well as a summer residence for Albrecht. In 1550, Neuhausen was given to the duke’s second wife Anna Maria von Braunschweig for life. This period was marked by serious alterations. The next Prussian duke, Albrecht Friedrich, was knighted in the castle in 1553 and lived here for the most of his life having mental health problems. After Albrecht’s death, the administration was at first concentrated in the hands of a number of councillors, and in 1577 Georg Friedrich von Bayreuth-Ansbach-Egerndorf, Duke Albrecht’s nephew, became the guardian of the regent.

Neuhausen was the hunting castle of the electors George Wilhelm and Friedrich Wilhelm in the 17^th century. In 1814, Friedrich Wilhelm III granted the lands with the castle to Field Marshal Count Bülow von Dennewitz for his services in the war against Napoleon.

Until 1945 the medieval mill had still been in the operative condition.

During the warfare in 1945, all the buildings of the castle were severely damaged and for several years remained in a dilapidated state. In the 1950s, the castle was adapted for needs of Guryevskiy SMU of Sovhozvodstroy trust. Today the castle is used as a repair workshop.

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 D. I. Veber

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