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COMENIUS MULTILATERAL PARTNERSHIP
LET’S KEEP THE MEMORIES ALIVE
2008 - 2010
Legendary Castles
Made by the project team of Grupul Şcolar “Mihai Viteazul” Zalău.
Romanian Castles
Bran Castle
The first documentary attestation of Bran Castle is the letter written in 1377 by the
Hungarian Ludovic I D’Anjou, giving the inhabitants of Brasov some privileges.
The fortress is situated on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia, on Highway
73. In addition to its unique architecture, the castle is famous because of persistent myths that it
was once the home of Vlad the Impaler, a famous medieval warlord.
The castle is open to tourists, who can view the inside by themselves or as part of a
guided tour. At the bottom of the hill is a small park to which examples of traditional Romanian
peasant structures (cottages, barns, etc.) from across the country have been moved.
The castle has four towers. The oldest tower, Powder House Tower, houses the Cannon’s
Gallery and the Gunner’s Room. During the 15th century, the Observation Tower and Eastern
Tower were added. In 1622 the Gate Tower was added, a Polish attic was attached and the south
curtain wall was thickened up to 3,5m thick. More renovations took place in 1723 and in 1883.
The fountain in the inner yard conceals a labyrinth of secret underground passages. The tunnel
opened onto the park grounds where the famous gardener Patula planted bushes brought from
Balcic, dahlias and roses being the Queen Marie’s favorites flowers.
In the 18th century the fortress was the house of the Austrians frontier guards. In 1836
Bran became the official border and the defense role of the fortress was no longer a priority. In
1920, the Brasov Town council donated Bran Castle to Queen Maria of Great Romania, who
lived there with the royal family till 1947. Since 1947 the Castle is opened as a museum.
June, 26, 2010
Peles Castle
King Carol I of the Romanians (1839–1914), one of the great Romanian kings and
conqueror of the National Independence, first visited the region and future site of the castle in
1866, when he fell in love with the rugged but magnificent mountain scenery. So, in 1872, a total
of one thousand "pogoane", approx. 1,300 acres (5.3 km2), was purchased by the King and Piatra
Arsa region becomes The Royal Domain of Sinaia, destined to be a royal hunting preserve and
summer retreat for the monarch. On August 22, 1873, the foundation for Peleş Castle, the city of
Sinaia, and for the country of Romania itself was established. Several other buildings, annexed to
the castle, were built simultaneously: The Guard's Chambers, The Economat Building, The
Foişor Hunting Chateau, The Royal Stables. The Power Plant was also constructed then, and
Peleş became world's first castle fully operated by electric power. The "Sipot" Villa was
constructed later. This would serve as the work site of architect Karel Liman. Liman would later
supervise the building of Pelişor Chateau (1889–1903, the future residence of King Ferdinand I
and Queen Marie of the Romanians), as well as of the King's Ferdinand Vila in the Royal
Sheepfold Meadow (the actual Sheepfold Meadow). First three initial design plans for Peleş were
copies of other palaces from western Europe but King Carol I rejected them all as they were too
costly and unoriginal. The second architect, Johannes Schultz, won by presenting a more original
plan, something that appealed to the King's taste: a grand palatial alpine villa combining different
structures of classic European styles, mostly following Italian elegance and German aesthetics in
Renaissance lines. The cost of the castle itself between 1875 and 1914 was estimated to be
16.000.000 gold Romanian lei (approx. $US 120 million today). Between three and four hundred
men worked consistently on it.
The construction saw a slight halt during the Romanian War of Independence in 1877-78,
but soon afterwards plans grew in size and the construction was quite rapid. Peleş Castle had its
official Royal Ball of Inauguration on Oct. 7th, 1883. Until the castle was built, King Carol I and
Queen Elizabeth lived in Foişor Villa (where King Ferdinand and Queen Mary also resided
during the construction of Pelişor Castle). Even King Carol II lived in Foişor Villa when he was
monarch (1930–40, except in 1932-3 when the hunting house was destroyed by fire). Carol II
was born at the castle in 1893, giving meaning to the phrase "cradle of the dynasty, cradle of the
nation" that Carol I bestowed upon the Peleş Castle.
After King Michael’s forced abdication in 1947, the Communist regime seized all royal
property, including the whole Peleş Estate. The castle itself was opened as a tourist site for a
short time. It also served as a recreation and resting place for Romanian cultural personalities.
The castle was declared a museum in 1953. During the last years of the Communist regime,
between 1975–1990, Nicolae Ceauşescu closed the entire estate. The only persons permitted on
the former royal estate were maintenance and military personnel. The whole area was declared a
State Protocol Interest Area.
After the December 1989 Revolution, Peleş and Pelişor Castle’s were re-established as
heritage sites, open to tourists. Today, the Foişor Castle serves - like in the past - as a presidential
residence, unlike the rest of the estate. The Economat Building and the Guard’s Chambers
Building are now hotels, restaurants and terraces having been established as well. The rest of the
Peleş Estate became either tourist villas or state protocol buildings. In 2006, the Romanian
Government announced restitution of the castle to King Michael I of the Romanians, the former
monarch. Soon after re-obtaining the property, negotiations began between the former King and
the Government and Peleş once again became a national heritage site open to the public as a
historic monument and museum. In exchange, the Romanian Government granted 30 million
euros to the Casa Regala (The Royal House of Romania). The sum for the remaining villas and
surrounding chalets and chateaus are still being negotiated but will eventually remain in
possession of the state and touristic circuit after repurchasing (2007). Every year since opening,
Peleş Castle has received between a quarter to almost half million visitors every year.
Portuguese Castles
Guimarães Castle
Guimarães is probably the
best known castle in Portugal as it
represents the birth of the nation.
In fact it is known as the “Cradle of
the Nation” because it was here
that D. Afonso Henriques was born
and raised and where he planned
the wars for the independence of
the Portugal province during the 12th century, becoming the first Portuguese king.
The origins of the Guimarães castle can be traced back to 968, when the Countess of
Galicia, D. Mumadona Dias, ordered the construction of a fortification to defend the populations
and the existing monastery against the raids of the Norman / Vikings hordes from the coast and
the Moors (Arabs) from the south. During the 11th century, Guimarães had its defensive
structure extensively enhanced when Count Henrique assumed the government of the province
from King D. Alfonso VI of Leon. The existing tower and wall were augmented with additional
towers, a keep and the widening of the original wall.
June, 15, 2009
In 1129, D. Afonso Henriques proclaimed the independence of Portugal and several
battles ensued, including that against his mother’s army who was against independence contrary
to her initial belief. Despite Portugal’s independence being recognized in 1143, battles were
fought with Spain until the 14th century due to the pretensions of Spain to dominate the
Portuguese kingdom.
With the advent of the artillery, Guimarães castle became outdated and was abandoned
for several centuries. It was used as a prison, barn, and quarry. In a total state of ruin, it was
recovered during the 1930’s to become the symbol of nationality.
Almourol Castle
Almourol Castle, was once a Templar Knights stronghold during the Reconquista, and is
situated on a small rocky island in the middle of the Tagus River. The occupation of the site
extends back to the Roman period but in 1129, when Portuguese troops conquered the
surrounding area, the castle was already in existence and was known as Almoralan.
Almourol was given to the Templar Knights, who then became responsible for the
defense of the ancient capital, Coimbra. The knights went about settling the area and rebuilding
the castle, many of its original architectural characteristics are still visible today.
A translation of text inscribed on the main gate tells us that Almourol was completed in
1171, just two years after the construction of the castle at Tomar. These two castles had several
features which were common to both
castles. The architects opted for a
quadrangular design with the high walls
being protected by nine circular towers.
Each castle also had a jail tower.
The tower at Almourol castle was
significantly modified down through the
centuries and consisted of three levels.
When The Order of the Templar
Knights and the reconquista faded into
history, the importance of Almourol
declined and it was eventually forgotten. In the 19th century, Almourol was rediscovered and
attempts were made to rekindle the idealism of the middle ages. During the 20th century,
Almourol castle was restored and now, it is a main tourist attraction.
Polish Castles
Malbork Castle
This is one of many castles built in northern Poland by the Teutonic Order of Holy Mary
in Jerusalem, a knight’s order limited to the German aristocracy, which was sent there in 1225 by
the Pope to convert the local pagan population into Christianity. In 1226 the Order was given
land as a feud from Polish Duke Konrad of Mazovia, with an aim to protect Poland against the
attacks of pagan Prussians. The Teutonic Order grew quickly in power. With all their might the
Teutonic knights exterminated Prussians, repressed local Christian population, started to threaten
Poland. The bloody wars were fought and finally in 1525 in Krakow, The Grand Master of the
Order Albrecht Hohenzollern swore on his knees the allegiance to Polish King. Today the
Theutonic Order capital Malbork (Marienburg) is certainly one of the biggest gothic castles
remaining in the world.
The history of Malbork begins in the Holy Land and by ‘Holy Land’ of Palestine. Allow
us to introduce you to the fabled Teutonic Knights, a rowdy band of monks with a lust for slayin’
and convertin’. After Palestine was lost to Islam, these zealots needed a new base of operations.
But the Crusades were partly an excuse to get people like this out of Europe, so no one wanted
them back! Finally, a Polish King offered them sanctuary in return for help against some pagan
Lithuanians. The Knights were happy to help, but they were also happy to form their own state
and control the amber trade. Also, they massacred the citizens of Gdansk in 1308, which they
were supposed to be protecting.
Obviously, these actions didn’t exactly sit well with the Polish King, who promptly allied
himself with the Lithuanians who were being constantly raided by the Knights. In 1410, the
massive battle of Grunwald saw the defeat of the Teutonic Knights, but the stumbling Polish
King stalled out and was unable to rout them from Malbork, where they had been constructing
and improving a massive castle since they first established themselves in the region over a
hundred years prior.
Today, the castle has been renovated and reconstructed, as faithfully as possible. In 1997,
the castle became a World Heritage Site. Bristling with weapons displays, the medieval historian
inside all of us will revel in the sheer amount of exhibits and displays. There are also many
amber exhibits, as well as entire rooms devoted to the Teutonic way of life.
The ‘Siege of the Malbork Castle’ is the biggest event of the summer, but there are a
number of smaller fairs and festivals throughout the year.
Kornik Castle
This castle is the most precious historic monument in Kornik. Originally built at the tail
end of the 14th century by the Górka family, the castle has been extensively remodeled through
the centuries, and is one of the cultural treasures. The corridors of Kórnik represent a marvellous
trip through time.
Teofila, the owner of the Kornik castle in the second half of 18th Century, was very
gifted and broadly educated. Her two unsuccessful marriages turned her interests into
housekeeping. For example, she rebuilt the castle, giving it the baroque's style and she also built
a French garden. Probably the legend of "White Lady" started due to Teofila's usual evening
walks. She suffered from migraine headaches, and to feel better, she liked spending time in her
newly designed park.
The tower of Szamotuly castle, known as Tower of Halszka, was the place of a drama
that initiated the legend of Black Princess. In that tower Halszka from Ostrog was imprisoned.
Her husband, Poznan's governor Lukasz Gorka, ordered to put an iron mask on her face, so
nobody could admire his young and attractive wife. With the black mask on her face, Halszka
could walk underground corridors from the tower to the chapel, where she participated in the
mass, or atoned for her sins.
The legend says that during full moon in a cloudy night, near the tower, one could see a
slowly moving shadow of the woman. When she disappears inside, there are cries and
whispering of the spirit of unhappy Halszka, silenced by the tower's thick walls.
The marriage of the princess Elizabeth Katherine Ostrogska, aka Halszka, had a long
history. She was a daughter of the prince Ilia Ostrogski and Beata Koscielska, the maid of the
queen Bona. She was born in Ostrog of Wolyn in 1538. Because of her father's premature death
the young girl's life turned tragic, and she became the custodian of the one of the greatest Polish
fortunes, even larger than the one of many Western Europe countries.
Slovakian Castles
Oravský Hrad Castle
The most attractive tourist locality of the northern Slovakia is the Orava Castle lying on
the river Orava near the village Oravský Podzámok, below impressive cliffs. In 1370, it became
a county castle and the seat of the Orava Castle estate, which included almost the whole region
of Orava.
The castle, much like others in Slovakia, stands on the site of old wooden forts and it was
constructed after the Tartar invasion in 1241. Originally it was built in the Romanesque and
Gothic styles and later reconstructed in the Renaissance and Neo-Gothic styles.
In 1556, the Castle fell into the hands of the Thurzos' who were the authors of the most
extensive reconstruction of the castle's history. The Orava castle acquired its present form in
1611.
After the Thurzos' died out, the castle was owned by several
landlords who did not take much care of it. The biggest disaster
affected the castle in 1800 when it burnt down, and became useless.
The most extensive reconstruction was made after the Second World
War.
Today the Castle is a remarkable compound of buildings of
the lower, central and upper castles with palaces, fortifications and
towers. Visitors are intrigued by its three entrance gates
communicated by a tunnel, under which there is a dungeon.
In the Castle itself Oravské múzeum (the Orava Museum)
was established with numerous series of expositions - archaeological
exposition, natural history exhibition, ethnographic exposition. Seeing the castle also includes
short performances due to which it belongs among the most attractive in Slovakia.
Night visits to the Castle in the main tourist season enriched with theatre performances
and eerie events are becoming ever more popular.
Bojnice Castle
”Fairy-tale” Bojnický zámok Castle is one of the most visited and most beautiful castles
not only in Slovakia, but also in central Europe.
In the past, the most famous Hungarian noble families owned this castle and the last of
them was the family of Pálfi. Count Ján Pálfi had the structure reconstructed by the architect J.
Hubert from Budapest at the end of the 19th century following the pattern of romantic castles of
the Loire in central France. The typical silhouette of the romantic image of medieval castle is
enhanced by steep roofs of the palace, chapel and towers.
Collections of artistic and historical museum are concentrated in the interior of the castle.
The most valuable item of national importance is the Late-Gothic altar of Bojnice made by
Nardo di Cione Ortagna, artist from Florence in the mid-14th century. The visit to the castle
includes that of dripstone cave under the Castle that communicates with the 26-m deep castle
well.
International Festival of Ghosts and Spooks is held here regularly at the end of April and
beginning of May. It is in that period that the Bojnický zámok Castle becomes the meeting point
of ghosts, spooks, witches, and vampires from all over the world.
An extensive park and landscape park are the inseparable parts of the castle area. The
600-year old lime tree of Bojnice of the King Matthias with 12.5 meters trunk circumference
stands in front the castle entrance.
Another attraction is the performance of the local group of historical fencing Bojník and
that of Aquila, the association of falconers.
Italian Castles
Castel Del Monte
..."Castel del Monte is of outstanding universal value in its formal perfection and its
harmonious blending of cultural elements from Northern Europe, the Muslim world and
classical antiquity. It is a unique masterpiece of medieval military architecture reflecting the
humanism of its founder: Frederick II of Hoenstaufen".
With these words, in 1966, the UNESCO Committee for the World Patrimony included
the castle, built about 1240 by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, in the World Heritage List.
Seemingly isolated and peripherical, as a matter of fact the castle stood not far from the
road connecting Andria to Garagnone, two important settlements of the period; on a hill 540
metres high on the sea level and well apparent in the distance, Castel del Monte was a
fundamental component in the communication system among the defensive constructions,
although great number of experts have excluded the military function of the castle as it had no
moat, nor machicolations and drawbridge. Anything but casual, and not only with respect to
strategy, is the choice of the place: a hill overflowed by the sun in every hour of the day, with
which the monument seems having a continuous relationship. The sunlight and the deriving
shadows magnify and outline the forms of the monument, regular and yet finely different, and
give value to the colours, uniform and changeable at the same time.
A relationship with the sun that in the Middle Ages conditioned the orientation of the
sacred buildings and appears more than obvious in the case of Frederick II, deeply interested in
astronomy and compared or even identified with our star. In this way his son Manfred announced
his death: "The sun of justice has waned, the defender of peace is dead".
It is also undeniable that owing to its high position and to its particular form, Castel del
Monte, still able to charm our contemporaries, excited an enormous amazement and admiration
in subjects, allies, and enemies. It was, then, one of the most effective means Frederick II had
imagined to impress on them the feeling of his greatness. In this respect it was the most
representative product of his conception of "art serving power".
Then a plurality of functions characterized this exceptional monument, emblematic
expression of the many-sided personality of its client, a man of the Middle Ages who united in
himself great qualities such as a vast culture, varied interests, intelligence, tolerance, love for
peace and justice to a great pride and ambition.
Castle Sant’Angelo
With its unmistakeable cylindrical contour and particularly scenic position along the
shore of the Tiber River, Castel Sant'Angelo is one of the town's most famous landmarks. Its
appearance today is the result of a long series of transformations that, in reality, have left no
traces of the glorious Roman "Hadrianeum", the mausoleum that Emperor Hadrian built for
himself and his successors. Indeed, we must try and imagine an enormous cylinder positioned on
a square plan, with a garden top covered with tuff, travertine and copious trees.
In the centre, at the summit of the central tower, there was probably a bronze statue of the
Emperor in the guise of the Sun, riding a quadriga. But in medieval times, the mausoleum
changed its function as an imperial tomb. Towers and defensive walls were erected during the
reign of the Emperor Aurelian and a defensive bastion was built during the barbaric invasions.
By the Middle Ages, Castel Sant'Angelo had been transformed into a practically
unassailable fortress in a particularly strategic position that defended the northern entrance of the
city.
The popes also commissioned the construction of a covered fortified corridor connected
to the Vatican Palaces, which was to be used in the event of danger as an extreme escape route.
Castel Sant'Angelo also guarded the riches of the popes: the treasury room in the centre of the
fort was a kind of safe for Rome during the Renaissance. The castle was also used to store
enormous reserves of food, which were to be used in the event of an attack. There were
wineskins set in the walls, enormous water tanks, granaries and even a mill.
However, in the past, Castel Sant'Angelo was sadly notorious for functions of a much
more grave nature. Its courtyards were the scene of executions by decapitation and the heads of
the condemned were then hung for days along the bridge as a terrible warning.
In the small, damp and dark cells, the prisoners died of hunger and thirst or due to terrible
tortures. It was here that Benvenuto Cellini, Cagliostro and Giordano Bruno were imprisoned
before being burnt on the stake in Campo dei Fiori square. Later, after the establishment of the
Italian State, the structure was turned into a military barrack.
Today it is visited by tourists from all over the world and is home to the National
Museum of Castel Sant'Angelo. A very dear landmark of the town is the statue of Archangel St.
Michael, high up on the enormous terrace, from which the castle takes its name. It was created in
memory of an ancient legend that speaks of the terrible plague that struck Rome in 590 AD,
which ended thanks to the apparition of an angel that appeared above the castle and conceded
grace to the town when he sheathed his sword.
Turkish Castles
Maiden Castle
The Maiden Castle (Kizkalesi) or as it used to be called Korikos, is a small town situated
60 km west of Mersin. The town attracts visitors’ attention with its climate, beautiful sight, wide
beaches and clean sea. Today this coastal town can be regarded as one of the hidden treasures of
the Mediterranean with its nature and historical value.
There are two medieval castles in the city, Korikos castle and Maiden castle. Korikos
castle is on the tip of a peninsula. It consists of two forts. In the internal courtyard you can see
the small churches and long aisle. The construction of the castle was started by Romans and after
five phases it was completed by Cypriots. The Maiden castle was built on a small island 200
meters away from the seashore. You can see under the sea the remnants of the connection bridge
from the seashore to Korikos.
The story of Maiden Castle is as follows: Once upon a time there was a king living in this
region who loved his daughter very much. According to the myth, one fortune teller had said to
the king that his daughter would be killed by snakebite.
Upon this, in order to protect his daughter the king built a castle within the sea. Time
passed by and the girl grew up in the castle. But inevitably, from a fruit basket which was taken
brought to the princess, the snake came out and killed her by its bite.
What was left behind was the lonely king. These events lead the castle in the sea to be
called as maidencastle.
April, 28, 2010
Alanya Castle
Alanya Castle (Alanya Kalesi) is a medieval castle in the southern Turkish city of
Alanya. The castle is located 250 meters high on a rocky peninsula jutting into the Mediterranean
Sea, which protects it from three sides. After the area was pacified under the Ottoman Empire,
the castle ceased to be purely defensive, and numerous villas were built inside the walls during
the 19th century.
Today the building is an open air museum. Access to the seaward castle is ticketed, but
much of the area inside the wall, including the landward castle is open to the general public.
Lithuanian Castles
Royal Palace
The Royal castle is the first brick castle in history of Lithuania. According to
archeological findings it was built in XIII century in place of a wooden castle.
At the beginning of XV century (most probably after fire in 1419) Grand Duke Vytautas
built a big Cathedral and a new Gothic palace between that Cathedral and hill at the castle site.
When the Gothic palace was built the old brick buildings of XIII-XIV c. were destroyed.
Resting at the foot of Castle Hill between the Upper Castle and the Cathedral, the Lower
Castle is often referred to as the Royal Palace. It was the residence of the Grand Duke of
Lithuania and the political, administrative and cultural heart of the Lithuanian State.
Historically, the Upper Castle is associated with the era of Gediminas, Algirdas and
Vytautus, while the Lower Castle bears association to the times of Sigismund the Old and
Sigismund August, Queen Bona and Barbara Radvilaite. For it was during their time that Vilnius
reached the peak of its prosperity and the Lower Castle became a centre of Renaissance culture.
May, 28, 2010
The Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander, who later became King of Poland, moved his
residence to the Royal Palace, where he met with ambassadors. He ordered the renovation of the
palace. After his marriage to a daughter of Moscow's Grand Duke Ivan III, the royal couple lived
and died in the palace.
During the rule of Sigismund August, Vilnius truly peaked, thanks in part to his
establishment of the royal court in Vilnius from where he ruled as King of Poland. This last
representative of the Jagiellonian dynasty was sweet on Vilnius particularly due to their
courtship and ill-fated marriage is today one of the city's romantic myths.
Sigismund Augustus rebuilt the Lower Castle into a luxurious Renaissance palace and
courtyard in the 16th century. With an excellent library (which later became the basis of the
Vilnius University library), a theatre, choir, picture gallery, and tapestry collection, in addition to
the administrative seat of the city, the Lower Castle was also the site of scholarly disputes, feasts,
masquerades and theatre performances. There were also horse stables with over two-thousand
horses, in addition to five bears, a lion and ten camels. When the post route from Vilnius to
Krakow to Vienna to Venice was established in 1562, it represented a firm link between Vilnius
and the cultural capitals of Western Europe.
On July 1st, 1569, the Lublin Union joined Poland and Lithuania into one state with an
elected monarch in Krakow. This essentially doomed the Royal Palace. Though elected rulers
were still called Grand Dukes of Lithuania, Vilnius was not considered a second capital of the
new state and was visited on rare occasions. Its status slipped to that of a secondary city, though
it continued to prosper. During the 1655-1661 war with Moscow, the Lower Castle was badly
damaged and in the 19th century it was pulled down and essentially destroyed. Today a 15th16th century house of the former castle keeper has survived, as well as the 16th century
foundations of the churches of St. Anne and St. Barbara. In 1986, the Old Arsenal was rebuilt on
the former territory of the Lower Castle and houses the Museum of Applied Arts where the
ambiance of Renaissance Vilnius can still be felt. The New Arsenal building was built in the late
18th century and renovated from 1958-65 to become part of the National Museum of Lithuania.
The rest of the Lower Castle complex is currently under reconstruction and slated to be finished
in 2009 for the city's celebration of the millennial anniversary of its mention in written
documents.
Trakai Castle
Trakai Island Castle is located in Trakai, Lithuania on an island of Lake Galvė. The castle
is sometimes referred to as "Little Marienburg". The construction of the stone castle was begun
in the 14th century by Kęstutis, and around 1409 major works were completed by his son
Vytautas the Great, who died in this castle in 1430. Trakai was one of the main centers of the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the castle held great strategic importance.
The first settlements in this area appeared as early as the first millennium A.D. The town,
as well as its surroundings, started developing in the 13th century in the place of Senieji Trakai
(Old Trakai). According a legend, after a successful hunting party, Grand Duke Gediminas
discovered a beautiful lake-surrounded place not far from Kernavė, then capital of the Grand
Duchy of Lithuania, and decided to build a castle in the location. That is how the Old Trakai
Castle was built in Senieji Trakai. The name of Trakai was first mentioned in Teutonic Knights
chronicles in 1337. This year is considered to be the official date of town's foundation. When
Grand Duke Gediminas finally settled in Vilnius, Senieji Trakai was inherited by his son the
Duke Kęstutis. Duchy of Trakai developed and the town entered its best decades.
Grand Duke Kęstutis moved the town from Senieji Trakai to its current location, which is
sometimes known as Naujieji Trakai. The new location was a place of intensive construction: a
new castle was built in the strait between lakes Galvė and Luka and known as the Peninsula
Castle, and another one, known as the Island Castle, on an island in Lake Galvė. A village grew
around the castles. Vicinity of Trakai was protected by Senieji Trakai, Strėva, Bražuolė,
Daniliškės and other hillforts from attacks of the Teutonic Knights. Despite the protection, both
wooden castles were successfully raided by the Teutonic Knights several times in a row.
The town was in the center of a conflict between Grand Duke Jogaila (later to become
King of Poland) with his uncle Kęstutis. In 1382 Jogaila's and Kęstutis armies met near Trakai,
but Jogaila tricked Kęstutis and imprisoned him in Kreva. A few weeks later Kęstutis dies in
captivity and Jogaila transferred the castles to his brother Skirgaila, who became a governor of
Lithuania Proper. However, his rule was briefly interrupted when in 1383 joint forces of
Kęstutis's son Vytautas and the Teutonic Knights captured the town. In 1392 Vytautas and
Jogaila signed Astrava Treaty ending their quarrel. Vytautas became the Grand Duke of
Lithuania while Jogaila technically remained his superior. Vytautas also regained his father's
lands, including Trakai. Despite his official capital being Vilnius, Vytautas spent more time in
Trakai. In early 15th century he replaced the older, wooden fortress with a stone-built castle.
Some design elements were borrowed from the castles of the Teutonic Knights as Vytautas spent
some time with the Teutons forming an alliance against Jogaila in earlier years.
Trakai became a political and an administrative centre of the Duchy, sometimes named a
de facto capital of Lithuania. Construction of the brick castles was finished and a Catholic church
was built. In 1409 the town was granted with Magdeburg Rights; it one of the first towns in
Lithuania to get city rights. The village started rapidly developing into a town. In 1413 it became
a seat of the Trakai Voivodeship and a notable center of administration and commerce.
"This project has been funded with support from the European Commission."
"This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held
responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein".