In the east part of the town, among wooded
moraine hills, lies one of the oldest and most valuable buildings
in Lidzbark Warmiński, a large Gothic castle. Lidzbark Castle
was built in 1350-1401 on a site previously occupied by a
small Prussian fort called Lecbarg, which had been situated
between two rivers: the Łyna and the Symsarna. For many years
Lidzbark Castle was a residence of the bishops of Warmia and
a stronghold protecting the eastern border of their domain.
The basic structure of the castle consists of four wings enclosing
the inner ward, surrounded by two-storey, arcaded wall walks,
which are an only example in Poland of Gothic castle walks
preserved in an ideal condition until our days. Two settlements
outside the castle walls were built around the same time as
the castle. The southern one contained a stable for horses,
granaries and a coach house. In the northern one (industrial
in character) there was a mill, a sawmill, a grinding workshop,
a copper forge, a fulling mill and a tannery. The castle and
the two settlements were surrounded by a ring of fortified
walls, separate from the town, and moats supplied with water
from the Symsarna river, which lies higher than the Łyna.
By the power of the Second Peace Treaty of Torun signed in
1466, Warmia was incorporated into Poland. Since then until
1795 Lidzbark Castle was a residence of many outstanding subjects
of the Polish kings, who represented the best of the Polish
culture. They created an important cultural centre in Lidzbark,
which opposed, politically and congregationally, to the Lutheran
ducal court in Königsberg.
One of the bishops of Warmia was Lucas Watzenrode, a maternal
uncle of Nicolas Copernicus. Owing to his uncle's influence,
Copernicus bound his mature life as well as his scientific
and public activity with Warmia and Lidzbark Castle. The astronomer
lived at the castle in Lidzbark for eight years: first after
completing his studies in Cracow, at the turn of the years
1495-1496, and then, having returned from Italian universities
from 1503 to 1510. At that time, the bishop's court shaped
Copernicus' attitude against the Teutonic Order. More importantly,
finding peace and quiet under the castle's roof, Copernicus
was able to form the principles of his heliocentric theory,
which he put in writing in the so-called Commentary. Later,
he developed and completed the theory in his memorable work
On the Revolutions of Celestial Spheres. While in Lidzbark,
Copernicus also translated, from Greek to Latin, Letters of
Theophylaktos Simokattes, which were then printed in Cracow
in 1509.
Since the end of the 16th century Lidzbark Castle was slowly
losing its defensive character and eventually turned into
a splendid ducal court, richly furnished with exquisite pieces
of furniture, libraries and arts objects. The castle rooms
were adapted to serve the new function - many were divided
into smaller chambers and lavishly decorated with paintings.
In 1589-1599 the Bishop Anrzej Batory commissioned to build
a palace adjacent to the north wing of the Gothic castle,
known as the Cardinal's rooms - the palace was demolished
in 1767). Another extension of the castle was undertaken by
the Bishop Jan Stefan Wydżga, who added a Barque palace next
to the south wing, built in 1666-1673 according to a design
by the Italian architect Issidore Affaiti. The last eight
Polish bishops of Warmia lived in this palace.
The end to the splendour of Lidzbak Castle was brought by
the incorporation of Warmia into Prussia in 1772. The last
bishop of Warmia who resided at Lidzbark castle was Igancy
Krasicki, a poet and a novelist, a comedy writer, an encyclopaedist
and a journalist. After he left Lidzbark in 1794, the deserted
castle began to slowly collapse.
The first complex restoration works were undertaken in 1927.
At present the castle houses the Museum of Warmia, a branch
of the Museum of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. The castle
chambers provide an excellent architectural and visual background
for permanent and temporary exhibitions, such as Medieval
art in Warmia and Teutonic Prussia, Outstanding residents
at Lidzbark Castle, Russian icons of the 17th - 20th century,
Castle military collection.
Museum of Warmia, Muzeum Warmińskie
pl. Zamkowy 1, 11-100 Lidzbark Warmiński, Poland
tel. 089 767 21 11
www.muzeum.olsztyn.pl
|