Kętrzyn

Kętrzyn is less than 30-thousandths of a town situated on the border of Warmia and Mazury (two regions in the north-east of Poland, rich in lakes and forests), which intersects the routes leading to several towns, Węgorzewo, Mrągowo, Bartoszyce and Giżycko. So attractive location of Kętrzyn gives it the chance to promote tourism and trade. The town’s location at the crossroads of tourist trails to Reszel and Święta Lipka, and the Great Lakes, numerous tourist attractions of the region, the Baroque basilica of Święta Lipka, and remains “Wilczy Szaniec” – Adolf Hitler’s military headquarters at Gierłoż, growing network of hotels and the possibility of exciting leisure activities are just some of the advantages of Kętrzyn. The town of Kętrzyn (until 1946 Rastenburg) was founded by the Teutonic Knights at the Prussian settlement called Rast. Initially there was a wooden watchtower, around which developed a settlement. on the November 11th., 1357, the commander of Bałga Johann Schindekopf granted the settlement  civic rights. Shortly thereafter, in the city began construction of the defensive church dedicated to St. George, castle and  defense walls. At the suburbs there already existed a brick church, known as St. Catherine’s Church – the one of the oldest in Prussia, demolished in 1820. Several times the residents of Rastenburg acted against the power of the Teutonic Order. In the 1440 the city was one of the founders of the Prussian Union. In 1454 the rebellious burghers seized the castle and paid homage to the Polish king, Kaziemierz Jagiellończyk. However, under the provisions of the second Peace Treaty of Torun in 1466, the city remained in a convent. The “Golden Age” in the history of the town began after the secularization of the Teutonic Order (1525) and lasted until the first Polish-Swedish war (1628). Subsequent wars and with the related contributions, as well as the numerous epidemics and fires contributed to the downfall of the town. The new prospects for development brought at the end of XIX century. Contributed to it, construction of good roads and rail connections, the development of processing industries and crafts. At the end of January 1945, after the capture of town by Soviet troops, the soldiers burned the greater part of the Old Town buildings and adjacent streets. Post-war years is the period of reconstruction and development of Kętrzyn. Today, Kętrzyn is proud of its diversified industrial resources. Several Polish and some international companies have their plants in Kętrzyn: Warmia (clothes), Philips Lightning Poland (electronics), Rolimpex (food processing). Dominant industrial branches include agricultural crops processing and food processing (sugar plant, yeast plant, brewery, mayonnaise production plant, grain plant). Tourists are recommended to see Gothic St George Collegiate Church, a splendid example of a fortified church, the neo-classical Town Hall and Masonic Lodge, and some beautifully restored townhouses dating back to the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The Kętrzyn castle was raised in the second half of the 14th century in the south-west corner of the urban battlements. Castle contained a chapel, bakery, kitchen, mill, malt house, brewery, the meat store, grain silos, storage, armory and a powder magazine. The most representative northern wing was occupied by pfleger – prosecutor, official position of the Teutonic Order. After the year of 1525 the castle became the county seat of the Duke of Prussia. In 1910 the castle was taken over by the municipal authorities,  Until World War II there was a finance office  and housing for authority officials. Initially it had a triangular winged structure, closed on the west side wall with a gate. Numerous of reconstructions  over the centuries, adapting the object to perform administrative functions and residential buildings changed the face of the object. In January 1945, the castle was burnt down. During the reconstruction of the castle was restored in the years 1962-1966 the Gothic character of the building. Currently in the Kętrzyn’s castle are functioning: the public library and museum by the name of Wojciech Kętrzyński, and as well as with the interesting regional collections.