The drifting, patient river Wisla quietly passes beneath the massive brick walls and towers that form Malbork’s western fortifications. From the opposite bank, the castle fills your entire view and without so much as a telephone pole in the picture, you’re transported to the fourteenth century. Or, if you’ve been reading too much C.S. Lewis, perhaps you’ll see yourself in Narnia. Maybe Jimmy Hendrix has moved you to a ‘castle in the sky’ but let’s not get too carried away here.

From Gdansk’s main rail station, Malbork is only 60km, 60 minutes, and 10 zloty away! If you’ve been in Gdansk for longer than 2 days, set aside a few hours and make the short trip to this splendid edifice. There are many magnificent historical buildings in Gdansk, but in Malbork you can see history in isolation. It’s just you and the castle, particularly if you go in the early fall, after the crush of tourists has passed.

Today, the castle has been renovated and reconstructed, as faithfully as was possible. In general, reconstruction work throughout Gdansk and its neighbors has been incredible and Malbork is no exception. 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 a great many amber exhibits, as well as entire rooms devoted to the Teutonic way of life. Half the fun is actually just running through the hundreds of empty corridors, imagining that there’s a battle going on, but for the kids there are some cool wooden weapons available for purchase.

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. Tours are available in English, German, and Russian but will run you 150 PLN unless you organize something in advance. It takes a good 4 hours to see most of what’s inside, unless you’re hunting for some ghosts, in which case you’ll need more time to set up your equipment. Whatever your aims, you’ll be sure to leave the castle with a smile on your face.

Do następnego razu! (Till next time…)