Malbork Castle: The Historical Route
An inside tour of the Grand Masters' fortress: Lower Castle, Middle Castle, Grand Masters' Palace, Great Refectory, amber collection, St Anne's Chapel, High Castle and the castle church.
Route map
Route stops
- 1Outer Courtyard / Przedzamcze
Przedzamcze, the Outer Courtyard, forms the outermost section of Malbork Castle's complex. Within it stand several functional and religious buildings, including St. Lawrence's Chapel (kościół św. Wawrzyńca), the former infirmary (Dawna Infirmeria), and the Castle Reconstruction Council's building. Currently undergoing extensive restoration funded by the European FEnIKS programme, the courtyard is being developed to enhance its appeal to visitors exploring this remarkable medieval fortification.
- 2Middle Castle
The Castillo Medio (Zamek Średni) forms the central section of the Malbork complex, reached from the Outer Courtyard via several fortified bridges and gates. This impressive medieval stronghold features a spacious inner courtyard surrounded by period buildings, including the Amber Museum and the Grand Master's Palace. These structures showcase some of the fortress's most significant interiors and artefacts, making this section essential to visit when exploring Malbork's architectural heritage.
- 3Palace of the Grand Masters
The Palace of the Grand Masters forms the centrepiece of the Middle Castle's western wing, designed as a self-contained residence complete with its own chapel and private chambers. Regarded as one of the most architecturally ambitious secular buildings in the medieval north, it houses the remarkable Great Refectory, where a soaring vault springs from a single slender granite column—a striking feat of medieval engineering worth seeing when you visit Gdansk.
- 5Amber Museum
The Amber Museum is housed in the eastern wing of Malbork's Middle Castle and displays an extensive collection of raw and worked amber, the fossilised resin found abundantly in the Baltic Sea. The building itself has a darker history—it once served as a prison, and visitors can still see the original torture chamber that remains on site, a stark reminder of its past.
- 6Chapel of Saint Anne and Mausoleum of the Grand Masters
The Chapel of St Anne is a burial chamber situated beneath the choir of St Mary's Church in Malbork Castle's High Castle. Built between 1341 and 1344, it houses the mausoleum of eleven Grand Masters of the Teutonic Order. This remarkable space serves as a testament to the order's significant history in the region. What to see here includes ornate medieval stonework and the tombs of these influential leaders who shaped the order's legacy in Northern Europe.
- 7High Castle
The High Castle (Zamek Wysoki) forms the oldest and most central part of Malbork fortress, serving as its architectural and historical heart. Encircled by its own dry moat and accessed via a drawbridge, this section houses the most significant religious and monastic spaces of the Teutonic Order. What to see here represents the crown jewel of the entire complex, showcasing the Order's spiritual and administrative headquarters from the medieval period.
- 8Church of the Most Holy Virgin Mary
The Church of the Holiest Virgin Mary is a striking brick-built Gothic church situated in the northern section of Malbork Castle's upper fortress. Featuring a distinctive polygonal chapel and characteristic Gothic architectural details, the church merges religious and military design within the medieval stronghold's defensive setting. What to see here includes the ornate stonework and the ingenious integration of sacred space within the castle's fortifications, offering insight into how religious life functioned within medieval fortress complexes.
