History
A small Teutonic Knights castle in Gródek (Groddeck) was built between 1308 and 1360 on the site of an older hillfort. It played an administrative role under the Świecie commandry, and could also guard the crossing of the Czarna Wda River, which was a natural line of defense against Poland. The importance of this water barrier was evidenced by a letter from around 1433, which stated that the area on the right bank was completely devastated, but on the left bank it was spared by the enemy. In documents, Gródek was recorded for the first time in 1360, when the commander of Świecie, Daniel von Menden, renewed the foundation document for the inhabitants of a nearby village. The castle, or “Hof oder Haus zu Dritschmin”, functioned briefly, after 1461 only the farm was mentioned. Ultimately, the buildings were demolished in the 17th century.
Architecture
Gródek was built on the west bank of Czarna Wda, near the intersection of communication routes. It was situated on a narrow promontory on the high bank of the river, protecting the complex from the east and north. From the south, the headland descended to the ravine, while the access road running through the outer bailey led from the west.
The castle consisted of the upper ward, situated in the best protected part of the area and the outer bailey. The upper ward had an irregular layout, adapted to the shape of the hill, with dimensions of about 23×40 meters. The buildings consisted of three wings: southern, northern and eastern one, housing chapel. From the west, a four-sided tower protruded in front of the curtain, facing the outer bailey, presumably connected with the defense of the gate and the access road.
The outer bailey was separated from the main part of the castle by a ditch about 20 meters wide. Behind it, in an area about 60 meters long and about 30 meters wide, there were economic and auxiliary buildings. It is not known whether they were made of bricks. The outer bailey itself was probably also protected by a ditch.
Current state
The castle has not survived, only small parts of the brick walls of the ground floor can be found on the hill.
bibliography:
Die Bau- und Kunstdenkmäler der Provinz Westpreußen, der Kreise Marienwerder (westlich der Weichsel), Schwetz, Konitz, Schlochau, Tuchel, Flatow und Dt. Krone, red. J.Heise, Danzig 1887.
Leksykon zamków w Polsce, red. L.Kajzer, Warszawa 2003.
Sypek A., Sypek R., Zamki i obiekty warowne Pomorza Gdańskiego, Warszawa 2003.