
Waldau Castle
The first fortification of Waldau was built of ground and wood in 1258-1264.
During frequent attacks staged by Lithuanian troops, Waldau, along with other castles, constituted a part of an eastern chain of fortifications on the approaches to Konigsberg. When the territory of the Teutonic Order was expanded, the fortress of Waldau ceased to serve a defensive role. In 1457 the old building was converted into a residential castle, which from then on served as a summer residence of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order.
In 1525 Waldau became the domain of the Duke Albrecht after the secularization of the Teutonic Order.
On May 17-18, 1697 in the Waldau castle stayed the main group of Great Russian Embassy, headed by Admiral Franz Lefort Yakovlevich (1656-1699) and on May 17 Tsar Peter I visited the castle.
In 1858 an agricultural school was established in the castle. A new building and a park appeared on its territory. In 1870 the school was moved to Koenigsberg.
By that time the towers and surrounding walls had already been dismantled. A popular school for teachers occupied the wings of the castle.
In 1947, a vocational school replaced the school for teachers. The premises of the castle were used as a hostel for students.
Today at the site of the castle you can see a well-preserved southern wing, richly decorated entrance, cellars with cylindrical ceilings and a part of defensive wall.
Now the one part of castle houses the Waldau Castle Museum.
In another part of castle the Sorokin family, run a number of projects on the territory of Waldau Castle in order to help maintain the historically significant old building. For example, here you can become the Master of the Castle for an hour or try asparagus, cultivar Waldau.
- Gur'yevskiy r-n, pos. Nizov'ye, ul.Kaliningradskaya, 20a,
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