Pomeranian Dukes' Castle in Szczecin

The Renaissance Pomeranian Dukes' Castle in Szczecin, located on a hill near the Oder River, is one of the most important monuments of Western Pomerania. In the past, it was the residence of the Gryfits - a dynasty ruling in the Duchy of Pomerania from the 12th century to 1637. The current shape of the monument is a reflection of its turbulent history. The five-winged building with two courtyards - the Large and the Mint - is dominated by the following towers: Bells, Prison and Clock. The facades of the castle are decorated with late-Gothic tracery and Renaissance attics. Attention is drawn to the Baroque clock with a mascaron and the figure of a jester, the plates of Barnim III and Barnim XI, Philip II and Francis I, and the figure of Bishop Otto of Bamberg. The castle interiors include The Witches' Cell with replicas of instruments of punishment and torture, dedicated to Sidonia von Borck, who was lost after being accused of witchcraft, as well as the Study of Lubinus, an outstanding cartographer from the 17th century, with a valuable copy of his Great Map of the Duchy of Pomerania. A special place is the Gryfit Crypt with the sarcophagi of the former rulers of the Duchy. On the roof of the North Wing there is the Prince's Terrace, from which, like the Bell Tower - the highest vantage point in the castle - there is an impressive view of Szczecin. The monument is managed by a self-government institution located in it under the name of the Pomeranian Dukes' Castle in Szczecin, one of the largest cultural institutions in Western Pomerania. #poland #polandtravel #szczecin #castle