Malbork is a town in northern Poland in the Żuławy region

History of the castle

The town was built around the fortress Ordensburg Marienburg which was founded in 1274 on the right bank of the river Nogat by the Teutonic Knights. Both the castle and the town of Marienburg were named for their patron saint, the Virgin Mary. This fortified castle became the seat of the Teutonic Order and Europe's largest Gothic fortress. In 1314 Werner von Orseln, until then Komtur of Ragnit, became Komtur of Marienburg. Von Orseln died at Marienburg in 1330 and was buried at nearby cathedral in Marienwerder. During the War of the Cities, or Thirteen Years War, the castle of Marienburg was pawned by the Teutonic Order to their imperial soldiers from Bohemia. They sold the castle in 1457 to king Casimir IV of Poland in lieu of their pay. This separated the castle from the city in political terms, as the citizens there did resist Poland.
Under continuous construction for nearly 230 years, Ordensburg Marienburg is actually three castles nested in one another. A classic example of a medieval fortress, it is the world’s largest brick castle and one of the most impressive of its kind in Europe. The castle and its museum are listed as UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.