8 Kolobrzeska, Bydgoszcz, Poland
The ruins of the Teutonic castle in Toruń are the remains of the first and the oldest Teutonic stronghold in the Chełmno Land. Its construction began in the 13th century. The castle, initially wooden, later built of stone and brick, was extended until the mid-15th century. Initially, it served the Teutonic Knights as a starting point for the conquest of Prussia and the creation of a monastic state. It was probably the seat of the commander from the very beginning. The castle was conquered in February 1454 by the burghers of the Old Town of Toruń, which was the physical beginning of the Polish-Teutonic Thirteen Years' War. Soon it was demolished by the decision of the Toruń city council in order to become independent of the future sovereignty (whatever - Polish or Teutonic) and to prevent it from keeping a military crew in the city. The best-preserved fragment of the castle is the Gdanisko tower from the beginning of the 14th century, erected over the Struga Toruńska. It had a sanitary and defensive function (guarding the main entrance to the castle). The basement of the main castle, which until recently housed the Castle History Museum, is also very well preserved. The area of the castle with an area of about 2.2 ha is one of the three parts of Toruń's Medieval City Complex, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
