The best traffic-free bike rides around Lake Zawadzkie

When looking at the castle from the outside, it is worth looking up. On the walls, you can still clearly see the characteristic oriels protruding from the facade. They served a very prosaic function – they were the castle's medieval latrines (toilets), from which waste fell directly down onto the castle slope.

You won't find one large stream here from which the river flows. Instead, at the bottom and on the slopes of the ravines, there are... dozens, and according to some, even hundreds of small seeps and streams! All these threads slowly merge with each other, giving rise to the longest river in the region.

The first documented mentions of the construction of a water mill in this place date back to 1387! Its first owner and founder was a brother of the Teutonic Order himself – the commander Johann von Baffart from Ostróda. Grain and buckwheat were ground here, and in the 17th century, the clothiers of Nidzica created a fulling mill here for the production of fabrics. Unfortunately, in 1657, this entire business was set on fire by the Tatars invading these areas.

There is a small shop here that is open during the season.

I recommend taking the blue hiking trail - very scenic

The construction of the castle began around 1398, the main western wing was completed in 1405, and the remaining works were completed in the spring of 1409[1]. The Teutonic procurator resided there. On July 12, 1410, on his way with his army into the depths of the Teutonic state, the undefended castle was occupied by Polish troops. During the Hunger War in 1414, the castle was besieged by Polish knights and captured on July 6 after an eight-day siege. In 1454, the castle was occupied by the pro-Polish Prussian Confederation and in February 1455, it was handed over to Czech mercenaries led by Jan Kolda of Žampach, who repelled the invasion of the Teutonic troops on April 28[2]. In 1517, the outer bailey was expanded and fortified. In 1784, the outer bailey burned down. In 1812, the castle was devastated by French troops. In the years 1828-1830 the castle was rebuilt into a court and prison. In the winter of 1945, Soviet troops bombarded the castle, which remained a ruin until its reconstruction in 1961-1965.

Nidzica Castle – was built at the beginning of the 15th century in the Gothic style as the seat of the Teutonic prosecutor.

First, some information about visiting, namely it is closed on Mondays. The construction of the castle began around 1370, and in 1409, a Teutonic prosecutor was already residing there. On July 12, 1410, on the way with an army into the depths of the Teutonic state, the undefended castle was occupied by Polish troops. During the Hunger War in 1414, the castle was besieged by Polish knights and captured on July 6 after an eight-day siege. In 1454, the castle was occupied by the pro-Polish Prussian Confederation. In February 1455, it was handed over to Czech mercenaries led by Jan Kolda of Žampach, who repelled the invasion of the Teutonic troops on April 28. In 1517, the castle's outer bailey was expanded and fortified. In 1784, the outer bailey burned down. The castle was damaged most by French soldiers, who were stationed here intermittently in the years 1806–1812. The building, devastated by the Napoleons, was saved from total ruin by the court counselor Ferdynand Tymoteusz Gregorovius, an effective initiator of the reconstruction (1828–1830) of the medieval fortress to serve as a courthouse, private apartments and a prison. However, Gregorovius stipulated that the people of Nidzica should build him a monument. The monument was built only more than seventy years after the castle was rebuilt. The monument is located in the castle park. In 1945, the castle was not so lucky – it was bombed by the Russians and burned down, losing its ceilings and part of the walls. However, the decision was quickly made to rebuild it. In 1949, the building was cleared of rubble, and three years later, the first security works began. The full restoration of the monument, including the conservation of the preserved paintings in the chapel and refectory, began in 1961 and was completed in 1965, after which it was ceremonially handed over to local cultural and social institutions. Currently, the castle serves as the city's center of business, culture and entertainment. It houses: the Museum of the Nidzica Region with an ethnographic and historical exhibition, the Nidzica Cultural Center, the Knights' Brotherhood of the Nidzica Commandery, the Hieronim Surpski Author's Gallery, a sculpture studio and a city library. There is also a hotel and a restaurant here. Admission to the outer bailey and the courtyard of the high castle is free, to the museum it is paid. The complex is surrounded by a dense 19th-century park. https://zamek-nidzica.pl/historia-zamku-2/