Bytów Castle

Bytów Castle - a Gothic Teutonic castle, later the stronghold for the Pomeranian Dukes.

Teutonic Castle
In 1390, the Teutonic Knights started building the castle on a hill in the south-east part of the Bytów. However the castle's construction works were conducted in 1398–1406 years under direction of Mikołaj Fellenstein. The castle was raised on the plan of a rectangle with the dimensions of 49 by 70 of metres, built out of stones and brick. In the corners of the castle, three cylindrical and one square tower was built. The north-western wing of the castle was a three-floor building, which served as living quarters. The most important rooms were in this building, including the refectory, the chapel and the office of the prosecutor. Warehouse space was located on the third floor.

The south-west wing of the castle housed a kitchen, and food storage. There was a well located close by. The gate was raised from the north-eastern side of the castle. Coming up to the gate, there was a moat and drawbridge which served as a way to enter the castle. The four towers in each corner of the castle reserved as defensive structures and housed weaponry.

In 1410, the castle was seized by the Kingdom of Poland under the command of Władysław Jagiełło.

Pomeranian Dukes Castle
During the Thirteen Years' War the Kingdom of Poland took control of the castle. The King of Poland Kazimierz Jagiellończyk in 1466, seeded the castle to the fiefdom of the Duchy of Pomerania; which at the time was ruled by Duke of Pomerania Eric II. In 1500, the stronghold was surrounded with fortifications and bastions. In the second half of the 16th century, the castle was the residence of the House of Pomerania which in the years of 1560 to 1570 had their living quarters in the south-eastern wing of the castle. The Thirty Years' War brought little damage to the stronghold. Along with the death last member of the House of Pomerania in 1638, the castle was made the residence of the Starosta.

During the Deluge, the castle burnt down by the Swedes. The 19th century the castle was partly rebuilt after Elector of Brandenburg Frederick William I of Prussia took over the castle. With that the castle housed a court and a prison. First conservation works were conducted in between the years of 1930 to 1939. The castle was later rebuilt at intervals between the years of 1957 to 1962 years and between the years of 1969 to 1990, when the castle housed the Western Pomeranian Museum (Museum Zachodnio Pomorskie), a hotel with a restaurant and a library.