Chapter Castle in Kwidzyn in the Middle Ages. Architecture and Building Technology in the Light of Archaeological and Architectural Research

Abstract

There were two castles in Kwidzyn – the Pomesanian bishop’s and the chapter’s. This article is about the latter. The time of its construction can be estimated in the 2nd quarter of the 14th century. In the second half of the 14th century, a cathedral was added. With the secularisation of Prussia, the castle became the seat of Lutheran bishops, and then, the Prussian administration. At the end of the 18th century and in the 19th century, the southern and eastern wings were demolished and the remaining ones were rebuilt. In the second half
of the 19th century, a restaurant was run. Scientific interest in the castle also begins at this
time. Until recently, however, it was primarily art and architecture historians, and to a lesser
extent historians, who dealt with it. Archaeological research was limited in scope. The
currently conducted research has significantly expanded the state of knowledge regarding the technique of building a castle.
The castle and cathedral complex consisted of three elements – the high castle in the type of a four-winged castell, the cathedral and an outer bailey. The building layout of the outer bailey, which had a plan similar to a trapezoid, can be reconstructed on the basis of plans from the 18th and 19th centuries. It was separated from the high castle and the cathedral by a 40–50 m wide moat, using a natural ravine. From the side of the castle and the cathedral, there was a parcham, the wall of which was uncovered in GPR survey. The main rooms of the castle (three refectories, dormitories, infirmary) occupied its first floor. GPR surveys and a map from 1788 prove the presence of a well in the courtyard. The castle was founded on the slope of the escarpment – the eastern wing stood on its top, and the western wing on the slope. As a result, the difference in the level of the foundation of the western and
eastern curtains was as much as 8 m. On the western side, strata and a hearth directly from Zamek kapitulny w Kwidzynie w średniowieczu 129
before the castle’s construction were found. Geometric methods and the module of squares were used for the design. The castell was built in stages typical for Teutonic castles of this
type (I – perimeter curtain, II – main, southern wing, III – western and eastern wing, IV – northern). During the construction, an embankment was made in the courtyard, extending to the west to approx. 3.5 m. In this way, the natural slope of the escarpment was leveled. The terrace was also erected from the west. The current level of the ground is the result of elevation in the 19th century. At the south-western tower, a change in its planned size was also found at the level of foundations.
The monumental castle in Kwidzyn was a visible symbol of the chapter’s power. The combination of the castle and the cathedral was an unusual and symbolic solution. According to the research, the canons employed experienced builders familiar with the techniques of building Teutonic castles.