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Description
This is the south-western view of the crusader convent castle and its adjacent fortified cathedral located in Kwidzyn (medieval Marienwerder in modern Poland). This architectural complex is a unique example of the 14th C. brick gothic architecture in the Baltic. It was built for the Teutonic cathedral chapter of the bishopric of Pomesania which was one of five bishoprics established in Prussia during the northern crusades. Inside, a monastic convent was located with cloisters on the first floor and a chapter house, refectory, communal dormitory and a chapel. The most striking feature of this fortress, however is a massive fortified cathedral attached to the eastern side of the castle and an equally monumental latrine tower, protruding into the river on the other side.

In the medieval period, Kwidzyn served as a major pilgrimage site as it was a burial place of an important Prussian saint; St. Dorothy who after her husband’s death decided to spend the rest of her life in prayer and asked to be walled up in a cell near the altar of the cathedral. Among other important individuals buried in Kwidzyn, are the bishops of Pomesania and three Grand Masters of the Teuotnic Order: Werner von Orseln (1324-1330), Ludolf König von Wattzau (1342-1345) and Henry von Plauen (1410-1414) who are all depicted on the medieval frescoes inside the cathedral. The reason they were buried here is that they were seen as unworthy of being buried with other Grand Masters in the earth brought from the Holy Land to the crypt below the chapel of St. Ann in Marienburg. Werner was stabbed to death by the other, supposedly mad Teutonic knight in the cloisters of Marienburg, Ludolf had to resign from the position of the Grand Master because he became insane after suffering a major defeat in Lithuania while Henry was deposed by his fellow brothers because he was a tyrant and ordered those who opposed him, including other Teutonic knights to be beheaded on the accusation of treason. Ironically, these are the only graves of Teutonic Grand Masters which had survived in the Baltic as the tombs in Marienburg were destroyed and robbed a number of times throughout history.

Description
This is the south-western view of the crusader convent castle and its adjacent fortified cathedral located in Kwidzyn (medieval Marienwerder in modern Poland). This architectural complex is a unique example of the 14th C. brick gothic architecture in the Baltic. It was built for the Teutonic cathedral chapter of the bishopric of Pomesania which was one of five bishoprics established in Prussia during the northern crusades. Inside, a monastic convent was located with cloisters on the first floor and a chapter house, refectory, communal dormitory and a chapel. The most striking feature of this fortress, however is a massive fortified cathedral attached to the eastern side of the castle and an equally monumental latrine tower, protruding into the river on the other side.

In the medieval period, Kwidzyn served as a major pilgrimage site as it was a burial place of an important Prussian saint; St. Dorothy who after her husband’s death decided to spend the rest of her life in prayer and asked to be walled up in a cell near the altar of the cathedral. Among other important individuals buried in Kwidzyn, are the bishops of Pomesania and three Grand Masters of the Teuotnic Order: Werner von Orseln (1324-1330), Ludolf König von Wattzau (1342-1345) and Henry von Plauen (1410-1414) who are all depicted on the medieval frescoes inside the cathedral. The reason they were buried here is that they were seen as unworthy of being buried with other Grand Masters in the earth brought from the Holy Land to the crypt below the chapel of St. Ann in Marienburg. Werner was stabbed to death by the other, supposedly mad Teutonic knight in the cloisters of Marienburg, Ludolf had to resign from the position of the Grand Master because he became insane after suffering a major defeat in Lithuania while Henry was deposed by his fellow brothers because he was a tyrant and ordered those who opposed him, including other Teutonic knights to be beheaded on the accusation of treason. Ironically, these are the only graves of Teutonic Grand Masters which had survived in the Baltic as the tombs in Marienburg were destroyed and robbed a number of times throughout history.