The Castle of the Pomeranian Dukes in Szczecin
The Renaissance castle of the Pomeranian dukes which is close to the river Oder is a historic place of the dynasty of the Greifen. Its actual design comes from the turbulent history of the region. The two inner courtyards are surrounded by five wings of the castle which are crowned by towers: bell tower, prison tower and watch tower. The façades of the castle are decorated with late gothic measuring units, renaissance attics, a statue of Bishop Otto I from Bamberg, the stone medals of Barnim III, Barnim XI, Philip II, Franz I and a baroque watch, which is embellished by griffins and a figure of the duke´s jester who ticks every hour and every quarter of an hour.
The castle collects artifacts of the reign of the Greifen dynasty. Visitors like to see the sarcophagus of the duke in the crypts and the cabinet of Lubinus, a famous cartographer of the 17th century , with a precious copy of his famous big map (Lubinsche Karte) of the Pomeranian duchy. One of the exhibitions shows the cellar of the witch with replica of instruments of punishment and torture of the 16th and 17th century which is dedicated to Sidonia of Borcke (a Pomeranian aristocrat who was executed in 1620).
The castle of the Pomeranian dukes is one of the most important cultural monuments of the whole region of western Pomerania. It is the center of the cultural institution who organizes exhibitions, open air events, concerts, meetings as well as scientific congresses. The castle of the Pomeranian dukes is the biggest institution which is concerned with promotion of culture of the region and the whole district. It operates galleries, the cinema “Zamek”, the theatre “Piwnica przy Krypcie” as well as the tourist information center.
At the moment the Marshal´s Office of the region of Western Pomerania , the opera house „Opera na Zamku“ and the restaurant „Na Kuncu Korytarza“ are located there. The castle of the Pomeranian Dukes is open from 10 am until 6 pm from Tuesdays until Sundays. It is located in the center of the old town of Szczecin, only a few minutes away from St Jacob´s church. It can easily be reached from the central station or the bus station by public transport or by foot.
New attractions in the castle of the Pomeranian Dukes in Szczecin
- Chamber of puzzles – a game with corresponding sceneries of different ages
- Historic and actual map of the region showing attractions for tourists
- Professional audio guide (in several languages) with information on the castle and other attractions of the region
- Gigantic puzzle – an innovative method of learning about the history of the Lubin map. The puzzle ( 5 x 4 m) shows 12 old engraved plates by which the map is printed
- Carriage – info point for the youngest in the shape of a carriage with a touch screen for interactive learning game
The above mentioned attractions is tempting to visit the castle of the Pomeranian duke sin Szczecin, recruit people to visit the partner institutions and have an educational function. They encourage to active and creative tours. Visitors gain new knowledge by lively playing and visitors can discover the mysteries of the castle and the region. You find all information on the castle on the homepage.
