About 92 km from Poza Zgiełkiem, in the heart of a small Warmian town, rises one of the best-preserved Gothic castles in Poland – the Warmian Bishops' Castle. For over 400 years it was the seat of Warmia's ecclesiastical rulers, and its guests included Nicolaus Copernicus and Jan Długosz. Today it houses a museum with valuable collections of Warmian art.
History – seat of ecclesiastical power and home of Copernicus
The castle was built in 1350–1401 as the main residence of the Warmian bishops. Warmia was then an independent ecclesiastical principality – one of the wealthiest in Prussia. Nicolaus Copernicus lived here as secretary and physician to Bishop Łukasz Watzenrode in 1503–1510; it was here that he began formulating his revolutionary heliocentric theories. The castle has four wings surrounding a square courtyard with cloisters – the only historical cloisters in Poland that have not undergone architectural alterations.
Museum and collections
Since 1963, the castle has housed the Museum of Warmia and Masuria – Olsztyn branch. Permanent exhibitions cover Warmian painting from the 16th to 18th centuries, military collections, ceramics and Gothic sculpture. A special attraction is the climb through all floors of the castle tower – from the top there is a panorama of the town and surroundings. In summer, the castle regularly hosts chamber concerts, temporary exhibitions and historical performances.
How to plan the trip
Lidzbark Warmiński is about 92 km from Poza Zgiełkiem – about 1.5 hours by car. The castle is open Tuesday to Sunday; seasonal hours – check the museum website. Paid admission, with reduced rates for children and seniors. The town of Lidzbark Warmiński is itself worth exploring – a well-preserved old town with a Baroque town hall and city gates. The trip can be combined with Reszel (25 km) and Święta Lipka (30 km) to create a full Warmian loop.
Visitor tip
The best time to visit is Tuesday to Thursday outside the summer season – fewer crowds, full access to museum rooms. Allow at least 2–3 hours for the castle and old town. Combine with Reszel and Święta Lipka for a full day of Warmian sights.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Ludwig Schneider / CC BY-SA 3.0
