Stuhm Castle

The Teutonic castle of Stuhm stands on the isthmus between Lakes Sztumskie (Zajezierskie) and Barlewickie in the town of Sztum (German Stuhm), Pomeranian Voivodeship, historic West Prussia. The Teutonic Order took the Pomesanian site in 1236. A brick castle rose in the fourteenth century as the seat of a vogt under the commander of Marienburg; sources mention a farm and curia in 1295 and 1336 and a commander in 1331. Close to Marienburg, Stuhm served Grand Masters and their guests as a hunting and rest residence. In 1377 Duke Albert III of Austria, after a campaign against Lithuania, stayed here and funded the later so-called Albert Tower; the colours of his gift (white on red) still appear on the town flag.

After Grunwald in 1410 a Polish garrison held the castle briefly; Heinrich von Plauen recovered it, and the western tower lost its top. Despite scarce funds it was enlarged in 1415–20. In the Thirteen Years’ War the Order’s garrison surrendered in 1454 after a long siege; after Chojnice the Order regained it until the Second Peace of Thorn in 1466 placed it in Royal Prussia. From 1468 to 1772 Polish starosts resided there (Bażyński, Czem, Guldenstern, Bieliński). Nicolaus Copernicus stayed in 1506 and 1512. The Northern Wars and a fire in 1693 began decay; parts were dismantled. In the nineteenth century court, offices and a prison occupied the buildings. After damage in 1945 restoration followed in 1966–71 and in the 1990s.

The plan differs from the usual Teutonic square: an irregular polygon following the former island, brick on a high fieldstone plinth, wall-walk on blind arcades, three towers in the curtain (Albert Tower, Prison Tower, gate tower). Long, low residential ranges, chapel, kitchen, brewery, bakery and dansker lined a large court. Surviving elements are mainly the south wing with Gothic cellars, stretches of wall, one donjon and the gate tower. Since 2018 the castle has been a branch of the Malbork Castle Museum; the Sztum Cultural Centre holds exhibitions in the south wing. Knightly tournaments and historical displays take place on the site.