Wolin Castle
Encyclopedia
Wolin Castle was a castle
in the town Wolin
on the island also named Wolin
(in Poland
)), owned by the dukes of Pomerania
.
When bishop Otto of Bamberg
made his missionary journeys through Pomerania in the early 12th century, he was already received in Wilin in a fortified royal house. Wardens managed a wooden building and the castle district of the town into the 13th century. By then, the house was the seat of Pribislaw I
, Lord of Parchim-Richenberg, an early prince in Mecklenburg. After the death of his son Pribislaw II, the Duke's reeves
administered Wolin. The castle is first mentioned as castrum Wolyn in a document dated 1284.
The wooden building was torn down and a stone caste was built in its place. The complex including, among other buildings, stables, a granary, a brewery and the administrative office. During the existence of the Duchy of Pomerania
, the stone castle repeatedly served as a widow seat of the Pomeranian duchesses or as a residence for non-ruling members of the House of Griffins, such as Barnim XI
in his younger years. At other times, a captain lived in the main building.
Philip Hainhofer, who accompanied Duke Philip II
on a longish journey in 1617, left a description of the castle in his diary. According to him the old building, where the duchess Anna Maria of Brandenburg
had her widow seat from 1603 to 1618, provided accommodation for at most ten courtiers. Portraits of princes decorated the great hall. At around the same time, a vista
of Wolin was drawn, which is reproduced on the edge of the Map of Lubinus. This shows, on the right side, a building with a rectangular ground plan, decorated with a crow-stepped gable
and a flèche
with a copper roof and a striking turret clock
.
In 1620, Wolin Castle was meant to serve as the widow seat for Sophie of Saxony, the widow of Duke Francis
, but it was in such a bad shape, that it had to be demolished and replaced by a new castle in the same place. Several outbuildings were damaged in the great city fire of 1628. When an inventory was taken in 1636, after Duchess Sophie's death, a brick building with an unfinished interior was found. The adjacent former monastery church was used as a granary.
The House of Griffins died out during the Thirty Years' War
, and the castle came into the possession of the Swedish governor Johan Baner
(1596–1641), whose heirs ceded it to the Swedish queen dowager Maria Eleonora
. Her daughter, Queen Christina of Sweden
sold castle and district of Wolin in 1654 to Count Clas Tott (1630–1674), who mortgaged it in 1655 — the legality was confirmed in 1657 — to Count Christoph Karl von Schlippenbach (1624–1660).
The castle was badly damaged by Brandenburger and Imperial troops during the siege and storming of Wolin in 1659, in the context of the Second Northern War
. The castle burned down in 1675 when Wolin was again conquered by Brandenburg, in the context of the Great Northern War
, and was never rebuilt.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
in the town Wolin
Wolin (town)
Wolin is a town situated on the southern tip of the Wolin island off the Baltic coast of Poland. The island lies at the edge of the strait of Dziwna in Kamień Pomorski County in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship....
on the island also named Wolin
Wolin
Wolin is the name both of an island in the Baltic Sea, just off the Polish coast, and a town on that island. It is separated from the island of Usedom by the Świna river, and from mainland Pomerania by the Dziwna river...
(in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
)), owned by the dukes of Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
.
When bishop Otto of Bamberg
Otto of Bamberg
Saint Otto of Bamberg was a medieval German bishop and missionary who, as papal legate, converted much of Pomerania to Christianity.-Life:Otto was born into a noble family in Mistelbach, Franconia...
made his missionary journeys through Pomerania in the early 12th century, he was already received in Wilin in a fortified royal house. Wardens managed a wooden building and the castle district of the town into the 13th century. By then, the house was the seat of Pribislaw I
Pribislaw I
Pribislaw I, Lord of Parchim-Richenberg , was Lord of Parchim-Richenberg from 1238 to 1256....
, Lord of Parchim-Richenberg, an early prince in Mecklenburg. After the death of his son Pribislaw II, the Duke's reeves
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
administered Wolin. The castle is first mentioned as castrum Wolyn in a document dated 1284.
The wooden building was torn down and a stone caste was built in its place. The complex including, among other buildings, stables, a granary, a brewery and the administrative office. During the existence of the Duchy of Pomerania
Duchy of Pomerania
The Duchy of Pomerania was a duchy in Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, ruled by dukes of the House of Pomerania ....
, the stone castle repeatedly served as a widow seat of the Pomeranian duchesses or as a residence for non-ruling members of the House of Griffins, such as Barnim XI
Barnim XI, Duke of Pomerania
Barnim XI , son of Bogislaw X, Duke of Pomerania, became duke on his father's death in 1523. He ruled for a time in common with his elder brother George I; and after George's death in 1531 he shared the duchy with his nephew Philip I, retaining for himself the duchy of Pomerania-Stettin...
in his younger years. At other times, a captain lived in the main building.
Philip Hainhofer, who accompanied Duke Philip II
Philip II, Duke of Pomerania
Philip II, Duke of Pomerania was from 1606 to 1618 the reigning duke of Pomerania-Stettin and is considered among the one of the most artistic of the Pomeranian dukes. He married Sophia of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg in 1607...
on a longish journey in 1617, left a description of the castle in his diary. According to him the old building, where the duchess Anna Maria of Brandenburg
Anna Maria of Brandenburg
Anna Maria of Brandenburg was an Princess of Brandenburg by birth and marriage Duchess of Pomerania.- Life :...
had her widow seat from 1603 to 1618, provided accommodation for at most ten courtiers. Portraits of princes decorated the great hall. At around the same time, a vista
Vista
Vista usually refers to a distant view.Vista may also refer to:-Software:*Windows Vista, the line of Microsoft Windows client operating systems released in 2006 and 2007...
of Wolin was drawn, which is reproduced on the edge of the Map of Lubinus. This shows, on the right side, a building with a rectangular ground plan, decorated with a crow-stepped gable
Crow-stepped gable
A Stepped gable, Crow-stepped gable, or Corbie step is a stair-step type of design at the top of the triangular gable-end of a building...
and a flèche
Flèche
A flèche is used in French architecture to refer to a spire and in English to refer to a lead-covered timber spire, or spirelet. These are placed on the ridges of church or cathedral roofs and are usually relatively small...
with a copper roof and a striking turret clock
Turret clock
A Turret clock is a clock mounted in a tower or turret, usually to show the current time on a dial with hand or to announce the time by strike, or both. It can also have more than one dial to show days, moon phases, and other astronomical data.-Sundials:...
.
In 1620, Wolin Castle was meant to serve as the widow seat for Sophie of Saxony, the widow of Duke Francis
Francis, Duke of Pomerania
Francis of Pomerania was Duke of Pomerania-Szczecin and Bishop of Cammin.- Life :...
, but it was in such a bad shape, that it had to be demolished and replaced by a new castle in the same place. Several outbuildings were damaged in the great city fire of 1628. When an inventory was taken in 1636, after Duchess Sophie's death, a brick building with an unfinished interior was found. The adjacent former monastery church was used as a granary.
The House of Griffins died out during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, and the castle came into the possession of the Swedish governor Johan Baner
Johan Banér
Johan Banér was a Swedish Field Marshal in the Thirty Years' War.-Biography:Johan Banér was born at Djursholm Castle in Uppland. As a four year old he was forced to witness how his father, the Privy Councillour Gustaf Banér, and uncle, Sten Axelsson Banér , were executed at the Linköping Bloodbath...
(1596–1641), whose heirs ceded it to the Swedish queen dowager Maria Eleonora
Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg
Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg was a German princess and queen consort of Sweden.She was the daughter of John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg, and Anna, Duchess of Prussia, daughter of Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia....
. Her daughter, Queen Christina of Sweden
Christina of Sweden
Christina , later adopted the name Christina Alexandra, was Queen regnant of Swedes, Goths and Vandals, Grand Princess of Finland, and Duchess of Ingria, Estonia, Livonia and Karelia, from 1633 to 1654. She was the only surviving legitimate child of King Gustav II Adolph and his wife Maria Eleonora...
sold castle and district of Wolin in 1654 to Count Clas Tott (1630–1674), who mortgaged it in 1655 — the legality was confirmed in 1657 — to Count Christoph Karl von Schlippenbach (1624–1660).
The castle was badly damaged by Brandenburger and Imperial troops during the siege and storming of Wolin in 1659, in the context of the Second Northern War
Second Northern War
The Second Northern War was fought between Sweden and its adversaries the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth , Russia , Brandenburg-Prussia , the Habsburg Monarchy and Denmark–Norway...
. The castle burned down in 1675 when Wolin was again conquered by Brandenburg, in the context of the Great Northern War
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
, and was never rebuilt.
External links
- Wollin (1650) - National Archives of Sweden - Plans of foreign cities and forts - sheet 0406/25/005: Wollin (1650) - shows the castle as a Princely Residence within the city walls.
- Wollin (1664) National Archives of Sweden - Plans of foreign cities and forts - sheet 0406/25/009: Map of Wolin with planned fortifications (1664) - shows the town of Wolin and the castle within the city walls.
