Castle in Świdwin - Świdwin Cultural Center

Today, the medieval castle is the seat of the Świdwin Cultural Center.

The restored walls house, among other things:
- a library, 
- an exhibition hall,
- museum chambers,
- the Czytelnik café,
- the Zamkowa restaurant,
- auditorium for 200 people,
- Tourist Information Center.
We cordially invite you to visit the castle. During the Historical Castle Reconnaissance, you will see the former Teutonic chambers, knights' council chambers, and places where successive rulers of Świdwin made decisions about the fate of these lands. You will also see an extraordinary view from the top of the castle tower. A guide will accompany you on your tour of the castle, introducing you to its history and sharing interesting facts about this medieval stronghold.

Świdwin has joined the inter-city program "Tu byłem..." (I was here...). Its task is to guide tourists through the country on a trail of collectible magnets, which can only be purchased in person!
On the website www.magnesturysty.pl, you can easily check the available locations, find addresses, and plan your visit.
The first information about the castle in Świdwin comes from the second decade of the 14th century. However, it is not known exactly when the castle was built. What is certain is that it was founded before Świdwin was granted town rights (before 1296). It was inhabited successively by the Wedel family, the Teutonic Knights, Brandenburg administrators, and the Knights Hospitaller. The Wedel family expanded the castle. At that time, defensive walls were built around Świdwin, and a church was built in the market square. 
Later, the castle was bought from the Wedel family by the Teutonic Knights. The north wing was expanded, a tower with arrowslits and a viewing platform at a height of 25 m was erected. Shooting ranges, watchtowers and four additional towers were built within the city walls. In 1455, the town and the castle were taken over by Frederick II Hohenzollern, Elector of Brandenburg. In 1540, Świdwin was taken over by the Order of the Knights of Malta, known as the Knights Hospitaller. The new owners of the castle rebuilt it again. The defensive features of the castle were no longer important, so the moat was filled in and some of the defensive buildings were demolished. From that moment on, the building was to serve a representative function. The Knights Hospitaller remained in Świdwin and at the castle until 1810. In recognition of their contribution to the development of the town, the coats of arms of the three commanders of the order were placed above the entrance gate to the castle. 
After the last of the commanders left the castle, it passed into secular hands. In the 19th century, the castle housed several state institutions. The south wing housed a court, the eastern part housed tax and cadastral offices, the western part housed a prison, and the north wing housed an armory. The castle was not damaged during World War II.
In the 1950s, the northern wing of the castle was destroyed by fire. At that time, the city authorities decided to completely restore the building. The work took six years. During the reconstruction of the northern part of the castle, its Teutonic character was lost. Fragments of the 13th-century defensive walls were also exposed. After the renovation, the entire castle building was designated as a cultural center. The Cultural Center organizes a number of cultural events, concerts, exhibitions, meetings with authors, and regular events. In March, the Vilnius Kaziuki Festival takes place, in April the Czary Gitary guitar festival, and in June the Świdwin Literary Festival.

Historical Castle Reconnaissance
Duration: approx. 45 min., guided tours only
Daily, Monday to Sunday, on the hour.

Tickets are sold at the Tourist Information Center.
Current ticket prices and opening hours can be found at:https://zamek.swidwin.pl/zwiedzanie-zamku/

Discounted tickets – school and university students (up to 26 years of age), pensioners, disability pensioners.
Children under 7 – free admission.
We accept the Large Family Card – discounted ticket

The castle is open daily except for certain holidays. Detailed information is always available on the website:zamek.swidwin.pl
There you will also find the calendar of events of the Świdwin Cultural Center.
  
Children under 5 – free admission A.
For information about visiting, it is best to check not only the website but also the CIT Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/p/Centrum-Informacji-Turystycznej-w-%C5%9Awidwinie-Zamek-100057354973505/