Stare Drawsko

Stare Drawsko is a small village located in north-western Poland within the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, specifically in Drawsko County and the administrative district of Gmina Czaplinek. Situated approximately seven kilometers north-west of Czaplinek, it serves as a northwestern outpost of the historic Greater Poland region near the border with Pomerania. The settlement is historically prominent as the former seat of the Starostwo of Draheim and was known by the German name Alt Draheim until 1945. Today, it remains a quiet locality with a population of roughly 140 residents.

The site is best known for the ruins of Drahim Castle, a formidable stronghold originally constructed in the 14th century by the Knights Hospitaller to guard the Polish-Pomeranian frontier. Its history is marked by turbulence, including a period in the early 15th century when robber barons seized the fortress to launch brigandage raids until their defeat in 1422. Later, the castle became the capital of the Draheim starostwo under Polish administration. In a significant geopolitical shift during the 17th century, King John II Casimir pawned the territory to Frederick William of Brandenburg, eventually leading to its incorporation into the Kingdom of Prussia following the First Partition of Poland in 1773.

After centuries of foreign rule, the village was reincorporated into Poland in 1945 following the defeat of Nazi Germany. While the once-mighty Drahim Castle now stands in ruins, serving as a visual reminder of the region's volatile past, the village retains its historical identity through these remnants and its role as a former administrative center. The site offers a tangible connection to the eras of the Teutonic Knights, Polish royal authority, and Prussian governance, making it a location of considerable archaeological and historical interest within the modern Polish landscape.