# Bobrowniki Castle

- **Country:** Poland
- **Coordinates:** 52.779444, 18.947222
- **Location Text:** Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship (ruins)

Bobrowniki Castle is a historic fortress ruin located in Bobrowniki, within Lipno County, Poland. Constructed by the Teutonic Knights at the turn of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the structure was likely built as an expansion of an earlier stronghold founded by Ladislaus the Hump-backed, Duke of Dobrzyn. Situated near the national border, the castle served as a critical seat of local government and underwent constant fortification improvements to defend against cross-border conflicts. Its strategic position made it a focal point during regional power struggles between the Teutonic Order and the Polish Kingdom.

The castle possesses a turbulent history marked by changing ownership and military significance. Although purchased by King Wladyslaw Jagiello in 1405, it was briefly recaptured by the Teutonic Knights through treason before being returned to Poland following the Peace of Thorn in 1411. While it eventually lost its primary military role due to shifting borders, it served as a prison for captured Teutonic Knights during the Thirteen Years' War. By the seventeenth century, the building had fallen into disrepair and was abandoned by local authorities. Subsequent damage during wars with Sweden in the eighteenth century led to a formal decision in the nineteenth century to demolish the remaining structures.

Today, Bobrowniki Castle exists only as ruins with no current owner. Little definitive information remains regarding its original architectural style, though historical accounts suggest it was either a two-winged or square complex surrounded by walls, a moat, and a cylindrical tower. The only visible remnants of its past splendor are fragments of the fortified walls and a sentry tower. Despite its dilapidated condition, the site stands as a testament to the region's volatile medieval history and the architectural efforts of the Teutonic Order.

![Photo of Bobrowniki Castle](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Ruiny%20zamku%20w%20Bobrownikach.jpg)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobrowniki_Castle (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)