Ketrzyn - Bus - Buses and Buses - Monuments - Attractions and Sightseeing.

Ketrzyn - monuments and sightseeing in the city. What is worth seeing?

Ketrzyn is a small town in the Warmian-Masurian province, on the lands of the Bartow tribe, not far from Reszel and Ryn.

Ketrzyn, under the Prussian name Rast, already existed in 1329, when a Teutonic watchtower was built here. It received city rights in 1357, and during this period the city began to be fortified with walls. After the Thirteen Years' War, already as Rastembork (German: Rastenburg), it remained within the borders of Teutonic Prussia, and later passed to Ducal Prussia. It was then that Jan Henryk Dabrowski's division was stationed in the town.

During World War II, fortifications of Adolf Hitler's headquarters (Wolf's Lair) were built in the vicinity of Kętrzyn, Gierłoż. After the war, the town took the name Ketrzyn, after Wojciech Ketrzynski, a historian and independence activist.

Attractions of Ketrzyn 

Ketrzyn, although hiding magnificent monuments of the past, is only a part of the attractions served by the magnificent area. Beautiful landscapes, Masurian lakes, pure nature, numerous land and water tourist trails and lost interesting cities and towns are sure to enchant any tourist. 

The most important monuments of Ketrzyn include the Teutonic castle from the 14th century, the minor basilica of St. George. St. George's Basilica built on the site of a Teutonic watchtower, St. John's Evangelical Church, St. Catherine's Neo-Gothic Church and others. 

The Teutonic Castle

History of the Gothic castle dates back to the second half of the 14th century. The structure was built in the southeastern corner of the city walls and at first served as the seat of the monastic procurator. The castle was surrounded by a wall, three towers and an entrance gate, fragments of which have broken through to the present day. The Kętrzyn stronghold has been repeatedly destroyed, rebuilt or reconstructed over the centuries. In January 1945 it was finally turned to ashes by Russian troops. Thanks to the efforts of the region's authorities, an arduous reconstruction of the castle in the original Gothic style began in 1964. The work was completed just two years later, and today the castle is one of the city's greatest landmarks. Currently, the east wing of the castle is home to the Wojciech Kętrzynski Museum. Access to the castle courtyard is free. 

The Wojciech Kętrzynski Museum (in the castle)

Although the collection of the museum located in the castle is not one of the largest, it boasts many wonderful objects. Some of them are unique heritage of the region and it is vain to find artifacts of this type in other museums in Poland. An important part of the exhibition are relics from the historic palaces of East Prussia.

The Old Synagogue

Just outside the castle, squeezed into a row of 19th-century townhouses, stands a synagogue dating from 1853. The building was used by worshippers of Judaism until 1914, after which it was purchased by the Baptist Church.

St. George's Basilica

This is the best preserved defensive church in Masuria, as well as an observation tower. Literally a few minutes' walk from the castle, the basilica (which has the rank of basilica minor) is a reminder of the city's medieval history. However, the Gothic body of the building differs from typical Christian churches. The church in Kętrzyn combined sacral and defensive functions (it was included in the system of city fortifications) and when viewed from a particular perspective may be more reminiscent of a castle than a place of prayer. The interior of the temple is characterized by modesty typical of evangelical churches and the ubiquitous white color. Most notable is the magnificent crystal vault, not often seen in Poland, which was made by master Matz from Gdansk. Other noteworthy elements of the decor are a multicolored pulpit from 1594 and an organ from 1721. Their creator was Jan Mosengel of Königsberg, builder of the organ at the sanctuary in Swieta Lipka. 

St. John's Evangelical Church

 Directly adjacent to the basilica stands an inconspicuous building that houses St. John's Evangelical Church. The history of the building dates back to 1480. Originally the building was much smaller and served as a cemetery chapel. In 1545, Prince Albrecht Hohenzollern established a school (the Great School) in Kętrzyn to prepare students for study at Albrecht University in Königsberg. Instead of erecting a new edifice, the decision was made to adapt the existing cemetery chapel. To this end, a new two-story building was added to it. The expanded edifice served as a school until the beginning of the 19th century, after which it was again converted into a temple. Interestingly, the former chapel held services in Polish at all times - which is why the temple was called the Polish church. Since the end of World War II, it has been the only Evangelical church in Kętrzyn. Among the church's greatest treasures are worth mentioning: 18th-century organs, a wooden vault from 1817 or a baroque pulpit from 1730. 

Medieval defensive walls

Ketrzyn was surrounded by a ring of defensive walls as early as the 14th century. Several fragments of these fortifications have survived to our days. 

The building of the former Masonic lodge

One of the most interesting monuments in the city is the building of the former Masonic lodge. The freemasonic lodge, named Drei Thore des Tempels (Polish: Three Gates of the Temple), was founded in Kętrzyn on October 9, 1818. Between 1860 and 1864 its headquarters was erected, which stood near the border of the historic old town. The one-story building was built on a rectangular plan and one can notice the inspiration of late English Gothic in it. The building is distinguished by four octagonal turrets and a five-sided risalit with a staircase. The Kętrzyn lodge's headquarters was used until its dissolution in the 1930s, after which the building fell into the hands of the city, which turned it into a cinema and community center. Individual memorabilia of the Kętrzyn lodge can be seen in an exhibition at the Wojciech Kętrzynski Museum.

 Town Hall and County Office Building

One of Kętrzyn's most distinctive buildings is the town hall, which was erected between 1885 and 1886 in an eclectic style. Although the building is not one of the largest town halls in former East Prussia, it is hard to pass by indifferently. The lower part of the town hall houses the Kardamon restaurant. Directly behind the town hall stands the impressive red brick county office building, which was built in the late 19th century. The building was erected on the burnt-out site of an 1890 fire that consumed some 20 buildings. 

The Wojciech Kętrzynski bench

Aside the city hall, at Jozef Pilsudski Square, there is a small park with a fountain. Its decoration is a bench with a statue of Wojciech Kętrzynski, in honor of whom Kętrzyn was named.

 Neo-Gothic St. Catherine Church

The St. Catherine Church is a few steps away from the city hall. The temple was built in 1896-1897 in Neo-Gothic style. It was the first Catholic church consecrated in Kętrzyn since the Reformation. Fritz Heitmann, a German architect who became known as an advocate of Gothic architecture of the Teutonic Order, was responsible for the design of the building. The interior of the temple survived both world wars unscathed. Inside, the neo-Gothic decorations - including a picturesque vault and wall design - are striking. 

Ketrzyn - PKS, buses and shuttles. Transportation to and from Ketrzyn

Our buses stop in Ketrzyn at bus stop Dworcowa street - railway station. Welcome aboard our buses!

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