Długi wiek XIII – początki krzyżackiej murowanej architektury obronnej na ziemi chełmińskiej w świetle najnowszych badań

Abstract

Castles built by the Teutonic Knights in Che ł mno Land became one of the most characteristic features of the landscape. They served different functions and realized political, military, economic and propaganda goals. They became visible evidence of a well-organized state. For many years attempts to compile a comprehensive view of this area have been undertaken. This article presents a brief summary of research undertaken in 2005 by the Department of Archaeology of Architecture, the Institute of Archaeology of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toru ń on castles in Papowo Biskupie, Grudziądz, Radzy ń Che łmiński, Wąbrzeź no and Kowalewo Pomorskie. Its goal is to attempt to answer fundamental questions related to the origins of the Teutonic Order defensive brick architecture in Che ł mno Land. It concerns the details of construction, topography, the spatial layout of castles, determination of the beginning of construction activity as well as the origins and layout of the oldest fortresses. Based on results of analyses and those of the research programme, it was assumed that the initial stages of the erection of defensive masonry buildings proceeded unevenly and was dependent on a number of factors related to local conditions – the topography and environment (type, shape and spatial layout of a given object) as well as the political situation, and not only on the content of the Order’s statutes or regulations de fining the nature and function of spaces needed for the realization of their basic functions. Analyzing the nature and extent of the construction work of regular castles (Papowo Biskupie and Radzyń Chełmiński) and earlier castles belonging to irregular objects (e.g. Grudzią dz). It is evident that the latter were built by much less means and effort than the former. Certainly, this was due to the different political situation, especially in the border zone, which then stabilized when the regular castles were erected. This effort is evidenced by the degree of involvement and extent of the initial preparatory works (earthworks), which required a significant participation of men and fi nancial resources. Moreover, it was established that construction work on many castles were probably carried out later than was previously assumed (masonry phase). Nor in all cases was there earlier settlements and there is no convincing evidence for such an assumption in the existing research results. The form of regular defensive edi fices with a square-like plan (the so-called conventual castles) could have occurred and spread in the last years of the 13 th or early 14th century as indicated by the results of recent research on the castles in Chełmno Land.

Problematyka badań archeologiczno-architektonicznych zamków krzyżackich jest od wielu lat przedmiotem ożywionych studiów i badań, ale do tej pory – – z różnych względów – nie doczekała się całościowego podsumowania. W artykule przedstawiono najnowsze podsumowanie wyników badań kilku zamków krzyżackich ziemi chełmińskiej – w Papowie Biskupim, Radzyniu Chełmińskim, Wąbrzeźnie, Grudziądzu i Kowalewie Pomorskim – prowadzonych przez Instytut Archeologii UMK w Toruniu.