Ordensburgen were originally constructed by the
Livonian Brothers of the Sword and later by the
Teutonic Order to fortify territory in
Prussia and
Livonia captured from the native populations –
Old Prussians,
Lithuanians and native peoples of what is now
Latvia and
Estonia. Later,
Ordensburgen were used to attack
Lithuania. Since they were built and used by religious military orders, the
Ordensburgen often resembled
monasteries. While they were considerably larger than those in the
Holy Roman Empire, they were much scarcer in the
Monastic state of the Teutonic Knights. While a normal castle in the Holy Roman Empire would control about 38 km2, a castle would control 370 km2 in Prussia and 789 km2 in Livonia,
Courland and Estonia. The few small castles are considered to be of
vassals, while the larger ones might have served as
arsenals and
strongholds during the
Northern Crusades. They were purpose-built to colonize the respective countries and peoples by capturing and holding territory. Most
Ordensburgen were rectangular, even quadratic in form, built from
red brick and lacking a
Bergfried (a type of
keep). Many castles had no towers at all, as the
bailey (a mighty
quadrangle) was considered sufficient for defence.
List of medieval Ordensburgen •
Adsel (Gaujiena, Latvia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a
commandery •
Allenstein (Olsztyn, Poland) •
Alschwangen (Alsunga, Latvia) - a genuine
Ordensburg •
Altona (Altene, Latvia) •
Angern (Angerja, Estonia) - vassal castle •
Angerburg (Węgorzewo, Poland) •
Arensburg (Kuressaare, Estonia) - a bishop's castle •
Arrasch (Āraiši, Latvia) •
Ascheraden (Aizkraukle, Latvia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a commandery •
Ass (Kiltsi, Estonia) - vassal castle •
Bäslack (Bezławki, Poland) •
Balga (Balga, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia) •
Barten (Barciany, Poland) •
Bauske (Bauska, Latvia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a
bailiff •
Bebern •
Berson (Bērzaune, Latvia) •
Birgelau (Bierzgłowo, Poland) •
Borkholm (Porkuni, Estonia) - a bishop's castle • Brandenburg on
Frisches Haff (
Ushakovo, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia) •
Burtneck (Burtnieki, Latvia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of lower officials •
Bütow (Bytów, Poland) •
Caymen (Zarechye, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia) •
Danzig (Gdańsk, Poland) •
Dibau (Podgórz, Poland) •
Doblen (Dobele, Latvia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a commandery •
Domnau (Domnovo, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia) •
Dondangen (Dundaga, Latvia) - a bishop's castle •
Dorpat (Tartu, Estonia) - a bishop's castle •
Dünaburg (Daugavpils, Latvia) - a genuine order castle, seat of a commandery •
Dünamünde (Daugavgrīva, Latvia) - a genuine order castle, seat of a commandery •
Durben (Durbe, Latvia) •
Eckersburg (Okartowo, Poland) •
Edwahlen (Ēdole, Latvia) - a bishop's castle •
Engelsburg (Pokrzywno, Poland) •
Elbing (Elbląg, Poland) •
Erlaa (Ērgļi, Latvia) •
Ermes (Ērģeme, Latvia) •
Falkenau (Kärkna, Estonia) - monastery •
Fellin (Viljandi, Estonia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a commandery •
Fickel (Vigala, Estonia) - vassal castle •
Georgenburg (Mayovka, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia) •
Goldingen (Kuldīga, Latvia) •
Gollub (Golub-Dobrzyń, Poland) •
Graudenz (Grudziądz, Poland) •
Grobin (Grobiņa, Latvia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a
bailiff •
Groß Roop (Lielstraupe, Latvia) - a bishop's castle •
Hapsal (Haapsalu, Estonia) - a bishop's castle •
Hasenpoth (Aizpute, Latvia) •
Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński, Poland) •
Helmat (Helme, Estonia) - a genuine
Ordensburg •
Hochrosen (Augstroze, Latvia) •
Hofzumberg (Tērvete, Latvia) •
Holme (Mārtiņsala, Latvia) •
Insterburg (Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia) •
Jaschnitz (Nowy Jasiniec, Poland) •
Johannisburg (Pisz, Poland) •
Kalzenau (Kalsnava, Latvia) •
Kandau (Kandava, Latvia) •
Karkus (Karksi, Estonia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a bailiff •
Kirrumpäh (Kirumpää, Estonia) - a bishop's castle •
Königsberg (Kaliningrad, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of the
Grand Master of the Teutonic Order •
Kokenhusen (Koknese, Latvia) - a bishop's castle •
Kremon (Krimulda, Latvia) - a bishop's castle •
Kyda (Kiiu, Estonia) - vassal castle •
Labiau (Polessk, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia) •
Lais (Laiuse, Estonia) - a genuine
Ordensburg •
Lamgraben (Grabno, Poland) •
Leal (Lihula, Estonia) - built and held jointly by order and bishop •
Lemsal (Limbaži, Latvia) •
Leipe (Lipienek, Poland) •
Lennewarden (Lielvārde, Latvia) - a bishop's castle •
Lochstädt (Baltiysk, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia) •
Loxten (Lokstene, Latvia) •
Ludsen (Ludza, Latvia) - a genuine
Ordensburg •
Lyck (Ełk, Poland) •
Marienburg (Alūksne, Latvia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a commandery •
Marienburg (Malbork, Poland) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of the grand master •
Marienwerder (Kwidzyn, Poland) •
Mehlsack (Pieniężno, Poland) •
Memel (Klaipėda, Lithuania) - a genuine
Ordensburg •
Mewe (Gniew, Poland) •
Mohrungen (Morąg, Poland) •
Mojahn (Mujāni, Latvia) •
Narwa (Narva, Estonia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a bailiff •
Neidenburg (Nidzica, Poland) •
Nessau (Nieszawa, Poland) •
Neuenburg (Jaunpils, Latvia) - a genuine
Ordensburg •
Neuermühlen (Ādaži, Latvia) •
Neuhausen (Guryevsk, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia) •
Neuhausen (Valtaiķi, Latvia) •
Neuhausen (Vastseliina, Estonia) - a bishop's castle •
Neu Kirchholm (Salaspils, Latvia) •
Neuschloß (Vasknarva, Estonia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a bailiff •
Oberpahlen (Põltsamaa, Estonia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of bailiff •
Odenpäh (Otepää, Estonia) - a bishop's castle •
Ortelsburg (Szczytno, Poland) •
Ossiek (Osiek, Poland) •
Osterode (Ostróda, Poland) •
Padis (Padise, Estonia) - monastery •
Papau (Papowo Biskupie, Poland) •
Pernau (Pärnu, Estonia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a bailiff •
Peude (Pöide, Estonia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a bailiff •
Pilten (Piltene, Latvia) •
Pöddes (Kalvi, Estonia) - vassal castle •
Preußisch Holland (Pasłęk, Poland) •
Preußisch Mark (Przezmark, Poland) •
Ragnit (Neman, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia) •
Rastenburg (Kętrzyn, Poland) •
Reval (Tallinn, Estonia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a commandery •
Rheden (Radzyń Chełmiński, Poland) •
Rhein (Ryn, Poland) •
Riesenburg (Prabuty, Poland) •
Riga (Riga, Latvia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of the master of the
Livonian Order •
Rössel (Reszel, Poland) •
Rodenpois (Ropaži, Latvia) •
Roggenhausen (Rogóźno-Zamek, Poland) •
Ronneburg (Rauna, Latvia) - a bishop's castle •
Rosenberck (Susz, Poland) •
Rositten (Rēzekne, Latvia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a bailiff •
Rujen (Rūjiena, Latvia) •
Saalau (Żuława, Poland) •
Salis (Salacgrīva, Latvia) - a bishop's castle •
Schaaken (Nekrasovo, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia) •
Schlochau (Człuchów, Poland) •
Schönberg (Skaistkalne, Latvia) •
Schönsee (Kowalewo Pomorskie, Poland) •
Schwanenburg (Gulbene, Latvia) •
Schwetz (Świecie, Poland) •
Seehesten (Szestno, Poland) •
Segewold (Sigulda, Latvia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of the •
Selburg (near modern
Vecsēlpils, Latvia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a bailiff •
Sesswangen (Cesvaine, Latvia) •
Smilten (Smiltene, Latvia) •
Soldau (Działdowo, Poland) •
Sonnenburg (Maasi, Estonia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a bailiff •
Strasburg (Brodnica, Poland) •
Stuhm (Sztum, Poland) •
Tapiau (Gvardeysk, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia) •
Taplaken (Talpaki, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia) •
Tarwast (Tarvastu, Estonia) - a genuine
Ordensburg •
Terweten (Tērvete, Latvia) •
Tolsburg (Toolse, Estonia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a bailiff •
Thorn (Toruń, Poland) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a commandery •
Treyden (Turaida, Latvia) - a bishop's castle •
Trikaten (Trikāta, Latvia) •
Tuchel (Tuchola, Poland) •
Tuckum (Tukums, Latvia) •
Türpsal (Järve, Estonia) - vassal castle •
Uexküll (Ikšķile, Latvia) •
Villack (Viļaka, Latvia) - a bishop's castle •
Wack (Vao, Estonia) - vassal castle •
Waldau (Nizovye, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia) •
Warbeck (Uue-Kastre, Estonia) - a bishop's castle •
Weißenstein (Paide, Estonia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a bailiff •
Welsas (Wieldządz, Poland) •
Wenden (Cēsis, Latvia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of the
Landmeister in Livland •
Werder (Virtsu, Estonia) - vassal castle •
Wesenberg (Rakvere, Estonia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a bailiff •
Windau (Ventspils, Latvia) - a genuine
Ordensburg, seat of a commander •
Wolkenburg (Volkenberga, Latvia) •
Wolmar (Valmiera, Latvia) •
Zlotterie (Złotoria, Poland) ==See also==