BARCIANY / Barten

    The remains of the castle are situated on a
small hill, which years ago was surrounded on three
sides by marshes and an overflow-arm of the Liwna River. Once it was a stronghold of the Barts, an old-
-Prussian tribe. In 1240 it was conquered by the Teutonic Order. In 1359 the settlement was given
a foundation charter, and some years later the construction of a brick castle began.

    At the beginning of the 15^th century the castle
was the Order’s prosecutors’ and then commanders’ seat. The three-wing structure was probably the
first fortress in the Order’s state which was
designed for use of fire arms. It is testified by numerous portholes and sticking out turrets, which allowed to lead fire along the walls. At the end of
the 16^th century the out-of-the-way and partly
ruined in wartime castle lost its military significance.
A large part of the complex was damaged in the
1915 fire. The Gothic church of the end of the 14^th century also deserves visiting.