Malbork County

Malbork County (Polish: powiat malborski) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Malbork (site of the historic Malbork Castle), 46 kilometres (29 mi) south-east of the regional capital Gdańsk. The only other town in the county is Nowy Staw, lying 12 km (7 mi) north of Malbork. Until 2002 the county also included the areas which now make up Sztum County.

The county covers an area of 494.63 square kilometres (191.0 sq mi). As of 2006 its total population is 62,960, out of which the population of Malbork is 38,478, that of Nowy Staw is 4,447, and the rural population is 20,035.

Malbork County on a map of the counties of Pomeranian Voivodeship

Malbork County is bordered by Nowy Dwór Gdański County to the north, Elbląg County to the east, Sztum County to the south, Tczew County to the west and Gdańsk County to the north-west.

Malbork

Malbork [ˈmalbɔrk] (German: Marienburg ( listen); Latin: Civitas Beatae Virginis) is a town in northern Poland in the Żuławy region (Vistula delta), with 38,478 inhabitants (2006). Situated in the Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999, it was previously assigned to Elbląg Voivodeship (1975–1998). It is the capital of Malbork County.

Founded in the 13th century by the Knights of the Teutonic Order, the town is noted for its medieval Malbork Castle, built in the 13th Century as the Order's headquarters in what later became known as West Prussia.

History of the castle

The town was built in Prussia around the fortress Ordensburg Marienburg which was founded in 1274 on the east bank of the river Nogat by the Teutonic Knights. Both the castle and the town (named Marienburg in German and Malborg or Malbork in Polish) were named for their patron saint, the Virgin Mary. This fortified castle became the seat of the Teutonic Order and Europe's largest Gothic fortress. During the Thirteen Years' War, the castle of Marienburg was pawned by the Teutonic Order to their imperial soldiers from Bohemia. They sold the castle in 1457 to King Casimir IV of Poland in lieu of indemnities.