Now YOU can live like a king: Dubbed the ‘unknown pearl of Mazury’, the 15th century Teutonic Knights castle is yours for 12 million Zł
Many have entertained the fantasy of living in a fairy tale castle, but now that dream has been made possible after a remarkable 14th century fortress was posted for sale on Facebook.
Although previously listed last year on more conventional property channels, its appearance alongside barren plots and rundown cabins on a regular Facebook buy & sell page has led to a fresh swell of interest from both the media and the public.
Located in Masuria, construction of Zamek Barciany is thought to have begun in 1380, with its three-stage building process only concluding in the 1520s.
With the castle interiors themselves touting a usable footprint of 12,835 sq/m, the castle would also be well-suited, adds the seller, for conversion into a hotel, a cultural or conference centre, or a sports and recreation facility.
Built for the Teutonic Knights, its sturdy redbrick form is largely typical of the striking castles that generously sprinkle the local countryside.
Peering over the treeline to offer staggering views of the rolling meadows beyond, the proposed sale of the castle has now fired the imagination of internet users, many of which quickly took to social media to share their thoughts.
“It’s beautiful,” joked one user, “unfortunately I left my wallet in another jacket.”
Initially listed for PLN 8 million, that price has now jumped to a cool PLN 12 million. Despite raising the eyebrows of some, that remains less than many of the houses – and in some instances apartments – listed on Warsaw’s luxury real estate pages.
Others, though, have been more cynical, pointing to its heating bills, whilst more noted that the price had leapt by 50 percent since it was originally placed on the market in 2022.
Initially listed for PLN 8 million, that price has now jumped to a cool PLN 12 million. Despite raising the eyebrows of some, that remains less than many of the houses – and in some instances apartments – listed on Warsaw’s luxury real estate pages.
In return, the uniqueness of the property is unquestionable. Described by the agency as “a perfect example of the military architecture of the Teutonic Order” and “one of the best preserved”, potential buyers will find a castle perched on a 1.7 hectare plot and surrounded by 10 hectares of its own adjacent land.
Located in Masuria, construction of Zamek Barciany is thought to have begun in 1380, with its three-stage building process only concluding in the 1520s.
Offsetting the running costs, the seller adds: “water from the lake is planned to be used as a renewable energy source that will be used to heat the castle in winter and cool it in the summer.
“This system will reduce costs by up to 85 percent. In addition, EU subsidies can be obtained for this type of energy source.”
With the castle interiors themselves touting a usable footprint of 12,835 sq/m, the castle would also be well-suited, adds the seller, for conversion into a hotel, a cultural or conference centre, or a sports and recreation facility.
Built for the Teutonic Knights, its sturdy redbrick form is largely typical of the striking castles that generously sprinkle the local countryside.
Set just eight kilometres south of Kaliningrad, some have joked that the real reason for the castle’s sale is indicative of a fire sale connected to its closeness to Russia.
For many, however, its geography – in the heart of the pristine lake district – is simply another major selling point.
Though featuring a lesser-profile than some of Masuria’s more well-known castles, Barciany nonetheless comes with its own thrilling history.
Capturing the essence of Masuria – both through its history and beauty – this ethereal, dream-like jewel presents one of the most extraordinary real estate offers of the year.
Reputedly, such a stronghold was deemed a necessity following a rebellion in 1310 that saw the local monks massacred and the mayor, an unfortunate man by the name of Herman von Harttangen, burned at the stake.
Against this context, it was decided that a proper fortress was required. Although details are thin, the chronicles of Wigand of Marburg claim that the castle’s original occupant was Winrich von Kniprode, the Teutonic Order’s longest-ever serving grandmaster.
Dying in the earliest years of building work, construction nonetheless continued due to the importance attached to securing the Order’s eastern territories.
For many, its geography – in the heart of the pristine lake district – is another major selling point.
Later, it became the seat of monastic bailiffs, though after being ravaged in 1455 during the Thirty Years’ War its military prominence was downgraded and it became, by in large, an administrative centre as well as a food depot.
Alternatively called ‘the unknown pearl of Masuria’, the castle did well to survive the vicissitudes of time. In the 19th century, a cholera epidemic wiped out a large portion of the local population, whilst WWII left the nearby town practically flattened – according to estimates, the town of Barciany itself was left 90 percent destroyed.
By this time, the castle was privately owned by a family called the Pachino’s, though scant evidence has survived as to impact they may have had on the castle itself. Seized by the state following the end of the war, it then fulfilled a less than glamorous function as a state agricultural farm before being sold to private owner on the stroke of the millennium.
Sadly lacking a resident ghost, the castle can at least offer some macabre tales. In recent times, historians have claimed with a degree of certainty that one of the basements was used as a torture chamber, a fact attested by the presence of handles built into the walls.
Offsetting the running costs, the seller adds: “Water from the lake is planned to be used as a renewable energy source that will be used to heat the castle in winter and cool it in the summer. This system will reduce costs by up to 85 percent. In addition, EU subsidies can be obtained for this type of energy source.”
Similarly, according to one historical article, cells also remain where prisoners would await their turn in the torture chamber while listening to the agonising screams of those before them.
Other grisly discoveries, meanwhile, include a well with stakes driven into the bottom, something that some claim suggests nefarious practices, and its also been speculated that one cell was reserved for the express purpose of starving inmates to death.
Without fail, Baricany Castle has its secrets, but these are all part of its mysterious allure.
Capturing the essence of Masuria – both through its history and beauty – this ethereal, dream-like jewel presents one of the most extraordinary real estate offers of the year.
