Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle (Zamek Książąt Pomorskich) is located in Szczecin in Poland. It belonged to the dukes of Pomerania from the Griffins house, who ruled the Duchy of Pomerania from 1121 to 1637. When you walk around, you can spot Griffins all over the castle grounds.
Interestingly, the castle was also the childhood home of Sophia Augusta, better known as Tsarina Catherine the Great of Russia (and if you still don’t know who she was, check out the Netflix show called “The Great”).
As a result of bombardments during WWII significant part of the castle got totally destroyed. It was rebuilt between 1958 and 1980 with some modifications to its original 16th-century appearance according to 1653 engraving. Interestingly, in February 2021, archaeologists discovered a 270m of Nazi-era tunnel network below the castle, which they are securing right now.
Today, as not much of the interior managed to survive, the castle is used in many other ways; as a cultural center with a small cinema, opera, theater, a government institution, and a restaurant. Quite often, the city hosts concerts or exhibitions on the castle premises.
When you visit, make sure to check out the Bell Tower, from which you can see the view of the city and its most famous landmarks.
