Impressive and grandiose buildings make an impression on us. When a rich historical context or a dark legend is added to them, we immediately want to be in such a place and feel everything on our own skin. In Poland there are several dozen forts and fortifications with a history of numerous sieges.
The Modlin Fortress is the largest complex of fortifications in the world, and the Kostrzyn Fortress is the oldest bastion fortress in Poland. Has anyone visited all the buildings of this type in our country? If not yet, then when visiting Giżycko in Masuria, it is worth visiting the local Boyen fortress. Why?
Sails may be our primary destination when traveling to Masuria, but it does not mean that it is the only one. The Boyen Fortress is a historic structure that was built in 1843-1855 and was intended to block the isthmus between Lakes Niegocin and Kisajno. The construction was started by order of King Frederick William IV. The name Boyen comes from the name of one of the initiators of the construction, Prussian general Herman von Boyen. The fortress was built in the shape of hexagons made of brick and field stones. The six bastions that comprise it are named Herman, Ludwig, Leopold, Schubert, Recht and Licht. This fortification is surrounded by moats and walls and is in the midst of a dense forest. It was designed for a garrison of 3,000 soldiers. Over the years, the fortress has housed a garrison, a commandery, an artillery depot or a hospital. The wall surrounding the fortress is more than 2 km long and there were only 4 gates leading to its interior, although today mainly two are used. What else do we know about the Boyen Fortress?
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Although the origins of the fortress are related to its function as a reinforcement of the closure from the east, over time the fortress was used as an important facility during both World War I and II. At the beginning of World War I, the fortress served as a place for storing supplies and weapons, and only during the Battle of Tannerberg in 1914 did it become a place of operations for 4,000 people. crews of German soldiers repelling the attempts to besiege Giżycko by the Russians. After World War I, the fortress served as a hospital, which was also maintained during World War II. However, during this period of history, the Boyen Fortress was also a barracks and a training center for soldiers of the German army. It was not returned to the hands of the Polish army until 1945. Currently, in the fortress, you can visit barracks, an arsenal, and a gunpowder and ammunition laboratory. The former has an interesting, semicircular structure. There is also a complex of bakeries and farm buildings in the fortress, which are located on the lowest level of the fortress – the Maidan. This one is situated at the height of the water surface in the Niegocin Lake. Entering the gate from the side of Giżycko, we will see a drawbridge, which has been available to visitors only since 2001. The fortress itself has been available to visitors since the 1990s.
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This is just a brief history of this monument, we will learn more during the tour. In the summer season, that is in July and August, it is possible every day from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The ticket offices close one hour before the closing time. In other months the closing times are different and vary between 3 and 6 p.m. There is no need to reserve entrance to the fortress in advance. Ticket prices are between PLN 10 and PLN 15 in the summer season. It is located west of Giżycko. Events that have been attracting tourists for years are held here. One of them are “Shanties in Giżycko” or “Forge of crafts and art in the Boyen Fortress”. Every year, the staging of the German-Russian battle for the fortress from 1914 is also held here, for which 6 replicas of 19th-century cannons are used, purchased by the local government of Giżycko in 2018. The property houses a youth hostel, Tawerna Boyen, which is located at the main gate in Giżycko, and the Boyen Fortress Lovers Society.
For people interested in history and military, there is no doubt that coming to the heart of Masuria means not only wide waters, but also visits to this facility. Others may be attracted by the events organised here or by the fact that the Boyen Fortress is the most interesting historic building in this region of Poland.
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