Lipienek

Poland, Poland

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Lipienek is a small village in north-central Poland's Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, within Chełmno County and Gmina Lisewo, historically significant for its Teutonic Order castle ruins.

First mentioned in 1277 when a wooden-earth stronghold was besieged and burned by Jaćwing leader Skumand, the brick Gothic castle was erected around 1300-1330 as the Chełmno commandry seat until 1335-1337, later housing a vogt directly under the Malbork grand master, and notably resisting King Władysław Łokietek's 1330 siege despite Polish-Hungarian-Lithuanian forces.

Key events included issuing Grudziądz town's 1291 charter here, early records of three cannons in 1374—the first artillery mention in Polish lands—and post-1466 Thirteen Years' War incorporation into Poland as starosts' residence for families like the Kostkas until Swedish Deluge damage, followed by systematic dismantling after 1772 partitions for building materials, with illegal demolition continuing into 1966.