Travel Guide "Remembrance Connects Region Oder-Warta"

27 A h i stor i ca l ly common cultura l area A h i stor i ca l ly common cultura l area 26 The Prussian fortress of Küstrin was built in the mid- 16 th century on the eastern side of the Oder River and, with six bastions, was one of the largest European urban fortresses of its time. During the Thirty Years‘ War ( 17 th century), the first expansion was carried out by the Swedes, which was later continued by Prussia. In 1730 , the Prussian King Frederick William I had his son, later King Frederick II the Great of Prussia, imprisoned in Küstrin Fortress for desertion. That was where he had to witness the beheading of his trusty friend Lieutenant Hermann von Katte, who had also aided his desertion. During the Seven Years‘ War, the old town burned down and Frederick the Great was able to defeat the Russians in the Battle of Zorndorf ( 1758 ). In 1806 , Napoleon took over the fortress without a fight and had it further expanded. Prussia finally recaptured the fortress in 1814 , and the final expansion took place up until 1887 , including the outer forts of Gorgast, Zorndorf (Sarbinowo), Küstrin Fortress A Prussian bulwark and once a shining fortress town on the Oder River with a chequered and tragic history Säpzig (Zabice) and Tschernow (Czarnow). Due to further develop- ment of weapons technology, the fortress became technically obsolete shortly afterwards and its military function was abandoned. In early 1945 , Küstrin, a strategically important crossing of the Oder River, was besieged and bombed by the Red Army for 56 days. The old town and large parts of the fortifications, along with parts of the new town, were completely destroyed. The old town site „became of thing of the past“ for almost 50 years, only becoming accessible again in 1992 . Ruins of old houses, paved streets and walkways of the former old town and fortress of Küstrin were revealed under the layers of earth. Today, the Museum der Festung Küstrin (Küstrin Fortress Museum) in Kostrzyn nad Odrą is a unique monument of the region, also known as the „Pompeii on the Oder River“. The former Berliner Tor was renovated with EU funds, and in the casemates (fortified gun emplacements or armoured structures) of Bastion Philipp, there is a permanent exhibition on the city and garrison history with original exhibits and finds, along with multimedia content. Address: ul. Graniczna 1 66 - 470 Kostrzyn nad Odrą, Polen www.muzeum.kostrzyn.pl Open: all year, exhibitions Mondays closed gPS : 52 ° 34 ‘ 37 . 6 “N 14 ° 38 ‘ 18 . 2 “E Küstrin Fortress i