Defensive Walls in Stargard

The defensive walls of Stargard surround the Old Town and are among the best-preserved fortification complexes in Poland. The surviving length exceeds a kilometre, and in 2010 the walls, together with the Collegiate Church of St Mary, were declared a Historic Monument (pomnik historii).

How the walls were built

Construction of the walls began after the founding of the town in 1243. In the second half of the 13th century they replaced earth-and-timber ramparts, and this stage was completed in 1298. The oldest fragments, built of fieldstones topped with brick, reach up to 6 metres in height. They can be seen by the Pyrzyce Gate.

From the beginning of the 15th century to the middle of the 16th, in the face of the threat from Brandenburg and the development of firearms, the walls were raised and partly rebuilt. The fortifications were then 2,260 metres long, and along them stood 45 watch houses (czatownie), that is three-level annexes (an arsenal, a room for the garrison, an observation post). In the 19th century the walls lost their defensive significance and more than half of the fortifications were pulled down. Sections with a total length of 1,040 metres remained, and parks were laid out on the filled-in moats and ramparts.

Towers and gates

Within the circuit of the walls stood nine towers, several of which can be seen today, among them the Red Sea Tower, the Weavers' Tower, the Prisoners' Tower and the Białogłówka Tower. The town was entered through the gates: St John's, Pyrzyce, Wałowa and Mill.

The Mill Gate served as a water passage, and its renovation has been under way since 2008. Next to it stands the Wałowa Gate, another of the gates along the walls.

Practical information

• The walls run around the Old Town in Stargard, and the section by the Pyrzyce Gate is regarded as the best preserved.
• The area is publicly accessible; entry to the towers and gates depends on the manager of the particular structure.
• A walk along the walls is easy to combine with a visit to the Collegiate Church of St Mary Queen of the World.