Castle of the Bishops of Kamień in Karlino

The Castle of the Bishops of Kamień in Karlino has survived only in fragments: of the former bishops' residence, the ground floor of the main wing with star vaults remains. It lies at the confluence of the Parsęta and Radew rivers and is listed in the heritage register.

Residence of the Bishops of Kamień

The area around Karlino belonged to the Bishops of Kamień from about 1280, and the castle is mentioned in a document of 1308. From the 1380s most of the bishops lived in Karlino, and in 1385 the town received town rights under Lübeck law. Successive bishops extended the castle until 1575, and in 1602-1618 Bishop Francis I continued its extension. In 1481 the town and castle were burned by burghers from Kołobrzeg and Koszalin.

In 1761, during the Seven Years' War, the castle complex burned down. The ruins were demolished down to the ground floor, the moat was filled in, and a royal brewery was later built on the cellars. Nineteenth-century development obliterated the traces of the former residence.

What remains

The surviving fragments form four rooms, two of which have star-and-rib vaults. In the wall between the large halls can be seen a passage with an ornate frame and a double-sided Gothic fireplace. In the north-east elevation there are traces of window openings and two portals, and excavations have confirmed the existence of walls surrounding the castle. The former appearance of the castle is shown on the map by Eilhard Lubinus.

Practical information

• Location: Karlino, Białogard County, at the confluence of the Parsęta and Radew.
• The rules for entering the surviving parts do not come from verified sources; information is provided by the Karlino Land Museum (approx. 0.5 km).
• Nearby stands St Michael the Archangel's Church.