The castle on Trakai Peninsula, located between southern Lake Galvė and Lake Luka, was constructed by Kęstutis, Duke of Trakai, between 1350 and 1377. This defensive structure protected Trakai and Vilnius, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, against attacks of the Teutonic Knights. The structure had seven towers connected by a 10 m (33 ft) high wall, with the three largest towers protecting the southwestern flank. A 12–14 m (39–46 ft) wide moat separated the structure from the town.
The castle was attacked in 1382, 1383, and 1390. On 20 March 1440, Grand Duke Sigismund Kęstutaitis was murdered in the castle. During the 16th century, the castle was used as a prison. Much of the castle was destroyed during the Russo-Polish War (1654–1667) and was never rebuilt.
In 1678, the territory was granted to a Dominican cloister by Marcjan Aleksander Ogiński, Voivode of Trakai. The monks eventually built their monastery and church in the 1770s, which are part of the castle ensemble. The remaining walls and towers are preserved and protected by the Trakai Historical National Park.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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