Kostrzyn Fortress Museum

Kostrzyn Pompeii – Kostrzyn Fortress Museum

The Old Town, a district of Kostrzyn on the Odra River, is located on the right bank of the Odra, near the border bridges. It is hidden from the sight of travelers by the latest buildings along the road leading to the border bridges, or by the high brick embankments of the fortress, which Kostrzyn once was. For centuries this was the heart of Kostrzyn – turned to ashes in the last days of March 1945.

Surrounded by fortress walls, the Old Town with its castle, town hall, parish church and market square had a unique charm. The war made the city disappear for almost 50 years. Not so long ago the site of the former Old Town could only evoke longing for what had ceased to exist. Today, the ruins of old houses, cobblestone streets and sidewalks have emerged from under the heaps of earth, and some of the fortress buildings have been restored. A walk through this unusual park, among the remains of the buildings, the walls of which, marked by bullet marks and shrapnel, protrude no more than 1.5 m above the ground, is a special experience. In some places it is still possible to see what the buildings were, of which only the basements are left, sometimes only remnants of the peripheral walls and pits covered with moss – at least this is the case with the former castle and parish church. However, in order to see what is no longer there, you should visit the Philip Bastion, in the casemates of which the history of Kostrzyn is told.

It is one of three preserved bastions of Kostrzyn fortress and the only one open to visitors. Since 2014 a permanent museum exhibition has been presented in Philip Bastion. It presents selected aspects of the city’ and garrison’s history from the beginning of the fortress’ existence and the war struggles waged in the area over the centuries. The battles for the city in February and March 1945 and the history of bastion are presented in detail. The process of gradual development and modernization of the fortress was presented in a synthetic and clear way. A lot of space was devoted to the cataclysm of the Seven Years’ War and the destruction of the city on the eve of the battle of Sarbinów on August 25, 1758. A separate section is also devoted to the history of the Kostrzyn castle, shown as the family seat of the Hohenzollerns. The exposition is interactive, original exhibits and findings are at visitors’ disposal, as well as audiovisual equipment (films, radio plays), models, replicas of weapons, etc.

It is also worth visiting the Berlin Gate, where at the IT point you can get information, purchase publications and souvenirs related to this place and see temporary exhibitions.

Kostrzyn Fortress Museum

Graniczna 1 Street
66-470 Kostrzyn nad Odrą

phone +48 95 752 23 60
fax +48 95 752 00 45
e-mail: biuro@muzeum.kostrzyn.pl

www.muzeum.kostrzyn.pl