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A GOTHIC castle in Poland is the biggest in the world, made up of 30 million bricks and the result of 132 years of work.
The incredible complex includes three castles within huge walls, is four times larger than Windsor castle and twice the size of Buckingham Palace.
Malbork castle in Poland – the biggest castle in the world[/caption] Malbork, spread over 52 acres, is four times the size of Windsor castle which is 13 acres[/caption] The impressive complex is made up of three different castles complete with towers, turrets, moats and drawbridges[/caption]Set alongside the River Nogat, the incredible red brick castle has a maze of moats, a drawbridge, hundreds of different houses and towers with turrets.
Most of Malbork castle has been well preserved and it reportedly looks similar to its appearance six centuries ago.
Originally home to 3,000 knights and their staff, the awe-inspiring complex is spread over more than two million square feet.
Construction first began in 1274 by a group of religious knights – and became their headquarters for 150 years.
The long road of work began with High Castle, the first of the three.
This main structure was dubbed a “formidable central bastion” by Lonely Planet.
By 1309 the resident knights expanded it by adding the Middle Castle, and then a Lower Castle – encasing the impressive buildings with high defensive walls.
Today visitors can wander around and inside the enormous castle, taking in the vast ceilings, impressive tile work and huge candle chandeliers.
They can cross internal drawbridges and take in the full scale of it from across the river.
And tourists can visit the enormous kitchens – where enough food could once be stored for two years to feed 400 people.
There are also different exhibitions in the castle including an amber museum – a precious material that made money for the knights who lived there once and controlled the coast where it was found.
Each year over 300,000 tourists flock to visit the castle.
It was seized by the Polish army in 1457 and became home Polish royalty before it later fell into disrepair.
Now it’s described as a “beautifully restored” museum site.
The castle’s enormous kitchens – where enough food could once be stored for two years to feed 400 people[/caption] Inside the castle courtyard[/caption] The St. Anna Chapel in the High Castle[/caption] A tourist views the impressive amber collection[/caption] A medieval knight reenactment in 2015[/caption] People skate on the frozen river next to the castle[/caption]