Manors in old East Prussia: Sorkwity

Sorquitten Castle (Pałac w Sorkwitach) is located at the northern end of Lake Lampatzki (Jezioro Lampackie) and south of Lake Gehland (Jezioro Gielądzkie) between the towns of Biskupiec (Bischofsburg) and Mrągowo (Sensburg).

The present manor house with park and coach house (seen here on the left) is one of the most impressive neo-Gothic residences in today's Ermland-Masuria. It was built in 1850 by Julius von Mirbach-Sorquitten, a landowner and member of the Prussian manor house.

The combination of English neo-Gothic and red brick was more common in Prussia at the time. Sorquitten shows structural similarities to Castle Neetzow in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Palace Arendsee in the Uckermark, or Rzucewo Manor in Pomerania, which is for sale. Whether Friedrich Hitzig or Friedrich August Stüler were involved in this construction is not clear from the literature I know.

During the Battle of Tannenberg the palace was destroyed and rebuilt after the First World War. Its external appearance has been preserved to this day, but the interior was designed in a modified form and no longer corresponds to the original from the 19th century.

Incidentally, the village of Sorquitten was founded in 1379 by Winrich von Kniprode, who was also the builder of Ordensburg Barten.

Note for visitors

Curiously, Sorkwity is still listed as a castle hotel in some places on the Internet. However, the castle only operated as a hotel for a short time in the early 2010s and is no longer open to the public. Neither overnight stays, tours nor events are offered! (2020)