The cross-border region to the east of Berlin is characterised above all by nature along the Oder and Warta rivers, which meet at the former fortress of Küstrin in Kostrzyn nad Odra. A large part of this region was owned by the Order of St John for many centuries and the St John's Cross can still be found today in many town coats of arms, on churches or in castles and fortresses.
Discover tranquil towns and villages, legendary castles and palaces or historic churches on the trail of the Knights of St John. Visit the castle ruins in Słońsk and bring the splendour of bygone times back to life with our augmented reality app. Celebrate the Moritz Festival in Słońsk or one of the many St John's festivals in the region. Make a pilgrimage to Templar and St John's churches and learn more about the exciting history of the Order of Knights.
The Knights of St John of Jerusalem (Order of St John) was the legal successor to the Knights Templar, which was dissolved in 1312. In 1382, the "Balley Brandenburg" was formed as an independent "regional branch" of the Order of St John with its centre in Sonnenburg (Słońsk). The bailiwick focussed on the cultivation of large estates and thus gradually separated itself from the main order, which, ultimately as the Order of Malta, waged war until the 18th century. In 1538, the Balley of Brandenburg converted to the Protestant faith, in contrast to the rest of the Order.
The Knights of St John were responsible for the construction of Sonnenburg Castle and other castles, administrative centres and churches on both sides of the Oder, for example in Friedland, Łagów, Świebodzin and Sulęcin. The work of the Knights of the Order had a decisive influence on the development of the Oder-Warthe region. After the Thirty Years' War, they were responsible for reorganisation and reconstruction. In the 18th century, they were instrumental in draining the Warthebruch marshland and founded around 40 new villages and outbuildings. They created work and income and provided a certain amount of health care for the population.
In 1806, the Order's large estate was dissolved and transferred to the Kingdom of Prussia. Since then, the Johanniter have focussed on nursing and charitable work, especially during the world wars. Today, the Johanniter are responsible for elderly care facilities and hospitals as well as the Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe.
The history of the Order of St John in the Oder-Warthe region is exciting and varied and can be easily traced in many places. As part of a German-Polish funding project involving the town of Seelow, the "Traces of the Knights of St John" in the Oder-Warthe region were divided into four sub-areas in 2020-23 and linked via local and regional circular routes. The centre of this offer is the touristically upgraded ruins of the former Sonnenburg Castle in Słońsk.
You can find more information about the stations on the circular route and the history of the Order of St John on the website www.slady-joanntow.pl
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