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Tag: Kostrzyn nad Odra

  • Military heritage and cultural landscape: results of the expert workshop in Kostrzyn nad Odrą

    Military heritage and cultural landscape: results of the expert workshop in Kostrzyn nad Odrą

    Project „Kulturland Spuren Lebus“

    A.M. 20th May 2026 German and Polish professionals, local government representatives and experts arrived at the Fortress Museum in Küstrin Fortress (Kostrzyn nad Odrą) together. The German-Polish expert workshop was dedicated to the topic „Shaping of the cultural landscape for military purposes“ or rather the Influence of the military on the development of the cultural landscape. The event took place as part of the EU project „Cultural Landscape Traces of Lebus / Cultural Traces of the Lubusz Region“ (Interreg VI A Brandenburg–Poland 2021–2027) took place.

    The objectives: Enhancement of the fortress heritage for cross-border tourism

    The central objective of the workshop was to analyse the historical influence of the military on the creation and transformation of the shared cultural landscape using the specific example of Küstrin Fortress. At the same time, the symposium served to develop strategies for the Adaptive reuse and sustainable utilisation of former fortifications to develop cross-border, inclusive nature and educational tourism and to deepen professional exchange between Brandenburg and the Lubusz Voivodeship.

    Expert articles and perspectives

    The lectures in the restored casemates of the Philipp Bastion illuminated the fortress heritage from European, regional and architectural perspectives:

    • European framework & project context: Following the welcome by the city of Kostrzyn nad Odrą and the museum director Julianna Sójkowska-Socha, Dirk Röder (Słońsk municipality) gave an overview of the overall project. He also presented the work of the network FORTE CULTURA e.V. vor, which manages the European Route of Fortified Monuments with currently 81 sites in 17 countries, and explained concepts for transforming military monuments into tourist and educational sites.
    • Influence of the military on the development of the cultural landscape using the example of Küstrin FortressDirk Röder outlined what influences the military could have had on the development of the cultural landscape – particularly in the areas of fortress construction (Raw materials for the construction, maintenance and expansion of Küstrin Fortress, including military equipment), Food (long-standing supply of troops and service personnel) and Equipment (Military equipment for stationed troops and as an operational reserve). He raised the questions: What was the catchment area of Küstrin Fortress for many centuries? Which resources were utilised from the immediate surroundings or imported from further afield? Which „traces“ of this are still visible today and can be made tangible?
    • History of Küstrin Fortress: Julianna Sójkowska-Socha traced the development of the fortress from the 15th to the 20th century. She highlighted key stages – including the construction of the modern bastion fortification based on the Italian model under the engineer Francesco Chiaramella from 1559 onwards, as well as the strategic role of the fortress in the Second World War.
    • Municipal revitalisation: Agnieszka Żurawska-Tatała from the Kostrzyn nad Odrą city administration presented concrete development and revitalisation projects for the city. She showed how historical bastions are being repurposed for cultural purposes and integrated as an identity-building element into the local development strategy.
    • Fortification, rayon zones & resource management: The fortress expert Marcin Wichrowski explained the structural evolution from the first earth-and-timber fortifications through French modernisations in the 17th and 18th centuries (e.g. hornwork, ravelins, contre-garde) to the spatial requirements. Around the fortress, so-called easement areas established, the use and development of which were subject to strict military regulations.

    Practical part and overall result

    At the end of the event, the participants explored the preserved fortress structures, bastions and casemates of Küstrin Fortress during a joint tour.

    The workshop combined theoretical insights of military architecture and spatial planning with practical concepts of heritage conservation and regional development. The knowledge developed flows directly into the design of the cross-border educational and leisure route „Cultural Landscape Spuren Lebus“ one that connects historical sites on both sides of the Oder and Warta.

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  • Villa Wagener, Kostrzyn nad Odra

    Villa Wagener, Kostrzyn nad Odra

    Villa Wagener is a former factory owner's villa, built in 19th century Küstrin by the Wagener family (machine, steam boiler and copper factory in Cüstrin-Neustadt). It was one of very few buildings to survive the heavy bombardment by the Red Army in the spring of 1945 and was subsequently used as the administrative centre of the Soviet occupying forces and later the town of Kostrzyn nad Odrą.

    Vacant since 2006, it has now been converted into a modern German-Polish communication and creative centre.

  • MUSEUM OF THE KÜSTRIN FORTRESS

    MUSEUM OF THE KÜSTRIN FORTRESS

    Unique surface monument on the Oder

    The Prussian fortress of Küstrin was built in the middle of the 16th century and, with six bastions, was one of the largest European city fortresses of its time. It was continuously expanded until 1887 and four outer forts were added: Gorgast, Zorndorf (Sarbinowo), Säpzig (Zabice) and Tschernow (Czarnow). Due to advances in weapon technology, the fortress was technically obsolete shortly afterwards and its military function was abandoned.

    In January 1945, the Red Army advanced from the east, gaining considerable ground and driving refugees and scattered Wehrmacht units before them. Küstrin was an important target on the Oder because a railway line and a highway led directly to Berlin via the bridges. Meanwhile, the Germans once again declared Küstrin a fortress, made makeshift additions to the historic defences with obstacles and field fortifications and assembled a garrison of around 10,000 men to hold off the enemy as long as possible while they captured the town and occupied the bridges.

    The first Red Army units reached Küstrin on 31 January. In the following weeks, bridgeheads were set up under fierce German resistance and the city was sealed off except for a small corridor. However, it could not be taken. On 6 March, the Red Army began a simultaneous attack from several sides, which was to lead to the complete elimination of the defences. On 12 March, the new town of Küstrin was conquered. On 22 March, the Soviet bridgeheads were successfully brought together and the Küstrin fortress was cut off from supplies. German attempts to relieve the fortress were unsuccessful, which even Hitler's personal intervention could not change. From 24 March, the old town was bombed so heavily that no building survived. It was not until 30 March that the fortress was finally captured and replacement bridges for traffic and the railway were built. The first train rolled over the bridges towards Berlin as early as April 1945.

    On the western side of the Oder, the German troops used the time to expand their defences on the Seelow Heights, around 10 km away. The last major battle of the Second World War took place there from 16 to 19 April 1945. On 8 May 1945, Nazi Germany capitulated and the national borders in Europe were redrawn. As a result of Poland's shift to the west, Küstrin became Kostrzyn nad Odrą. The new town was rebuilt. The area of the old town was left to its own devices in the new German-Polish border region and was "forgotten" for almost 50 years. It was not until 1994 that some areas of the fortress began to be excavated, with ruins of old houses, paved streets and pavements coming to light under the mounds of earth. Today, the Küstrin Fortress Museum in Kostrzyn nad Odrą is a unique area monument, also known as the "Pompeii on the Oder". It is an impressive reminder of war and its consequences. Exhibitions tell the story of the fortress and information boards help visitors to tour the former old town centre of Küstrin.

    The history of the museum as an audio recording
    (Language: German)

    (Language: English)

    (Language: Polish)

    Flyer Museum of the Küstrin Fortress

    History trail war events 1945