Castle & Museum of Warmia & Masuria

Lonely Planet review

The most important historic building in town is the massive, redbrick 14th-century castle. Despite its age, it's in excellent shape and now houses an art gallery, restaurant and open-air theatre, along with the Museum of Warmia & Masuria. Two rooms on the 1st floor are dedicated to astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, who was the administrator of Warmia and lived in the castle for more than three years (1516-20).

He made some of his astronomical observations here, and you can still see the diagram he drew on the cloister wall to record the equinox and thereby calculate the exact length of the year. Models of the instruments he used are on display in his former living quarters, and a set of narrow steps lead up to his toilet - a dark, uninviting place, but at least private. A third room was used as a chapel by the great astronomer and traces of the original 14th-century ceiling pattern can still be seen above the alcoves. The rest of the 1st floor has displays of silverware and religious icons and the 2nd floor houses temporary exhibitions, normally of a contemporary nature. The castle tower affords views of the town through narrow gaps in the brickwork.