Built between 1350 and 1401 the castle is to Reszel what a parrot is to a pirate. Originally used for military purposes the end of the 16th centruy saw the zamek surrendered for recreational use, and it became a hunting residence for passing bishops. In 1772 it was turned into a Prussian prison, and fifty years later it was passed into the hands of an evangelical commune. In 1958 stewardship of the castle was handed to the Social and Cultural Association, and nowadays you’ll find the castle leading a double life as a hotel with a specifically artsy angle. That’s down to sculptor and propreitor Boleslaw Marschall, and over the past few years he’s worked tirelessly to turn the zamek into a bona fide retreat while striving to preserve its character. The rooms, some of them positioned in medievel turrets, are excellent, many touting rough cut timber furnishings made by Marschall himself. There’s also a restaurant, its vaulted chambers decorated by the squiggles of passing artists, while next door stands a modern art gallery featuring the works of some of the biggest names in Polski art.