Teutonic Knights conquered the Dzialdowo region and built a castle in the early 14th century. A wing of the castle still remains. The new settlement near the castle founded by Mikołaj z Karbowa and named Soldov was granted town privileges on 14 August 1344 by the Grand Master Ludolf König. The name Dzialdoff was first written on a 1409 map during the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War.
The legend
About 1360, Dzialdowo was in the hands of a fierce Teutonic knight, who became a loner after a death of his Spanish fiancee. Everybody disliked him, except that he had a charming sister who had a good influence on him. In one of the battles, the Teutonic knight caught and imprisoned a Prussian military leader. The man was put into the dungeon, but he was allowed to play the violin. He played so beautifully that the knight's sister started to visit him just to listen to the music. They fell in love. They were planning to escape by help of the guard since it was the only way for them to be together. But somebody betrayed them, and they were caught. The knight was very angry. He did not speak to his sister for weeks, finally he announced that she had to be married to another knight. During the wedding her Prussian lover was called back from the dungeon and ask to play joyful music. He denied and the angry knight ordered to kill him. The young lady was devastated since she witnesses the killing. She died soon from sadness. Her soul keep wandering in the castle, sometimes the rambling of the horse ready to ride is heard.

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Castle Dzialdowo

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The first assumption was built here in the second half of the thirteenth century. It was surrounded by swamps, and the connection to the mainland had the east side. The area was then uninhabited, and the castle was protected against retaliation raids of Poles and Lithuanians, but even before the year 1332 it accommodated the subordinate prosecutor and then the commander of Dzierzgoń Ostróda. In the third decade of the fourteenth century began to develop faster podzamkowej settlement, it was associated with the intensification of the settlement campaign of the Order. 
For the defense of the existing settlement and administrative purposes, the construction of a new castle. Until recently it was taken as the date of commencement of the construction year 1380, almost simultaneously with the foundation of the town. Recent studies have shown, however, that the castle was built before the year 1380. The first mention of the castle in documents from 1359 years, these documents have also been found recently. Since the castle in 1359 years longer fulfilling its functions, we can assume that was erected in the first half of the fourteenth century. The newly built castle had established the mayor. 
The castle has a rectangular plan, a small courtyard enclosed by four wings. In the east is the entrance gate. Two massive square towers located at the corners of the east wing flank the access gate. Opposite the gate of the west wing was the main building of the castle. On the second floor representative housed a chapel, refectory and office. The chapel has a starry vault, in the refectory, and traces of paintings from the 1400 and 1430 years. Third were the granaries. Southern and northern wings have two floors, in the thickness of their walls are porches shooting. These towers already have five floors and the upper cornice have height of 23 m. 
In 1400 Nidzica passed by the Lithuanian army ravaging around. In 1410 the town was on the road parade of troops of King Wladyslaw Jagiello and was mastered by them, the crew of the castle did not place a strong resistance. Together with the city, the castle was in the hands of Polish for 1411 years. At the beginning of the Thirteen Years' War, the castle was captured by the townspeople stormed Nidzica. They sent it quickly troops trade unionists belonged to them throughout the entire war. After 1466 years the city became part of the Prussian Religious being found here Comtat. In the sixteenth century it was transformed into the county Prussia. 
In 1517 years access to enter the inner courtyard strengthened forecastle. It consists of two buildings, low gate and round tower. From the north ward closed by a wall. In 1583 years had a relationship with the castle architect Blasins Berwart. Probably he ascended the second ward. 
During the flood the castle fell into the hands of Swedish. In 1656 one of the branches of the Tatar supporting the Polish army tried to bounce castle, but more modern armed crew fortress artillery and muskets Tatars forced to abandon the assault. 
After the conclusion of peace with the Swedes repaired the ruined castle battles. In 1784, a fire took the sixteenth ward utterly destroying them. Castle then had no military significance so not cared about him as before. In 1812, stationed in the French army of Napoleon traveling towards Moscow seriously devastated the building. 
It was only in the years 1828-1830 the castle was repaired again. It happened because of the idea of ​​legal counsel Ferdinand Gregorovius Timothy adapt it to the needs of the judiciary. After the renovation in addition to the court also housed a prison. 
At the end of the Second World War fire destroyed part of the buildings, damage was secured in 1952, and in 1959-1965 for the purposes of cultural and tourist object perfectly renovated, retaining all its original features relics. Placed in a cultural center, a cafeteria, a library, a hotel and hostel scout.

Castle Nidzicy

The Teutonic Knights' castle in Dąbrówno, 35 km to the south of Ostróda, was erected between the two ribbon lakes of Dąbrowa Mała and Dąbrowa Wielka, in the south-western part of the Mazurian Lake District.

The building dates to the 14th century. In 1410, the fortification was torched during the Poland-Lithuania march to Gruenewald. It was later restored. In 1475, Knight Georg von Loben was given the estate in Dąbrówno in compensation for unpaid remuneration. In 1488 he transferred it to Mikołaj Wilko. After Prussia was secularized, a county was establishedin Dąbrówno in 1544. In 1572, the castle was taken over by the wealthy von Finckenstein family and it was in 1572 also that Ernst Finck von Finckenstein extended the castle and turned it into his residence. 

In 1929-1931, later owners of the castle refurbished it; however at the end of World War II, it was burned down by the Soviets with only the outlines of the foundations and some fragments of the defence walls remaining. In the vicinity of the castle, you can also see the remains of a former park complex.  

In mediaeval times, the castle had one wing and also its own defence walls. It was erected to a rectangular plan of stones and brick. A tower opened onto the yard in the northern corner of the castle. Initially, the castle was in the Gothic style; however later extensions were Baroque in character. 