Człuchów

Człuchów grew at a crossing of routes in Pomerania, beside one of the great fortresses of the Teutonic Order. The knights bought the settlement in 1312 and built Schlochau Castle on a nearby hill, completing the extensive complex in 1367. Its three outer baileys protected the principal fortified castle above on the hill. The town received Chełmno law in 1348 under the protection of its walls.

During the Thirteen Years' War, Człuchów passed to the Polish Crown; the peace of 1466 ended the Order's claim. The castle became the residence of royal starosts, and the town served as a county seat in Pomeranian Voivodeship. Its massive tower and fortifications recalled the military importance of a place that had once guarded the Order's western approaches.