Discover the beauty of Kadyny – A historic gem nestled in the Elbląg Upland
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Once upon a time, in the hills of the Elbląg Upland, there stood a stronghold of the Pogezans, an Old Prussian tribe. This stronghold was eventually conquered by the Teutonic Knights, who went on to establish the village of Kadyny near its ruins. The picturesque area and strategic location of the stronghold were highly valued by the Order, and the first recorded mention of the village dates back to 1255. Kadyny served as the seat of the bailiff’s office and later the forest district, under the jurisdiction of the Elbląg commander. The Teutonic Knights also built a farm and a hunting lodge in the area.
Over the years, Kadyny changed hands several times, with various owners including Jan Bażyński, the Schlieben family, the Działyński family, Count Wilhelm von Schwerin, Ignacy Stanisław Mattha, the Struensee family, and the Birkner family. In the mid-18th century, a Franciscan monastery was also established in the place of the former Prussian stronghold.
In 1898, the village was bequeathed to Kaiser Wilhelm II, which led to a major transformation in Kadyny. The emperor ordered the reconstruction of the estate and the construction of a new village in the Ordensstil (monastic style), and established a school and a ceramic manufactory in the village. The manufactory specialized in the production of majolica for the court, and Kadyń’s products gained recognition both domestically and internationally. The village also saw the establishment of a brickyard due to the abundant clay deposits in the area.
From 1937 to 1944, Wilhelm II’s grandson, Fr. Louis Ferdinand, lived in Kadyny with his large family. In recent years, a marina has been established in Kadyny, further contributing to its development.
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This article uses material from the Wikipedia article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kadyny, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.