I was surprised to see a river beside Malbork Castle. Considering the location of what appears to be a major entrance of the castle, having the gate point at the river was a strange situation. People would have to skirt around the periphery of the castle to be able to use that entrance. Who would actually come from the river anyway? Anyway, the river actually provides an opportunity for us to see the entire length of the castle. There is a small bridge which allows visitors to cross the river. I could imagine how having the river in the foreground would produce nice photos.
The bridge looks fairly new and it appears to have been built primarily for tourism. It wasn’t large enough for vehicles to us but bicycles would be able to make it. Having the bridge there when the castle was still active kind of defeats the purpose of having built the castle by the river in the first place. The river was meant to be a defensive line to make it difficult for invaders to gain access to the castle. Already, I can see establishments across the river, including restaurants. I think it would have been nice to eat here with the view of Malbork Castle. I think this side would give the best view of the castle.
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