Kętrzyn - Bazylika kolegiacka św. Jerzego

Kętrzyn (Rastenburg) was established in 1329 in the State of the Teutonic Knights and was granted town rights in 1357.

After the Battle of Grunwald (Battle of Tannenberg) in 1410, the mayor surrendered the town to Poland, however, it fell back to the Teutonic Knights in 1411. In 1440, the town joined the anti-Teutonic Prussian Confederation. King Casimir IV Jagiellon incorporated town to the Kingdom of Poland in 1454.

After the Thirteen Years’ War (1454–1466) the town was part of Poland as a fief held by the Teutonic Order's state and, from 1525 to 1701, it was part of the Duchy of Prussia.

During WWII Hitler's wartime military headquarters, the "Wolfsschanze" (Wolf's Lair), was east of Rastenburg. In 1945, the area suffered devastation from both the retreating Germans and advancing Soviets. Some ruins of the Wolfsschanze remain.

The Bazylika kolegiacka św. Jerzego (Collegiate Basilica of St. George) is the best-preserved fortified church in Masuria. Originally it was a single-nave hall in the southwestern corner of the town. It was part of the town´s defensive structure. The tower was crowned with battlements. In the 15th century, a second tower was built, and at the end of the century, the building was rebuilt into a three-aisled pseudo-basilica.

Until WWII it was called the "German Church" - in contrast to the "Polish Church" next to it.

Note the diamond vault.