Which landmark is the world’s largest medieval Gothic brick building?

Malbork Castle in Poland is the world’s largest medieval Gothic brick building.

Malbork Castle stands beside the Nogat River in the Polish town of Malbork. The Teutonic Order began constructing it in the 13th century, and the site became the order’s headquarters in 1309. The complex expanded into a fortified monastery, administrative center and residence for the order’s grand masters.

Its buildings are made primarily from brick rather than the cut stone commonly associated with major Gothic cathedrals. The castle is divided into the High Castle, Middle Castle and Lower Castle, surrounded by defensive walls, towers and moats. Its scale reflects the military, religious and economic power of the Teutonic Order in medieval Prussia.

Malbork was heavily damaged during the Second World War but underwent extensive reconstruction afterward. It is now a museum and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed in 1997. Its German name, Marienburg, and Polish name, Malbork, refer to the same landmark.