Trakai Peninsula Castle

Trakai Peninsula Castle is a medieval fortress on a peninsula of Lake Galvė in Trakai, Lithuania, originally constructed in the 14th century by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It forms part of the historic Trakai castle ensemble and now houses museum displays.

The castle presents restored defensive structures, a keep and ramparts that are accessible to the public, plus exhibition rooms covering medieval history and the site’s archaeology. Many visitors combine a castle visit with walks along the lake shore and boat trips that show the peninsula and the nearby island castle.

Construction began in the 14th century under Lithuanian rulers as part of a strategic defensive system; the fortress was damaged in later conflicts and underwent major restoration in the 20th century to return much of the structure to a museum condition.

The castle sits on Lake Galvė in the town of Trakai, roughly west of Vilnius in Vilnius County, and is a principal historic attraction in the Trakai Historical National Park.

• Setting and access: Located in Trakai Historical National Park, it sits on a peninsula of Lake Galvė and is often visited together with the nearby island castle.

What to See #

• Keep and walls: Surviving defensive structures include curtain walls and towers around the compact inner ward, with a restored keep and walkable ramparts.
• Museum exhibitions: Exhibition rooms present archaeological finds and displays on medieval life in Trakai and the castle's restoration history.