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The life in the Fortress and ideas for its future functions
The Fortress in Giżycko is one of the best preserved examples of the 19th century defensive architecture in Poland, which undoubtedly makes it a structure of exceptional historical value and highly appealing to tourists. The Boyen Fortress attracts crowds: not only tourists, but also scientists, art experts and specialists in defensive architecture. This is thanks to its natural ground formations around the Fortress as well as the existing infrastructure (including an amphitheatre, a museum, a youth hostel, clubs, etc.). As the fort is located within the town limits and near the main communication routes, access to it is easy, which results in ever growing numbers of visitors. What gives the area an additional value for tourists is the recreation grounds around the fortress, including two picturesque small lakes, beautiful forest areas around Bruno’s Hill, a short distance holiday resorts and the nearby ports that belong to Żegluga Mazurska and Liga Ochrony Kraju.
At present, the Fortress offers numerous tourist attractions, such as museums (with an exhibition entitled “Ravaged Mazuria”, which portrays local scenes from WW1, or the Museum of “Solidarity”), tourist trails and bicycle paths. The Boyen Fortress is also a venue for many cultural events, with “Shanties in Giżycko” being the largest shanty festival in Europe. Thanks to convenient factors such as a large area (100 hectares), an attractive location and the good technical condition of the complex, there is plenty of room for new projects designed to enrich and diversify the existing attractions and thus make the most of the fortress.
There are several concepts and plans related to the present functions of the fortress. It is under consideration whether to adapt the historic complex to serve new purposes:
• The garrison buildings could be adapted to serve as hotels, youth hostels, green schools and museums,
• The bakery and the granaries – as restaurants, bars, tea and wine rooms,
• The stable and the coach house – a horse riding club, a base for equestrian competitions,
• The arsenal – a social base for sports facilities in the courtyard, biological regeneration, a gym, a sauna,
• The gym and the sports building – recreation halls; billiards, table tennis,
• The artillery workshop, the armourer’s workshop – a blacksmith’s shop, repair facilities for cars, bicycles, motorcycles and tourist equipment,
• The field hospital – a medical first aid point,
• The carrier pigeon station – a museum of the post office with a point for sending and receiving post, exhibitions related to pigeons, postage stamps and coins,
• The gunpowder laboratory – a shooting ground for short pneumatic guns, a shooting club,
• The caponiers, artillery nests, underground passages, bunkers, shelters – places for resting, for exhibitions of the life in the fortress, artists’ workshops, clubs, meeting places and venues for various social events,
• The moat – a health path, a path for walks, cycling and horse-riding,
• The guards’ road, the embankment road, the concealed road – educational paths,
• Artillery positions – places where military armour, cannons and heavy guns can be exhibited,
• The anti-tank observation dome – a viewing spot,
• The squares outside the garrison barracks – campsites, areas for camping and caravanning, sports and recreation grounds,
• The Fortress – a venue where sculpture, painting and photographic workshops could be held,
• The fairground – a green area; a venue for sports events, such as equestrian competitions, as well as mini-golf, football, volleyball and other tournaments (an ice-rink for playing the sport of bandy).
2007 
