What famous castle in Poland has a name of which the etymology makes it into a near-synonym of the name of the town where Copernicus lived for the larger part of his life?

queproblema

Malbork Castle literally means "Mary's Castle." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malbork_Castle Copernicus was all over the map, but he lived longest, perhaps, in Varmia, or Warmia. http://www.hps.cam.ac.uk/starry/copernicus.html But you are probably thinking of Frombork... http://www.frombork.art.pl/Ang01.htm ...which was originally called Frauenburg ("Our Lady's fortress" in German). Although it was specifically named for one Gertrude, "This name is not unique in German, but it usually originates in the construction of a fortified chapel, church, or monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary or inhabited by nuns. Several places were thus named Marienburg, like the nearby Marienburg castle and city (now Malbork)." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frombork Dec 17 08, 10:08 PM

flem-ish

Is not Warmia the area in which the town of Frombork is situated, and was not Copernicus appointed as a member of the Chapter of Frombork in the diocese of Warmia? http://www.frombork.art.pl/Ang11.htm Dec 18 08, 4:01 AM

queproblema

Well, yes, but that leaves the doubt as to whether you meant Warmia or Frombork. By "all over the map," I meant he lived in Torun, Krakow, Bologna, Rome, Padua, Ferrara, and Frombork, likely missing a few. Scholars disagree on whether to call him Polish or German. http://anthroposophen.org/bibliothek/nawi/astronomie/copernicus/bib_copernicus.htm http://www.economicexpert.com/a/Copernicus:nationality.htm Dec 18 08, 10:33 PM

flem-ish

I agree he kept changing his residence even when officially he belonged to the Chapter of Frombork. Mal-bork referring to "the Virgin Mary" and "From-bork "Frauenburg" are the near-synonyms anyway. Question might be rephrased: [of a town closely linked to Copernicus' biography.] Dec 19 08, 2:51 AM

queproblema

No, I think your question is fine. I was just a little muddled as to whether you were aiming for Warmia or Frombork, mainly because this isn't a subject I knew a great deal about. :-) This site clearly identifies Frombork as the seat of Warmia and as the town associated with Copernicus, though I still don't know if he lived there for "the larger part of his life." More than half his life? longer than anywhere else? http://www.inyourpocket.com/city/frombork.html Dec 19 08, 10:29 AM