During the medieval era, the Nemunas River, referred to as the "vital artery," and the western lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from the 13th to 15th centuries became targets of the Teutonic Order’s aggression. Lithuanian wooden castles, fortified on the high banks of the Nemunas River, formed a continuous defensive chain extending as far as Kaunas.
Bišpiliukai – Georgenburg Castle, 13th – 15th centuries.
It is believed that the site of the Georgenburg Castle of the Teutonic Knights was located in Kalnėnai in the western part of Jurbarkas. The hill fort, located near the Nemunas River, consists of two mounds. Historical chronicles confirm the presence of a German Order castle here. Built at the height of the Crusades, this castle was one of the most powerful and long-lasting Teutonic outposts on the Nemunas River. The attacks on the castle were led by Lithuanian Grand Dukes Kęstutis and Vytautas. In 1382, Kęstutis’s Lithuanian troops were the first to use bombards with gunpowder against the walls of Georgenburg Castle. The castle was finally captured and burned down in 1403 under the command of Vytautas the Great.
Georgenburg (German: George’s Castle) is first mentioned in the "Chronicon Livoniae" by Peter of Dusburg in 1259. The name Georgenburg is also associated with the origin of the name of Jurbarkas.
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