Capital: Warsaw
Language: Polish
Type: Democratic state
Location: Medium sized country in Central Europe, bordering Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast)
Terrain: 312,680 sq km of mostly flat plain terrain; mountains along southern border
Population: 38 649 000 (June 2000)
Religions: Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), and other 5%, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant
Welcome to Poland, a country which provides unforgettable experiences for tourists with even the most diverse interests. Enthusiasts of nature will surely enjoy the golden sand of its Baltic coastal beaches to the north and the rocky crags of the Tatras to the south. There is the wonderful network of great Mazurian Lakes for water sports fans and the green wilds of the Bieszczady Mountains for those who like hiking trips.
To those with a taste for history and its mementoes, Poland extends an invitation to visit the many painstakingly restored old town complexes, the Royal castles of Warsaw and Kraków, the former capital, and into the old palaces and castles erected by Poland's magnates. Numerous museums bring to mind the memory of bygone centuries such as the Nicolaus Copernicus Biographical Museum in the former seat of Warmian bishops in Frombork, the medieval underground salt mine in Wieliczka or famous Teutonic Knights Castle in Malbork.
Szczecin, the northwest port city is the historic capital of Western Pomerania. Tourists will find a wealth of attractions that attest to the city's celebrated past. No tour would be complete without a visit to the Castle of the Pomeranian Princes, the cathedral and the city hall.
A stroll through town leads past historic town houses and the original city gates. For insight into Szczecin's Hanseatic past, a visit to the National Museum is a must.
West Pomeranian Voivodship is located in North-Western Poland, bordering Germany on west and Baltic Sea countries on north. It is comprised of 114 sub districts and 20 districts. Population of 1 733 000 inhabitants. The regional capital is Szczecin, 7th largest city in Poland. It is also a regional government, economical, research, high education and cultural centre. As a matter of fact the city has complete infrastructure required to provide commercial and transport services. Apart from its new and modern telecommunication system Szczecin is hosting the largest number and full representation of diversified border points. Dynamic development of economy, good background for investors and complete technological infrastructure are other advantageous features of the city.
Szczecin, the historical capital of West Pomerania, lies on the bank of the Odra River and at the southern end of the Bay of Szczecin, 65 kilometres from the Baltic Sea. The city covers the area of approximately 300 square kilometres and is home to over 416 600 residents (Dec. 1999). It is an important junction for traffic, both by water and land, and is tied into the international air traffic system both through the local airport at Goleniów and due to the city's proximity to the airports in Berlin. The Szczecin harbour is one of the Baltic Sea's most important and, together with the adjoining town of ¦winouj¶cie, it forms a busy port complex. Naturally, the marine industry is of great importance to Szczecin. The city is home to a renowned shipbuilding yard, and several shipping, freight forwarding and commercial fishing companies are located in the area. The chemical, paper and textile industries are represented as well. Szczecin is also a centre of learning and culture. The city has several institutions of higher education, including a state university, a technical university, a private business college and maritime, agricultural and medical academies. Over 50 000 students attend these schools, where they can choose between 40 different branches of study. In Szczecin are located several theatres and choirs, an opera and a symphony orchestra houses. The city is surrounded by a large number of rivers, lakes and forests, which are perfect for a wide variety of recreational activities. Taken together, then, it can be seen that Szczecin, with its access to the Baltic and its location on the border of the European Union, is well-situated to participate in the future growth of the Polish economy, as well as provide a high quality living standard to its citizens.
The province of Szczecin is located in the farthest north-west corner of Poland. There are 9 981 square kilometres of land in the province, which is 3,2% of the total in Poland. 48% of the province's land is arable, while forests comprise 27%. Another 8% is covered by lakes and rivers, while the rest (17%) is taken up by cities and towns. About one million people live in the province; 76% of them live in cities and towns. Within the region, there are three distinct geographical areas, each of a different nature as follows: The eastern and southern areas of the province are primarily agricultural. Approximately 3% of Poland's farms are located here. These farms are relatively bigger and more mechanised than those found elsewhere in the country. The main crops are wheat, barley, sugar beets, potatoes and rape seed. In addition, there are abundant supplies of apples, cherries and currants grown here. In the north, especially along the Baltic coast, the main activities are related to tourism, which is supported by a number of health spas and resorts. There are 84 kilometres of coastline in the province, most of which is covered with clean sandy beaches surrounded by cliffs, dunes and forests. In these forests, there are located 150 special districts in which deer, boar and other wild animals can be hunted. At the seaside and in the many lakes and rivers of this area, there is ample opportunity to enjoy all types of water sports. The urban (Szczecin - ¦winouj¶cie) area of the province is the most industrial. As noted earlier, the maritime industry is the most important, resulting from the existence of the Szczecin - ¦winouj¶cie port complex. In addition to the companies located in Szczecin, there is ferry service operating out in ¦winouj¶cie, as well as a fish processing plant. Also located there are modern warehouses for storing vegetable oil, grains, molasses, sugar and alcohol. There are many other types of companies operating in the province. Chemicals, especially sulphuric acid (48% of Poland's total production), and related products, like fertilisers (32%), are produced in the city of Police. Other products include paper (7%), steel castings, paints and varnishes, clothing, furniture, power and telephone cables, precision instruments and a variety of water sports equipment, particularly small boats. The diversified activities in the province - agricultural, recreational, maritime and industrial, help make it economically resilient and provide the basis for continuing development.
Szczecin is one of those European cities whose historical and cultural achievements have been shared by more than one nationality. The city's beginnings goes back down to the 8th century, when Slavic settlers established a borough on the present Castle Height. The crucial milestone of Szczecin's history was the Location Act, released in 1243. It introduced Magdeburg Law and some important economic regulations.
Participation in far distance trade (mainly food, grain, fishes and timber) brought Szczecin to the prosperous state. Flourishing development of the city was strongly influenced by its membership in Hanseatic League.
The Thirty Years War (1618-1648) was a turning point for Szczecin. During the war Bogus³aw XIV, the last duke of Gryfici dynasty died (1637). According to the Westfalen peace treaty, Pomerania was divided between Sweden and Brandenburg. Szczecin fell into Swedish hands. A new stage of the city's development began in 1713, when it found itself within the borders of the Prussian Kingdom. Szczecin was important to Prussia as a garrison town and sea harbour. That was demonstrated by the construction of a fortification system and the water route to ¦winouj¶cie. In 1731, they began to dredge the River ¦wina and in 1739 they started construction the seaport facilities at ¦winouj¶cie. The purpose was to free the seaborne trade of Szczecin from Swedish customs taxes. The transit trade of Polish grain and timber took a considerable position on the city's transactions list. In 1794 alone, 2 500 barges and cargo boats were sent from Szczecin down the Odra River and other water routes connected to Berlin, Magdeburg, Wroc³aw, Poznañ and Warsaw. Such a policy made a reasonable increase of the city's revenue by 2,5 times.
The 19th century was a new age for the city's economic history. Prussian reforms of the municipal system, introducing industrial and professional freedom and the release from customs barriers within the country stimulated sweeping changes. The year 1843 can be regarded as a turning point; that's when the Szczecin-Berlin railroad line was put into service, the first railroad connection between the Prussian capital and the seaside. Shortly afterwards the line was extended to Stargard and farther to Poznañ. In that way Wroc³aw obtained a railway link with Szczecin. The release from very burdensome Sund taxes (1857) added Szczecin yet more attractiveness as a trade centre. Favourable transport links soon attracted goods, people and capital to the city. In 1851 two engineers from Hamburg set up a shipyard, foundry and machine-building factory in Drzetowo, a Szczecin suburb. In 1857, it was turned into the "Vulcan" joint-stock company to deal mainly with constructions of steel steamships. The "Vulcan" shipyard was a highly profitable company, ensuring large dividends on capital invested. The city's very asset, giving enormous profits to the "Vulcan" company and the whole Szczecin industry, was cheap manpower. The "Vulcan" shipyard dominated the German shipbuilding industry up to the beginning of 20th century. The largest and most advanced ships were built here, including two transatlantic liners, that won the very prestigious "Blue Band of the Atlantic". In the 1850's, the city became an important centre of the cement industry with three cement plants sited here. The chemical industry also developed rapidly with two large chemical plants ("Pommernsdorf" at Pomorzany and "Union" at Glinki). That industry, dealing mainly with the production of synthetic fertilizers, was very expansive. Szczecin as an investments location was also extremely attractive for Silesian industrial circles. Guido Von Donnersmarck, a Silesian industrial magnate, built steelworks at the Szczecin suburb Sto³czyn and a synthetic silk factory at Podjuchy. Silesian industrialists also built a paper mill at Skolwin in 1910. The turn of the century saw an enormous development of the food-processing industry in the city. There were two sugar refineries, a sugar factory, two steam-powered grain mills, three oil mills, three breweries, as well as a vinegar, yeast and chicory factory. Before the First World War another industrial branch was added to the city's rich economic life: the automotive industry. The local industry owed its prosperity first and foremost to the close connections with the seaport, which provided the supply of raw materials and received the finished products. Szczecin was granted a permit to build a canal connecting the city with Berlin in order to guarantee the harbour more cargo. The canal was put into operation in 1913. Szczecin should have become the harbour of Berlin. After 1945, both the recovering of city's significance as a seaport, and integration with Polish economic structure were the main goals for local authorities. In the new situation mainly bulk cargo was foreseen for the harbour as well as transit services. The establishment of the harbour's links with Silesia and Greater Poland region became crucial once more. In the first period various goods were directed here in order to help Szczecin develop faster. These measures had some political reasons. Their aim was to put pressure on Soviet authorities to hand the harbour over to the Polish party as soon as possible. The hand over took place partly in 1947 and fully in January 1955.
In 1948 Polish Szczecin handled only 3,3 million tones of cargo; this figure only exceeded that of the pre-war period, to get over 8,8 million tones in early 60's. The rapid development of the ¦winouj¶cie's harbour and modernization of the Szczecin port led to the highest ever amount of cargo handled (25 million tones) in 1980; in the following years this figure stood at more than ten million tones a year. The harbour's transit capacity was not fully used due to the governmental economic policy. The best period in this regard were the 1960's with rate 27% of transit cargo handled; in the early 1980's there was a drop down to 15%. Both, the establishment of the Szczecin-¦winouj¶cie harbour complex and the construction of the bulk cargo terminal around 1975 were significant factors for the development of the harbour.
Another element necessary for the city's maritime functions was the growth of the merchant navy. In 1951 the Polish Steamship Company (Polska ¯egluga Morska) was set up. Around 1975 the company owned 124 ships of 1 759 000 BRT, and in 1968 these figures stood at 126 ships and 1 952 000 BRT. The Szczecin shipping company was the largest firm of that sort in Poland.
These processes were accompanied by the development of inland shipping, however the navigational possibilities the Odra water route offered were not fully exploited. The Szczecin Shipyard began to dominate in the city's economic life. The construction of more sophisticated and specialized ships was undertaken (semicontainer ships, chemical tankers, research vessels, passenger-auto ferries). Over 350 ships of 4 million DWT have been built so far. The history of Szczecin has demonstrated that the prosperity and economic wealth of its citizens has always depended on the links with neighbours and farther regions, especially those cut by Odra flowing through and the routes heading from Scandinavia to Southern Europe.
The Castle and its nearest territory is the oldest part of Szczecin. Archaeological researches showed that about 2500 years ago tribes built there a settlement. During the archaeological works, scientists found part of the Settlement's wall. Later in the same place the Pomeranian tribes built a settlement. When in 967 the prince Mieszko I connected the mouth of the Odra river to the Piast's Country, Szczecin included fortifications, part of the settlement where fishermen, craftsmen and merchants lived, and a harbour. In the main settlement the pagan's god Threehead chapel was built. When the bishop Otton with his mission came to Szczecin he replaced the pagan's chapel with the church (1124). Szczecin was the most important city of Pomerania, but it was not a capital city. The castellan of Szczecin was responsible for keeping the city walls and fortifications in good condition, and the strongholds were so good that the Dutch could not conquer it during many invasions. In 1346 prince Barnim II started renovating buildings he owned, but the townsmen expelled the workers. The prince brought the lawsuit against the townsmen, and he won. The punishment for the townsmen was to build-up the palace 100 feet long and 30 feet wide and 25 feet high for the prince, the chapel and the cemetery walls, on their own expense of course. Since the XIVth century the castle was rebuilt and extended, and also destroyed by the fire and during the wars. Every next prince rebuilt and changed the castle according to his own taste and likings. Prince Bogus³aw X did the most for the castle architecture, and also Prince Jan Fryderyk, who made all the architecture forms, and princes Filip II and Franciszek I, who built the 5th leaf of the castle. When the last of the Western Pomerania princes died, the castle was not the monarch's residence any longer. It was the base of the cities administration; during the Prussian times it was the arsenal and even a brewery. All the castle equipment was driven to Berlin in XIXth century. During the 2nd World War German soldiers had their commons there and because of it during the offensive the castle, harbour and all the old part of the city was almost completely destroyed. Between 1946-1949 when the administration of the city started rebuilding of the castle, the scientists found the prince's tomb. The rebuilding works finished in 1977. Around the castle the cities administration built houses for professors and teachers, and it became almost invisible.
Szczecin Opera and Operetta is in the castle building now.
Came into being at the place of former Fort Leopold in 1902-1921 from Szczecin mayor Herman Hacken initiative. On the forthill (19 m over the river's level) terrace 500 m long was built, on which 2 pavilions were built on both sides of wide stairs, which lead to the river. The ramparts' structure was designed by Wilhelm Meyer Schwartau.
There is a St. Peter & Paul Church situated on that square - the oldest church in Szczecin, built in 1124 during the first mission trip of Otto von Bamberg, and placed behind the city Walls. Rebuilt several times after devastating fires happened to it in medieval ages.
It is a remainder of the modern fortifications. It was built according to the Cornellius van Wallrawe's project. The outdoor sculpture decorations are Damarte & Meyer work (1725 & 1740). It is a high quality baroque monument, which shows the classical Palladian features.
It is a remainder of the city's fortifications. It was built between 1725-1727 according to the Cornellius van Wallrawe's project. The outdoor sculpture decorations were made between 1726-1728 by Damarte. It is one of the rare baroque monuments.
Big, three-aisled St Jacob's archbishop's basilica is dominating over the landscape. The rudiments of the former parish church dates back to the year 1187. At the beginning, the object was built in the Romanesque style, which obtained its Gothic form at the turn of the XIVth and XVth centuries. The temple was reconstructed many times by the centuries. The post-war reconstruction of the church was done in the years 1972-1974. In one of the chapels we can find remnants of the dead persons that were drew out from the crypt, under the temple's tile floor. Also the Baroque sarcophagus of the von Wedel family from XVIIth century was found there.
The west Pomeranian Voivodship plays a very important role on the cultural stage of the country. There are various theatres, culture centres, clubs, musical institutions, opera and two philharmonic orchestras. Interesting proposals are provided by museums, galleries, cinemas and libraries. Various festivals, shows and performances as well as tourist and sporting events are organized every year.
West Pomeranian country is one of the most beautiful and attractive regions of Poland as far as tourism, leisure advantages and natural environment protection are concerned. Full recreation is possible thanks to 184,9 km long seacoast, several hundreds of picturesque lakes, rivers, woods, virgin forests, landscape parks and national parks. The most beautiful parts of the region are crossed by numerous tourist paths and lanes that attract tourists attention due to specially prepared tourist sight stands that allow them to see and admire the most picturesque pieces of landscape. A set of additional offers focused on more attractive sport leisure and relax increases attractiveness of the region.
It is worth pointing out several historical sights in West Pomeranian Country such as numerous churches, defence walls, castles, palaces surrounded by beautiful parks of importance, gates, keeps and towers, bourgeois houses of flats and tenants, barrows.
SZCZECIN is an important centre of science and education. It is a base for 7 public universities:
and four private ones: West-Pomeranian Business School in Szczecin, the Higher School of Public Administration, Usable Arts College in Szczecin, the TWP College of Humanities in Szczecin, Regional Centre of Administration Education.
In the West Pomeranian Voivodship there are also other colleges, like the Technical University of Koszalin or the Baltic College of Humanities in Koszalin. In total in all colleges of the region about 50 thousand students are educated.
Szczecin is situated approx. 140 km from Berlin (Germany), 15 km from the German Border, 200 km from Poznañ and 500 km from Warsaw. From Berlin you can reach Szczecin by train or by bus. Trains leave from Berlin Lichtenberg railway station (duration approx. 2h, price approx. 20 DM). The bus is available form Radisson SAS Hotel (Karl Libknecht Strasse, tel. +49 30 23 828). The bus will take you directly to the Radisson Hotel in Szczecin. You can also use one of the bus courses offered by most of the Berlin travel agencies.
The Warsaw Okêcie Airport is located southwest of the city, 9 km from the city centre. You are advised to take a special bus from the Okêcie Airport, which will take you directly to the Central Railway Station. There you can get a train to Szczecin. There are three types of trains from Warsaw to Szczecin:
Express train - often stops only at 3 or 4 stations before reaching its final destination, the duration is about 6 hours;
Intercity - trains which are a kind of express and the difference is that they are fully reserved and have a higher standard. You will reach Szczecin from Warsaw within approx. 5,5 hours.
Pospieszny - these trains stop in bigger towns and are not as fast as express trains about 7 hours. But they are much cheaper than Express and Intercity.
From Warsaw Okêcie Airport you can also get flights to the Goleniów Airport near Szczecin. There are 2-3 flights daily (1 on weekends). But they are quite expensive.
You are advised to purchase a ticket from your home country to Goleniów Airport (as we were informed this possibility is offered from Polish Airlines LOT agencies only).
You can also reach Goleniów Airport from Copenhagen. There is one direct flight daily at midday (except on Sunday).
From the Goleniów Airport - The Goleniów Airport is located 40 km away from Szczecin. It is not an international airport. From there a special bus (it leaves the airport 15 minutes after landing, cost- 6 PLN) will take you to the centre of Szczecin. You can easily get from there to the campus. Take tram Nr. 4, 11 or 12 (Pomorzany direction). Pass 5 tram stops and get off at sixth. The group of buildings on the right is student campus.
From the Szczecin Railway Station - The easiest way to get to the student campus from the railway station is to get tram Nr.3 (Niebuszewo direction) right at the station (ticket for 20 minutes- 1,50 PLN). You will pass one tram stop and on the second one you should change to tram Nr. 7, 8 or 9. By one of these you will get to next tram stop and get off. Then you can:
1. get tram Nr. 4, 11 or 12 (Pomorzany direction) and get off at second stop
2. or just turn left in al. Piastów and walk approx. 10 minutes along this street. On the right you will see a group of student dormitories (see the map).