Świnoujście

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Świnoujście

(Flag)	(Coat of arms)


Country	Poland
Voivodeship	West Pomeranian
Mayor	Janusz Żmurkiewicz
Area	195.5 km²
Population - city - urban - density	44,585 /km²
Founded	12th century
City rights	1765
Car plates	ZSW
Municipal Website

Świnoujście (pronounce: [,ɕvinɔ'ujɕtɕȋe], former German: Swinemünde) is a town in Pomerania, extreme northwestern Poland, situated on the islands of Uznam and Wolin with about 44,500 inhabitants (2004). It is also a county-status town in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship (since 1999), and was previously in the Szczecin Voivodeship (1975–1998).

1 History
2 Tourist attractions
3 Tourist towns and villages near Świnoujście
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] History

Historical population
of Świnoujście(pre 1945: Swinemünde)

1900		10,300
1925		18,200
1938		30,100
1947		5,800
1960		17,000
1970		28,100
1975		42,400
1980		47,100
1990		43,300
2003		42,881
2005		44,585

The river Świna (German: Swine) was formerly flanked by the fishing villages of West and East Świna. Towards the beginning of the seventeenth century it was made navigable for large ships, and Swinemuende, which was founded on the site of West Swina in 1748, was fortified and raised to the dignity of a town by Frederick the Great in 1765. It served as the outer port of Stettin. The city had broad unpaved streets and one-storey houses built in the Dutch style, which gave it an almost rustic appearance, although its industries, beyond some fishing, were entirely connected with its shipping. The entrance to the harbour, which was regarded as the best on the Prussian Baltic coast, is protected by two long breakwaters, and was strongly fortified. On the island of Wollin, on the other side of the narrow Swine, there was a great lighthouse. In 1897 the canal of the Kaiserfahrt was opened to navigation, and this waterway between the Stettin harbour and the Baltic Sea was deepened between 1900–1901. After this Stettin could be directly reached by ships, and city's importance diminished somewhat. On March 12, 1945, Swinemünde suffered heavy destruction by USAAF bombing. At least 23,000 civilians died, mainly refugees fleeing from East Prussia and from surrounding areas. After the war the city was annexed into Poland. Its German population was expelled (See Expulsion of Germans after World War II) and the city was repopulated by Poles, most of them expelled from the Eastern parts of Poland by the Soviets.

[edit] Tourist attractions

Wiatrak Stawa Młyny

The former Town Hall, today housing the Museum of Deep Sea Fishing. Exhibits include the history of sea fishing, sea animals, the town and its region, and old navigation equipment.
The Angel's Fort, built from 1845 to 1858 as the replica of the Hadrian's Mausoleum (Saint Angelo Castle in Rome).
Western Fort - erected between 1843 and 1863, modernized a few times in the past, after II World War until 1962 it was the quarter of Soviet Army. Concerts and art exhibitions are held here.
The 18th Christ the King Church' - erected on the site of a Gothic temple. A wooden ship replica is in the main nave. Organ concerts are presented during the summer. This place is in a centre of town.
The neo-Gothic church of the Holy Mother "Stella Maris" - erected at the end of 19th century. Inside there are stained - glass windows of great artistic value.
The well - preserved tower remaining after the protestant church which was destroyed before end of World War II and which was completely demolished after the war.
Shelter with exposition "The town yesterday and now" - shelter build in 1942, inside: pictures with history of Świnoujście and other exhibits.
Stawa Młyny- the navigation beacon built in the form of a windmill on the 19th century breakwater.
The lighthouse built in the year 1858, one of the highest beacons on the Baltic sea (68m.)
Eastern Fort (Gerhard's Fort) - one of three preserved forts from the 19th century, which is the part of The Fortress of Świnoujście. Inside the building the exhibition presenting the history of the forts in Świnoujście as well as objects found there.
Evangelical cemetery in Karsibór, established in the first half of 19th century.
The Gothic church' from the 15th century with an altar from the 15th century and a pulpit from the 17th century.
The monument to the memory of R.A.F. - pilots who were shot down while air - raiding harbour objects in April 1945.
The bird sanctuary "Karsiborska Kępa" (the island of Karsibór) - ca. 140 bird - species.