Biskupiec

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"Biskupiec" is also the name of Biskupiec (Nowe Miasto County) in Poland.

Coat of arms

Biskupiec ([bʲisˈkupʲɛʦ] (help·info); German: Bischofsburg (help·info)) is a town in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship in Poland. It is located in Olsztyn County and has a predominantly Roman Catholic population of approximately 11,400.

[edit] History

The town developed near a castle built by the Teutonic Knights near the Dymer creek in 1385. In 1395 it received city rights from the Bishops of Warmia who ruled the town for much of the Middle Ages; the name Bischofsburg means "bishop's castle" in German. The development of the town was often hampered by plague, famine, and warfare. From 1862 until 1945, known as Bischofsburg was the seat of Landkreis Rößel (from 1871 in Germany). The town was 50% destroyed during World War II. In 1945 the town was transferred, along with the southern part of East Prussia, to Poland, its German population was expelled and the name changed to Polish Biskupiec.

The town's landmark is its 16th century Gothic Church of John the Baptist (Kościół p.w. św. Jana Chrzciciela, Johanniskirche). The countryside surrounding Biskupiec is popular for its many lakes.