Olecko

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Olecko
Coat of arms of Olecko
Coat of arms
Olecko (Poland)
Olecko
Olecko
Coordinates: 54°2′N 22°30′E / 54.033, 22.5
Country Flag of Poland Poland
Voivodeship Warmian-Masurian
County Olecko County
Gmina Gmina Olecko
Established 16th century
Town rights 1560
Government
 - Mayor Wacław Olszewski
Area
 - Total 13.0 km² (5 sq mi)
Population (2007)
 - Total 16,169
 - Density 1,243.8/km² (3,221.3/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 19-400 to 19-402
Area code(s) +48 87
Car plates NOE, NOG
Website: http://www.olecko.pl

Olecko [ɔˈlɛt​͡skɔ] (former German: since 1560, also Oletzko , Treuburg  since 1928) is a town in Masuria, in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship of Poland, near Ełk and Suwałki. It is situated at the mouth of the Lega river into the Great Olecko Lake (Jezioro Oleckie Wielkie) on its south-western shore. Olecko is the seat of Olecko County.

Contents

[edit] History

Marggrabowa was founded as a town by Albert of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Duke of the Duchy of Prussia, on January 1, 1560. The town's name is derived from the German word Markgraf, the duke's title as the margraviate of Brandenburg's prince. The city coats of arms still reflect the Brandenburg red eagle and the Hohenzollern black and white going back to Albert of Brandenburg Prussia.

At the same place there has been since 1544 a hunting lodge called Oletzko. At a peninsula towards the lake, across the Lega river, in 1619 the Castle of Oletzko (Schloss Oletzko) was established as a regional administrative seat.

In 1920, the East Prussian plebiscite was held in the area by the League of Nations according to the Treaty of Versailles on remaining in East Prussia or affiliation with the recreated state of Poland. In the whole district there were only 2 pro-Polish votes, so the county remained with Germany[1]. Thus the City was renamed "Treuburg" ("Loyalty castle") in 1928.

Between 1818 and 1945, Marggrabowa was the seat of Oletzko County (Kreis Oletzko) in the province of East Prussia in the Kingdom of Prussia. Following the example of the town, in 1933 also the district was named Kreis Treuburg.

[edit] Sights

In the northern part of the town's market square, a Catholic (formerly Lutheran) church is situated on a tree-covered hill.

[edit] Transportation

The Train Station in the western part of town is a regional railway junction: there are main lines to Gołdap, Ełk and Suwałki. The local railway connections to Mieruniszki, Kruklanki and Sulejki are out of service or dismantled.

[edit] Education

[edit] Twin towns

Jõhvi

[edit] External links

  1. ^ [1]

Coordinates: 54°02′N, 22°30′E