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Szczecin
KNOWLEDGE OF Szczecin
Szczecin, Latin: Stetinum or Scecinum; Kashubian/Pomeranian Sztetëno; German: Stettin, formerly Alten Stettin) is the 7th largest city in Poland and the second largest Polish seaport on the Baltic. It is also the capital of the West Pomeranian Voivodship. As of the 2005 census estimate the city has a total population of 413,638.
Szczecin is located in the northwest part of Poland, on the Oder River, south of the Lagoon of Szczecin and the Bay of Pomerania. The city is situated along the southwestern shore of Dąbie Lake, on both sides of Oder and on several large islands between western and eastern branch of the river.
A stronghold of the Lusatian culture was here in the early Iron Age period. Another stronghold of the Pomeranians was built in the 8th century at the ford of the Oder river. The city was already a flourishing trading centre with 10,000 inhabitants when it was subjugated and baptized by Boleslaus III of Poland. A medieval municipality was granted autonomy in 1243. Till the 1630s Stettin was the capital of the Duchy of Pomerania ruled by the Slavonic Griffin dynasty, of Slavic origins, although the city and western Pomerania became gradually, and entirely, German. After their extinction of the Griffin dynasty, Stettin, along with the rest of western Pomerania, was granted to Sweden at the Peace of Westphalia, despite the protests of the Elector of Brandenburg, who had a legal claim to inherit all of Pomerania. After the Great Northern War, in 1720, the Swedes were forced to cede the city to the Brandenburg elector Frederick William I, by now King of Prussia. Stettin became a major Prussian (and, after 1871 German) city.
In 1935, the German Wehrmacht established Stettin as the headquarters for Wehrkreis II, which controlled the military units in all of Mecklenburg and Pomerania. It was also the Area Headquarters for units stationed at Stettin I and II; Swinemünde; Greifswald; and Stralsund. Stettin was the home Station for the 2nd Panzer Grenadier Division, which evolved into the 12th Panzer Division in 1940. This unit remained generally uncommitted during the invasion of Poland, but was activly engaged in the invasion of France. Subsequently, the division became involved in the invasion of Russia, and remained there until the withdrawal in 1945.
Stettin remained German until 1945, when the Red Army captured the city. The city's German inhabitants either escaped or were left at the mercy of the invading forces. In the aftermath of World War II, the city became part of Poland and the remaining German population was expelled to Germany. Stettin was colonized with Poles, mainly from Poznan area. The city, now known as Szczecin, was rebuilt and made a major industrial centre, the capital of Szczecin Voivodship. It witnessed anti-communist revolts in 1970 and 1980 adding its share to the birth of Solidarity movement. Since 1999 Szczecin has been the capital of Western Pomeranian Voivodship.
Szczecin's architectural style is mainly influenced by those of last half of 19th century and first twenty years of the 20th century mostly by Academic art and Art Nouveau. In many areas build after 1945 Social realism is prevalent.
Urban planning of Szczecin is unusual. The first thing observed by a newcomer is abundance of green areas: parks and avenues – wide streets with trees planted in the island separating opposite traffic (where often tram tracks are laid); and roundabouts. This makes Szczecin's city project quite similar to that of Paris. The reason is, Szczecin (like Paris) was rebuilt in the 1880s using a design by Georges-Eugène Haussmann.
This course of designing streets in Szczecin is still used, as many recently built (or modified) city areas include roundabouts and avenues.
Szczecin is located in the northwest part of Poland, on the Oder River, south of the Lagoon of Szczecin and the Bay of Pomerania. The city is situated along the southwestern shore of Dąbie Lake, on both sides of Oder and on several large islands between western and eastern branch of the river.
A stronghold of the Lusatian culture was here in the early Iron Age period. Another stronghold of the Pomeranians was built in the 8th century at the ford of the Oder river. The city was already a flourishing trading centre with 10,000 inhabitants when it was subjugated and baptized by Boleslaus III of Poland. A medieval municipality was granted autonomy in 1243. Till the 1630s Stettin was the capital of the Duchy of Pomerania ruled by the Slavonic Griffin dynasty, of Slavic origins, although the city and western Pomerania became gradually, and entirely, German. After their extinction of the Griffin dynasty, Stettin, along with the rest of western Pomerania, was granted to Sweden at the Peace of Westphalia, despite the protests of the Elector of Brandenburg, who had a legal claim to inherit all of Pomerania. After the Great Northern War, in 1720, the Swedes were forced to cede the city to the Brandenburg elector Frederick William I, by now King of Prussia. Stettin became a major Prussian (and, after 1871 German) city.
In 1935, the German Wehrmacht established Stettin as the headquarters for Wehrkreis II, which controlled the military units in all of Mecklenburg and Pomerania. It was also the Area Headquarters for units stationed at Stettin I and II; Swinemünde; Greifswald; and Stralsund. Stettin was the home Station for the 2nd Panzer Grenadier Division, which evolved into the 12th Panzer Division in 1940. This unit remained generally uncommitted during the invasion of Poland, but was activly engaged in the invasion of France. Subsequently, the division became involved in the invasion of Russia, and remained there until the withdrawal in 1945.
Stettin remained German until 1945, when the Red Army captured the city. The city's German inhabitants either escaped or were left at the mercy of the invading forces. In the aftermath of World War II, the city became part of Poland and the remaining German population was expelled to Germany. Stettin was colonized with Poles, mainly from Poznan area. The city, now known as Szczecin, was rebuilt and made a major industrial centre, the capital of Szczecin Voivodship. It witnessed anti-communist revolts in 1970 and 1980 adding its share to the birth of Solidarity movement. Since 1999 Szczecin has been the capital of Western Pomeranian Voivodship.
Szczecin's architectural style is mainly influenced by those of last half of 19th century and first twenty years of the 20th century mostly by Academic art and Art Nouveau. In many areas build after 1945 Social realism is prevalent.
Urban planning of Szczecin is unusual. The first thing observed by a newcomer is abundance of green areas: parks and avenues – wide streets with trees planted in the island separating opposite traffic (where often tram tracks are laid); and roundabouts. This makes Szczecin's city project quite similar to that of Paris. The reason is, Szczecin (like Paris) was rebuilt in the 1880s using a design by Georges-Eugène Haussmann.
This course of designing streets in Szczecin is still used, as many recently built (or modified) city areas include roundabouts and avenues.
Chapi