Chelmno

Kulm in German, and sometimes transliterated as Culm in certain periods in the history) is a town in northern Poland with 22,000 inhabitants (1995).

Situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodship (since 1999), previously in Torun Voivodship (1975-1998), near the Vistula river.

It is not related to Chelmno concentration camp, which was located near a much smaller village of the same name, Chełmno nad Nerem.

History

The first written mention about Chelmno is known from a document allegedly issued in 1065 by Polish duke Boleslaus I of Poland for the Benedictine Monastery in Mogilno. In 1226 Prince Konrad of Mazovia brought Teutonic Knights to Chelmno Land. In 1233 Chelmno was granted the location privilege called "Chelmno rights" (renewed in 1251), the model system for over 200 Polish towns. The town of Chelmno together Chelmno Land was part of Teutonic Knights state until 1466, when after Thirteen Years' War Chełmno was incorporated back into Poland and made the capital of Chelmno Voivodship. In 1772 following partitions of Poland Chelmno became part of Kingdom of Prussia. At these times the city was part of the Hanseatic League. Between 1807 and 1815 Chelmno was part of Duchy of Warsaw. Chelmno was recovered by Poland in 1920.

Monuments

Chelmno has well preserved medieval center, with five gothic churches and beautiful renessaince town hall in the middle of market square.

• Gothic churches:
  • church of St Mary, former main parochial church of town, built 1280-1320
  • church of St Jacob, former franciscans church, from 14th c., rebuild in 19 c.
  • church of St Peter and Paul, former dominicans church, from 13-14th c. rebuild in 18 and 19th c.
  • church of St Johns, former benedictines and cictercians church, with monastery, built 1290-1330
  • church of Holy Ghost, from 1280-90
• Town Hall, which oldest part comes from end of 13th c., rebuilt in manneristic style (under Italian influence) in 1567-1572
• city walls which surround whole city, preserved almost as a whole, with watch towers and Grudziądzka Gate

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