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This page is about the city Sopot in Poland. For other cities with the same name see Sopot (disambiguation)
Sopot (Kashubian: Sopót, German Zoppot) is a town on the South coast of the Baltic Sea in a metropolitan agglomeration called the Tricity (Gdansk, Gdynia and Sopot) with some 50,000 inhabitants (2001). Sopot is located in Eastern Pomerania region, north-western Poland and is also a county-status city in Pomeranian Voivodship since 1999, previously a town in Gdansk Voivodship (1975-1998).
Sopot is quite a big health and tourism resort, well known for the longest wooden pier in Europe (called Molo, total length 515.5 m), from where there is a view on the Gulf of Gdansk. The city is also famous for its Sopot International Song Festival, 2nd biggest such event in Europe after the Eurovision Song Contest.
There are many popular professional sports team in Sopot and Tricity area. The most popular sport in Sopot today is probably basketball thanks to the award winning Prokom Trefl Sopot, Polish Champion in men basketball in 2004. Amateur sports are played by thousands of Sopot citizens and also in schools of all levels (elementary, secondary, university).
The city of Sopot was founded as a spa by the doctor of the court of Napoleon at the beginning of XIX century. At the beginning of XX century it was the favourite spa of Kaiser Wilhelm. In the 20th century, a casino was founded in the Grand Hotel as the primary source of money for the treasury of the free city.
In early documents: Sopoth 1283, Sopot 1291, Sopot's name is the old Slavic word which means "spring" (source).
Sopot was an old Slavonic (Pomeranian) stronghold in the 8th-10th centuries. Fishing village status was granted in 1283 to the Cistercian convent in Oliwa. The spa for Gdansk citizens has been active since the 16th century. The church property was confiscated by the Prussian government after 1772. City status was granted in 1901 (or 1902 ??). From 1920 to 1939 it was part of the Free City of Gdansk, an atonomous part of Poland. On September 2 1939, it was occupied and annexed by Nazi Germany, and on March 23 1945 it was captured by the Red Army and returned to Poland. In alignment with decisions of the Potsdam Conference, Sopot became part of Poland. The authorities of Gdansk Voivodship were located in Sopot until the end of 1946.
[[Image:pl_sop_molo_2004.jpg|300px|thumb|right|
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