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| Szczecin | |||||
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| Motto: none | |||||
| Voivodship | West Pomeranian | ||||
| Municipal government | Rada miasta Szczecina | ||||
| Mayor | Marian Jurczyk | ||||
| Area | 301,3 km² | ||||
| Population - city - urban - density |
413 600 1372/km² |
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| Founded City rights |
8th century 1243 |
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| Latitude Longitude |
14°34'E 53°26'N |
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| Area code | +48 91 | ||||
| Car plates | ZS | ||||
| Twin towns | Berlin-Kreuzberg, Bremerhaven, Dalian, Esbjerg, Hull, Lubeck, Malmö, Murmansk, St. Louis | ||||
| Municipal Website (http://www.szczecin.pl/inwestor/uk/index.html) | |||||
Szczecin (pronounce: ['ʃʧεtɕin], Latin: Stetinum, German: 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. There are 419,000 inhabitants in Szczecin (as of 2004).
Szczecin is situated in the north-west corner of Poland, on both banks of the Oder River, close to Baltic Sea and the German border. The city is situated to the south of and around the greater bay into which the Oder river flows. The Western side is commonly called the Left Bank (Lewobrzeże), and the Eastern side the Right Bank (Prawobrzeże). Between them is an archipelago with many islands (mainly industrial areas with shipyards and sea-port infrastructure).
Early medieval sources show: Stetin 1133, Stetyn 1188, Priznoborus vir nobilis in Stetin, Symon nobilis Stettinensis 1234, in vico Stetin 1240, Barnim Dei gratia dux Pomeranorum... civitati nostri Stetin 1243, Stityn 1251, Sigillum Burgoncium de Stitin municipal seal of the 13th century, which is the same to the modern Polish spelling of Szczecin. The name is almost certainly of the same origin as others Polish names such as Szczytno, Szczucin and Szczuczyn.
There are several possible etymologies of the city name:
Because in 1310 duke Warcislaw IV has founded a new city called New Szczecin and today Szczecinek modelled after the Szczecin municipality, the original Szczecin was sometimes called the Old Szczecin (Latin: Stetinum Antiqua, Polish: Stary Szczecin, German: Alten Stettin.)
In the 16th century Polish literature used two alternative spellings: Szczecin (seems to be the exact pronunciation of the city name used by its Slavonic inhabitants, previously spelled in Latin as Stetin since the 12th century) and Sztetyn (seems to be a copy of the German pronunciation). The first form of Szczecin prevailed in the following years and was officially confirmed in the 19th century, long before the city was again in Polish hands.
Full article: History of Szczecin
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 it was the capital of the Polish Duchy of Pomerania ruled by the Slavonic Griffin dynasty. After their extinction Szczecin fell to Sweden till 1720 (despite the Polish protests), then to Prussia, from 1870 part of the nation-state Germany, until 1945, when it was occupied by the Red Army and returned to Poland, while its German inhabitants either escaped or were resettled to Germany and the city colonized with Poles, mainly from Poznan area. It was rebuilt and made a major industrial centre, the capital of Szczecin Voivodship. It witnessed anti-communist revols in 1970 and 1980 adding its share to the birth of Solidarity movement. Since 1999 Szczecin is the capital of Western Pomeranian Voivodship.
12th century: 5,000 inhabitants
1720: 6,000 inhabitants
1740: 12,300 inhabitants
1816: 21,500 inhabitants
1843: 37,100 inhabitants
1861: 58,500 inhabitants
1872: 76,000 inhabitants
1890: 116,228 inhabitants
1910: 236,000 inhabitants
1939: 382,000 inhabitants
1945: ?
1950: ?
1960: 269,400 inhabitants
1970: 338,000 inhabitants
1975: 369,700 inhabitants
1980: 388,300 inhabitants
1990: ?
2000: ?
2002: 413,600 inhabitants
2004: 419,000 inhabitants
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 rebuild in 1880s using a design by Georges-Eugène Haussmann.
This course of designing streets in Szczecin is still used, as many recently build (or modified) city areas include roundabouts and avenues.
Szczecin is governed by city council and mayor. Mayor (prezydent miasta), as well as council, is elected by city's citizens every four years.
Marian Jurczyk, Solidarity icon, is Szczecin's mayor. His achievements are however widely criticised and he is blamed for over 10 millions zlotys compensations which city must pay for canceling the land selling deal, his lack of formal education, and his apparent cluelessness in many important matters. Mr Jurczyk famous errors includes forgetting the name of his own deputy he just nominated or quoting Jesus in his speech to the council.
Because of this criticism recall voices of recall were raised. On 23 March 2004 necessary 32 000 signatures were received by Recall Committee. Recall referendum took place on 23 May 2004. However the necessary 30% turnout wasn't reached as only 19% of voters cast their ballots. An overwhelming majority of those voting (92%), supported mayor's recall. This means that current political situation is quite difficult.
Szczecin is divided into the auxiliary local government districts called neighbourhood councils (rady osiedla). Those districs elects it's own councils, and are responsible mainly for small infrastructure like trees, park benches, playgrounds, etc. Other functions are mostly advisory. Official list of districts (http://www.szczecin.pl/rada/rady/adres.htm)
Centrum, Drzetowo-Grabowo, Łękno, Międzyodrze-Wyspa Pucka, Niebuszewo-Bolinko, Nowe Miasto, Stare Miasto, Śródmieście Północ, Śródmieście-Zachód, Turzyn
Bukowo, Golęcino- Gocław, Niebuszewo, Skolwin, Stołczyn, Warszewo, Żelechowa
os.Arkonskie-Niemierzyn, Głębokie-Pilchowo, Gumieńce, Krzekowo-Bezrzecze, Osów, Pogodno, Pomorzany, Świerczewo, os.Zawadzkiego-Klonowica
Bukowe-Klęskowo, Dąbie, Majowe-Kijewo, Płonia, Podjuchy, os.Słoneczne, Wielgowo-Sławociesze, Załom, Zdroje, Żydowce-Klucz
Babin, Barnucin, Basen Górniczy,Błędów, Boleszyce, Bystrzyk, Cieszyce, Cieśnik, Dolina, Dunikowo, Glinki, Podbórz, Jezierzyce, Kaliny, Kępa Barnicka, Kijewko, Kluczewko, Kłobucko, Kniewo, Kraśnica, Krzekoszów(1), Krzekoszów(2), Lotnisko, Łasztownia, Niemierzyn, Odolany, Oleszna, Podbórz, Port, os.Przyjaźni, Rogatka, Rudnik, Sienna, Skoki, Słowieńsko, Sosnówko, Starków, Stoki, Struga, Śmierdnica, os.Świerczewskie, Trzebusz, Urok, Widok, Zdunowo.
Members of Parliament (Sejm) elected from Szczecin constituency
Szczecin has the biggest shipyard in Poland, which recently went bankrupt and was successfully reinstated. It has a fishing industry and a steel mill.
See also Baltic Sea Ports of 2002.
Major cultural events in Szczecin are:
The are 5 theaters in Szczecin and a philharmonic orchestra.
There are many popular professional sports team in Szczecin area. The most popular sport today is probably football (thanks to Pogon Szczecin just promoted to play in the 1st league in season 2004/2005). Amateur sports are played by thousands of Szczecin citizens and also in schools of all levels (elementary, secondary, university).
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| Voivodships of Poland Greater Poland | Kuyavia-Pomerania | Lesser Poland | Łódź | Lower Silesia | Lublin | Lubusz | Masovia | Opole | Podlachia | Pomerania | Świętokrzyskie | Silesia | Subcarpathia | Warmia and Masuria | West Pomerania |
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| Principal cities Warsaw | Łódź | Kraków | Wrocław | Poznań | Gdańsk | Szczecin | Bydgoszcz | Lublin | Katowice | Białystok | Częstochowa | Gdynia | Toruń | Radom | Kielce | Rzeszów | Olsztyn |
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