Skarszewy
Skarszewy | |
|---|---|
 Rebuilt remains of palace of Knights Hospitaller in Skarszewy | |
 Coat of arms | |
| Country |  Poland |
| Voivodeship | Pomeranian |
| County | Starogard |
| Gmina | Skarszewy |
| Established | 12th century |
| Town rights | 1320 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Dariusz Skalski |
| Area | |
| • Total | 9.43 km2 (3.64 sq mi) |
| Population (2006) | |
| • Total | 6,824 |
| • Density | 720/km2 (1,900/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 83-250 |
| Area code | +48 58 |
| Car plates | GST |
| Website | http://www.skarszewy.pl |
Skarszewy [skarˈʂɛvɨ] (Kashubian: Skarszewò, German: Schöneck) is a small town 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of Gdańsk in Starogard Gdański County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, northern Poland. Located between Kościerzyna and Tczew. Population: 6 809 (30 June 2005). In 2005 the town was given the title the Pearl of Pomerania.
19 villages belong to the rural-municipal commune of Skarszewy (together: 13,934 inhabitants, 30 June 2005):
Bączek, Bolesławowo, Bożpole Królewskie, Czarnocin, Demlin, Godziszewo, Jaroszewy, Junkrowy, Kamierowo, Kamierowskie Piece, Koźmin, Malary, Mirowo Duże, Nowy Wiec, Obozin, Pogódki.
The old town is enclosed by fragments of the 14th century stone walls and a Gothic parish Church of St Michael the Archangel which dates from the l4th century with well-preserved furnishings from the baroque era.
In the town square is the fountain Griffin Pomorski with three griffins holding the emblem of St. John Skarszew on a platter. At the top were placed reproductions of three coats Skarszew: from 1198 when the town belonged to the Knights Hospitaller; from 1320 when Skarszewy acquired civic rights and the current coat of arms.
History
Between 1629 and 1655 the city was devastated by the Swedes, and large fires in the years 1708, 1714, 1731 destroyed almost all the buildings.
Under the Treaty of Versailles Skarszewy, was reassigned to Poland. The Blue Army (Poland) commanded by General Józef Haller entered Skarszewy on 30 January 1920, ending 148 years of Prussian rule.
During WW II, Soviet aircraft repeatedly bombed the city and on March 8, 1945 the Red Army's East Pomeranian Offensive burned parts of the city, causing the destruction of up to 40% of the buildings in Skarszew.
- 1198 - first mentioned as a seat of Knights Hospitaller
- 1320 - Schöneck obtains town rights
- 1370 - the Order of St. John sells Schöneck to the Teutonic Order
- 1466 - Second Peace of Thorn (1466): Schöneck becomes a part of Royal Prussia, Poland
- 1772 - annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia
- 1818-1920 - part of the Kościerzyna county (Berent county) within Western Prussia Province
- 1920, 10 January - part of the Second Polish Republic
- 1939-1945 - annexed by the Third Reich
- 1945 - Poland
54°04′N 18°26′E / 54.067°N 18.433°E
International relations
In 1996, Skarszewy was twinned with Sandy in Bedfordshire, England. Each year over summer, students from Sandy Upper School, Stratton Upper School in Biggleswade and Dame Alice Harpur School in Bedford travel to Skarszewy for twelve days to teach English to some of the younger generation of the town.[1]
Twin towns – Sister cities
Skarszewy is twinned with:
References
External links
