Włocławek

A panorama of today's Wloclawek, taken from Saint Gotthard Hill
Włocławek
Cathedral in Włocławek

Flag
Coat of arms
Włocławek is located in Poland
Włocławek
Coordinates:
Country  Poland
Voivodeship Kuyavian-Pomeranian
Powiat city county
Established tenth century
Town rights 1255
Government
 - Mayor Andrzej Pałucki
Area
 - City 84.32 km2 (32.6 sq mi)
Population (2009)
 - City 117,785
 - Density 1,396.9/km2 (3,617.9/sq mi)
 - Metro 243 000
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 87-800 to 87-810, 87-812, 87-814, 87-816 to 87-818, 87-822
Area code(s) +48 054
Car plates CW
Website http://www.wloclawek.pl

Włocławek [vwɔt​͡sˈwavɛk] ( listen) (German: Leslau from 1939–44) is a town in northern Poland on the Vistula (Wisła) and Zgłowiączka rivers, with a population of 117,785 (June 2009). It is situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship and until 1999 was the capital of Włocławek Voivodeship.

Contents

History

Different years of establishment of the town have been attributed by a number of historians since the 16th century. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Włocławek (Latin: Vladislaviensis) in Kuyavia, near Płock, was first mentioned in a papal bull issued by Pope Eugene III in 1148. The first bishop of Włocławek was Warner, whose name appears in the 1148 bull, followed by Onoldius from Italy. At some time the diocese was recorded as Vladislaviensis et Pomeraniae ("Włocławek and Pomerania"). The name Vladislaviensis and the time frame point to Władysław II the Exile or his grandfather Władysław I Herman, as well as to Vladislav II of Bohemia, as possible name givers. Under the Nazi occupation during World War II, Włocławek was renamed to Leslau.

For hundreds of years, Wloclawek had a flourishing, sizable Jewish population. After the Nazi occupation in 1939, it became the first town in Europe in which Jews were required to wear yellow Stars of David. Soon the Star became required for all Jews in German-occupied Europe. Many Wloclawek Jews died from Nazi fists or guns, starvation or illness after being confined in the Łódź Ghetto. Others were gassed upon arrival at the Chelmno death camp.There is little, if any trace of their once rich and lively community today.

Włocławek districts

Grodzki Square in downtown (Śródmieście - Włocławek)

Grodzki Square in downtown (Śródmieście - Włocławek)

Dam in Rybnica (Włocławek)

Dam in Rybnica (Włocławek)

Włocławek districts

Historical monuments

Interior of Cathedral
Tomb effigy of Bishop Piotr z Bnina by Veit Stoss, located in Cathedral
St. Witalis Church
Church of John the Baptist

Sports

Major corporations

Education

High school

History of shool In early 1900 the Committee of Civic, which was chaired by Louis Bauer requested the Ministry of Finance to set up a trade school. 27 April 1900, the Ministry of Finance agreed to the creation of Włocławskie Siedmioklasowej School of Economics. The founders of the school was 104 inhabitants. The school admitted students were between the ages of 8 to 11 years who, after the annual rate became the first class of students. Powers available to the school received a state school,

Twin Areas

This area has twinning with the following:

Germany Bamberg, Germany;
United Kingdom Bedford, United Kingdom

People

External links

Counties of Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship
City counties
Bydgoszcz (governor's seat) • Toruń (assembly seat) • Grudziądz • Włocławek
 Coat of arms of Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship
Land counties
Aleksandrów • Brodnica • Bydgoszcz • Chełmno • Golub-Dobrzyń • Grudziądz • Inowrocław • Lipno • Mogilno • Nakło • Radziejów • Rypin • Sępólno • Świecie • Toruń • Tuchola • Wąbrzeźno • Włocławek • Żnin
Włocławek County
Urban gmina
Kowal
 POL powiat włocławski COA.svg
Urban-rural gminas
Gmina Brześć Kujawski • Gmina Chodecz • Gmina Izbica Kujawska • Gmina Lubień Kujawski • Gmina Lubraniec
Rural gminas
Gmina Baruchowo • Gmina Boniewo • Gmina Choceń • Gmina Fabianki • Gmina Kowal • Gmina Lubanie • Gmina Włocławek
Seat (not part of the county)
Włocławek