Gorzów Wielkopolski

Coordinates: 52°44′N 15°15′E / 52.733°N 15.250°E / 52.733; 15.250
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Gorzów Wielkopolski
City county
Riverside boulevards and the Cathedral
City Granary
Plac Grunwaldzki (Grunwald Square)
Gorzów Philharmonic
Car plates
FG
ClimateCfb
Highways
National roads
Websitewww.gorzow.pl

Gorzów Wielkopolski ([ˈɡɔʐuf vʲɛlkɔˈpɔlskʲi] ⓘ), often abbreviated to Gorzów Wlkp. or simply Gorzów (formerly German: Landsberg an der Warthe), is a city in western Poland, located on the Warta River.[2] It is one of the two principal cities and seats of the Lubusz Voivodeship, with a population of 114,567 as of 30 June 2024.[1]

The city has a history dating back to the 13th century and serves as a cultural, economic, and industrial hub in the region. Gorzów Wielkopolski is home to several historical landmarks, green spaces, and educational institutions, and is known for its strong tradition in speedway racing.

Around Gorzów, there are two large forest areas: Gorzów Woods to the north, where the Barlinek-Gorzów Landscape Park is situated, and Noteć Woods to the southeast. The biggest oil fields in Poland are located near Gorzów.

Etymology

The pre-1945 German name Landsberg an der Warthe, dating back to 1257, derived from the German words land or 'state' and berg or 'mountain' combined with Warthe – the German name for the river Warta.

The Polish name Gorzów, written as Gorzew, is known from Polish maps and historical books dating back to the 19th century or perhaps earlier.[3] The name appeared in a compendium called Ancient Poland according to its history, geography and statistics published in 1848 by Samuel Orgelbrand in Warsaw. Ten years earlier, in 1838, the same name Gorzew was used in a book published in Paris with a corresponding yet broader title encompassing all of Poland.[4]

The current spelling of "Gorzów" appears on the map featuring "Królestwo Polskie" published in

Lwów
in 1900 with "Landsberg an der Warthe" in parentheses next to "Gorzów". The name is interpreted in several different ways according to rules of the Old Polish language, originating from "gorzenie" (fire, burning) or gora- gorze (mountain - of from the mountain) or "pogorzelcy" (survivors of a fire), or alternatively "gorzelnia" (distillery) or "gorzałka" (spirits).

The place originated as a craftsmen settlement during the medieval period of the Polish royal dynasty of Piast.

In Polish, it was the name 'Gorzów' which eventually stuck, beating the alternative postwar name "Kobylagóra", or 'Mare Mountain', which survives today as the name of a street in the city. The word Wielkopolski means "

Greater Polish", after the voivodeship of that name of which Gorzów was a part from 1946 to 1950, was added later. The area of today's Gorzów was part of the historical region of Greater Poland
until the mid-13th century.

History

Preserved medieval town walls

During the reign of the first Polish monarchs of the

Thirteen Years’ War broke out, the Teutonic Knights sold the city to Brandenburg in order to raise funds for war against Poland. In the 16th century, the city became Lutheran, with St. Mary's Cathedral
changing its allegiance in 1537.

In 1701 Landsberg (Gorzów) became part of the

Cossack troops defeated a French battalion of 1,500 men of Louis-Nicolas Davout's corps. In 1815 – in the course of an administrative restructuring – the town became part of Prussia's Province of Brandenburg. One of the main escape routes for surviving insurgents of the Polish November Uprising from partitioned Poland to the Great Emigration led through the city.[9] The city, like all of Prussia, was included in the German Empire in 1871 during the unification of Germany
.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
195032,825—    
196058,671+78.7%
197074,782+27.5%
1980105,909+41.6%
1990124,285+17.4%
2000125,767+1.2%
2010125,394−0.3%
2020122,589−2.2%
source [10]

During World War II, the Germans established nine forced labour camps, as well as four labour units of the Stalag III-C prisoner-of-war camp for French, Italian and Soviet prisoners of war in the city.[5]

In early 1945 during World War II the town was heavily damaged following the retreat of the Wehrmacht ahead of the Soviet Red Army. The Red Army arrived in the city on 30 January 1945, approaching from the left bank of the river Warta. The Wehrmacht had already evacuated most of the city, and the advancing forces met very little resistance. Over the next few days, most of the city centre was destroyed, reportedly through the accidental spread of a fire started in order to light the westward march of the Red Army.[citation needed]

Second Polish Army Memorial

The city became part of Poland in accordance with border changes promulgated at the postwar Potsdam Conference, supposedly pending a final peace conference with Germany. Since a peace conference never took place, the town was effectively ceded to Poland. German residents who had not fled or died in the war were expelled in accordance to the Potsdam Agreement, and the city was gradually repopulated with Polish settlers from central Poland and those expelled from Polish territory annexed by the Soviet Union.[11] The last German inhabitants were forced to leave the city in the early 1950s. It was at this time that Gorzów's now sizable Tatar and Romani communities arrived in the town. Not having had an agreed Polish name, the town was initially renamed as "Kobylagóra" on 30 May 1945, later as "Gorzów nad Wartą" on 7 July 1945 and finally "Gorzów Wielkopolski" on 5 November 1946.

Between 1975 and 1998, it was the capital of the Gorzów Voivodeship.

Climate

Gorzów Wielkopolski has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfb) using the −3 °C (27 °F) isotherm or a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfb) using the 0 °C (32 °F) isotherm.[12][13]

Climate data for Gorzów Wielkopolski (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1951–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 16.6
(61.9) 		18.2
(64.8) 		24.6
(76.3) 		30.6
(87.1) 		31.5
(88.7) 		36.5
(97.7) 		37.5
(99.5) 		37.3
(99.1) 		33.0
(91.4) 		28.7
(83.7) 		20.3
(68.5) 		15.3
(59.5) 		37.5
(99.5)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 2.4
(36.3) 		4.1
(39.4) 		8.3
(46.9) 		14.9
(58.8) 		19.5
(67.1) 		22.7
(72.9) 		24.8
(76.6) 		24.5
(76.1) 		19.3
(66.7) 		13.3
(55.9) 		6.9
(44.4) 		3.4
(38.1) 		13.7
(56.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) −0.1
(31.8) 		0.9
(33.6) 		4.1
(39.4) 		9.5
(49.1) 		14.0
(57.2) 		17.3
(63.1) 		19.4
(66.9) 		19.0
(66.2) 		14.3
(57.7) 		9.2
(48.6) 		4.3
(39.7) 		1.1
(34.0) 		9.4
(48.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −2.4
(27.7) 		−1.7
(28.9) 		0.6
(33.1) 		4.5
(40.1) 		8.8
(47.8) 		12.2
(54.0) 		14.3
(57.7) 		14.0
(57.2) 		10.1
(50.2) 		5.9
(42.6) 		2.0
(35.6) 		−1.0
(30.2) 		5.6
(42.1)
Record low °C (°F) −24.6
(−12.3) 		−27.1
(−16.8) 		−19.3
(−2.7) 		−5.7
(21.7) 		−2.4
(27.7) 		1.8
(35.2) 		5.9
(42.6) 		4.5
(40.1) 		−0.5
(31.1) 		−6.4
(20.5) 		−15.4
(4.3) 		−22.2
(−8.0) 		−27.1
(−16.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 41.9
(1.65) 		34.6
(1.36) 		39.4
(1.55) 		29.5
(1.16) 		57.0
(2.24) 		56.7
(2.23) 		75.0
(2.95) 		56.8
(2.24) 		45.5
(1.79) 		40.4
(1.59) 		38.4
(1.51) 		41.6
(1.64) 		556.8
(21.92)
Average extreme snow depth cm (inches) 3.8
(1.5) 		4.0
(1.6) 		2.0
(0.8) 		0.5
(0.2) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		1.0
(0.4) 		3.1
(1.2) 		4.0
(1.6)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 16.93 14.44 14.27 10.93 12.67 12.37 13.70 12.23 11.57 14.47 15.10 17.77 166.44
Average snowy days (≥ 0 cm) 11.8 9.4 3.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 1.3 5.7 31.6
Average
relative humidity
(%) 		88.4 83.9 77.3 67.7 68.2 68.6 69.5 70.4 77.8 84.4 90.3 90.0 78.0
Mean monthly sunshine hours 50.0 72.9 125.9 206.1 244.8 251.1 253.9 236.4 162.9 110.1 49.5 39.6 1,803
Source 1: Institute of Meteorology and Water Management[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]
Source 2: Meteomodel.pl (records, relative humidity 1991–2020)[22][23][24]

Main attractions

Although the centre of Gorzów was heavily damaged during the Second World War, there are still many notable tourist attractions in the city. The largest of these is the

Siemiradzki
Park which commands impressive views across the plains and woods to the south of the city.

Historic building of the Polish Post
Town hall

The city also contains the museum of

secessionist villa of Gustav Schroeder. This section contains a wide range of artifacts, ranging from portraits of the 17th century, to weapons, pottery, and the Biedermeier
interior furnishings of the villa itself.

Kuna, the world's oldest in service river icebreaker, is docked in the river port of Gorzów and is open to the public as a museum ship.[25]

The Old Town was almost completely destroyed, but the New Town (19th century) has survived in good condition as a complex of hundreds of buildings and is in the Heritage Register. For the past few years, historical tenements have been successfully undergoing renovation.

Aerial view of the city centre

The Jewish cemetery of Gorzów is on the western edge of the city. The cemetery was vandalised in the 1930s, but some of the graves remain intact to this day.

Politics

In recent years Gorzów Wielkopolski has been known for former Prime Minister

PKO BP bank. In 2007 he became one of the directors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He now[when?] works for Goldman Sachs
.

Economy

Warta Boulevard and the city centre

Gorzów is an economic centre of the region with almost 18,000 registered businesses as of 2008, while the unemployment rate was 7.6% as of December 2009. The city of Gorzów is a laureate of the "'Fair Play Commune [pl]' — Certified Investment Location" competition in the "Large Cities" category. The city has a good shopping and services infrastructure. There are numerous petrol stations, branches of all major banks and insurance companies as well as car dealers.

Major shopping malls in the city are Nova Park, Galeria Askana, Panorama, Park 111, there is one Tesco hypermarket and many discount and department stores and retailers.

Landsberg an der Warthe before World War II was a very well-developed and industrialized city. The most notable entrepreneurs included industrialists Max Bahr and Herman Paucksch. After World War II, the city suffered from heavy losses, especially in machinery which was confiscated by the Soviets.

In the postwar time, Gorzów saw a fast economic development, and new industries were founded like

Sumitomo Electric in 2006), it operates in the Stilon industrial estate. Gorzów Heat and Power Plant (Elektrociepłownia Gorzów
) is a modern company with over 300 staff and it holds an award of Fair Play Company. One of the most distinguished employers is Biowet Vetoquinol which has over 100 years of experience in veterinary medicines and chemistry. manufacturing. Gorzów is the Polish headquarters of Spartherm Feuerungstechnik GmbH.

The recent economic development of the city was boosted by the creation of

Kostrzyn-Słubice Special Economic Zone
and its Subzone Gorzów. At present, there are two significant employers in the Subzone: Faurecia, TPV Displays, and many other smaller companies operating there.

Transport

Public transport
Pesa Twist tram
Solaris Urbino 12 city bus
Pesa Link train
Railbus

Gorzów has a good public transport network. City Transport Company (MZK) which is in charge of transport services runs

27 daily bus lines, four

night lines, and three tram lines
. In the summer season, there are services to nearby lakes. MZK services carry about 90,000 people every day. The company owns one of the most modern bus fleets in Poland.

From 2026, residents will be able to use the city's local transport free of charge.[26]

There are railway connections with major Polish cities, mostly with interchange in Krzyż or Kostrzyn. There are plans to start fast through trains to Poznań, Szczecin, Wrocław and Berlin. The Gorzów main station was renovated in 2009 and 2010, and it offers bed and breakfast, restaurant and retail services.

The S3 expressway provides a fast road connection to Szczecin and Zielona Góra.

Culture

Cultural institutions of Gorzów
Juliusz Osterwa Theatre
Gorzów Philharmonic
Museum of Ancient Art
Provincial and Municipal Public Library

Gorzów is well known for the International Romani Gathering Romane Dyvesa which is held every summer in the first week of July. The gathering includes a series of concerts held in the outdoor amphitheatre near the centre of the city. The festival is organised by Edward Dębicki, the founder of the Romani music group Terno, which also performs as part of the series of concerts.

Romane Dyvesa continues Gorzów's strong tradition of Romani culture, of which the most widely known member was the poet

Papusza. Wajs's former home on Kosynierów Gdyńskich Street is marked with a plaque, as is the main city library on Sikorskiego Street. The library itself holds a collection of books about Papusza, as well as the manuscripts of her correspondence with Julian Tuwim. In Poland, the city is known for its Jazz Club Pod Filarami which every autumn organizes Gorzów Jazz Celebrations
a festival which hosts internationally recognized musicians from Poland and around the world.

Religion

The city is predominantly Roman-Catholic, with an Eastern Orthodox church, an Old Catholic (Polish Catholic) congregation and a number of Protestant (Baptist, Pentecostal/neo-Pentecostal, Lutheran) as well as the (Restorationist, non-mainstream Protestant)

Congregation of Sisters of Merciful Jesus. Its first monastery is in nearby Myślibórz.[27]

  • Gorzów Cathedral
    Gorzów Cathedral
  • Immaculate Conception Church
    Immaculate Conception Church
  • Orthodox Church of the Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary
    Orthodox Church of the Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary
  • Baptist Church
    Baptist Church
  • Lutheran Church of Holy Trinity
    Lutheran Church of Holy Trinity

Infrastructure

There are several hotels including railway station bed and breakfast.

The city offers leisure facilities. Sports and Rehabilitation Centre "Słowianka" offers a 50 m Olympic pool, aqua park facilities, saunas, gym, massage and spa. Gracja hotel offers a 25 m pool. There are a few gyms and sports hall in the city. New rowing centre at the Warta river has been completed in 2009. Speedway stadium is undergoing major extension works this year.

Gorzów embankment, which is undergoing major renovation in 2011, is a new nightlife centre. There are many restaurants and pubs around the embankment and others are coming soon[when?].

Education

Jacob of Paradies University

Sports

Edward Jancarz Stadium — home stadium of speedway team Stal Gorzów Wielkopolski
Lubusz Olympians athletics Stadium

Gorzów is famous in Poland for its great clubs and fine athletes. There are two Olympic champions from Gorzów: Tomasz Kucharski and Michał Jeliński, both in rowing. It is a home for many world champions and Olympic medalists. A historical sport is also volleyball. GTPS holds to a great tradition and has had many outstanding players with the best ever, Sebastian Świderski, born in Gorzów Wielkopolski.

Notable people

Monument of speedway rider Edward Jancarz in Gorzów

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Poland

Gorzów Wielkopolski is twinned with:[31]

  • View of the riverside boulevards and the city's oldest section
    View of the riverside boulevards and the city's oldest section
  • Nadwarcianski Boulevard
    Nadwarcianski Boulevard
  • Pedestrian zone on Sikorski Street
    Pedestrian zone on Sikorski Street
  • Holy Cross Church
    Holy Cross Church
  • Chrobrego Street
    Chrobrego Street
  • Józef Piłsudski Monument
    Józef Piłsudski Monument
  • District Court
    District Court
  • Spring of Nations Park
    Spring of Nations
    Park
  • Bishop's Palace
    Bishop's Palace
  • An example of a 19th-century townhouse
    An example of a 19th-century townhouse
  • Old townhouses, Mieszka I Street
    Old townhouses,
    Mieszka I
    Street
  • Main railway station
    Main railway station
  • Park 111 shopping centre
    Park 111 shopping centre

Notes

References

  1. ^ a b "Local Data Bank". Statistics Poland. Retrieved 20 February 2025. Data for territorial unit 0861000.
  2. ^ "Główny Urząd Statystyczny" [Central Statistical Office] (in Polish). Select Miejscowości (SIMC) tab, select fragment (min. 3 znaki), enter town name in the field below, click WYSZUKAJ (Search)
  3. ^ Henryk M. Wozniak, Gazeta Zachodnia, "Gorzów tak - Wielkopolski nie." Archived 2013-11-04 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Polska Bibliografia Literacka Polska w kształcie dykcjonarza historyczno-statystyczno-jeograficznego opisana przez Jędrzeja Słowaczyńskiego
  5. ^ a b "Gorzów Wielkopolski". Encyklopedia PWN (in Polish). Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  6. ^ Encyklopedia Powszechna PWN Warsaw 1976
  7. ISSN 0037-7511
    .
  8. ^ Rogalski, Leon (1846). Dzieje Krzyżaków oraz ich stosunki z Polską, Litwą i Prussami, poprzedzone rysem dziejów wojen krzyżowych. Tom II (in Polish). Warszawa. pp. 59–60.
  9. ^ Umiński, Janusz (1998). "Losy internowanych na Pomorzu żołnierzy powstania listopadowego". Jantarowe Szlaki (in Polish). Vol. 4, no. 250. p. 16.
  10. ^ "Gorzów Wielkopolski (Lubuskie) » mapy, nieruchomości, GUS, noclegi, szkoły, regon, atrakcje, kody pocztowe, wypadki drogowe, bezrobocie, wynagrodzenie, zarobki, tabele, edukacja, demografia".
  11. ISBN 9780880331746
    .
  12. doi:10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0130
    .
  13. ISSN 1027-5606
    .
  14. ^ "Średnia dobowa temperatura powietrza". Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 (in Polish). Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Średnia minimalna temperatura powietrza". Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 (in Polish). Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  16. ^ "Średnia maksymalna temperatura powietrza". Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 (in Polish). Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  17. ^ "Miesięczna suma opadu". Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 (in Polish). Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  18. ^ "Liczba dni z opadem >= 0,1 mm". Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 (in Polish). Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  19. ^ "Średnia grubość pokrywy śnieżnej". Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 (in Polish). Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  20. ^ "Liczba dni z pokrywą śnieżna > 0 cm". Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 (in Polish). Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  21. ^ "Średnia suma usłonecznienia (h)". Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 (in Polish). Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  22. ^ "Gorzów WLKP Absolutna temperatura maksymalna" (in Polish). Meteomodel.pl. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  23. ^ "Gorzów WLKP Absolutna temperatura minimalna" (in Polish). Meteomodel.pl. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  24. ^ "Gorzów WLKP Średnia wilgotność" (in Polish). Meteomodel.pl. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  25. ISBN 978-83-8009-168-9
    .
  26. ^ https://um.gorzow.pl/aktualnosci/komunikacja-miejska-bezplatna.html
  27. ^ Zgromadzenie Sióstr Jezusa Miłosiernego
  28. ^ "Aktualności - Akademia im. Jakuba z Paradyża w Gorzowie Wielkopolskim". ajp.edu.pl. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  29. ^ "Zamiejscowy Wydział Kultury Fizycznej w Gorzowie Wielkopolskim". awf-gorzow.edu.pl.
  30. ^ "Wyższa Szkoła Biznesu - Gorzów Wielkopolski". wsb.gorzow.pl.
  31. ^ "Miasta partnerskie". um.gorzow.pl (in Polish). Gorzów Wielkopolski. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
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