Szczecin, the capital of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, is located in northwestern Poland at the mouth of the Odra River (where it flows into the Baltic Sea) on the shores of the Szczecin Bay, 65 km from the Baltic Sea coast, 130 km from Berlin, 274 km from Copenhagen, 454 km from Stockholm, 507 km from Prague and 516 km from Warsaw. Szczecin is located in the heart of the historical region of Pomerania.
In 1243, Duke Barmin granted privileges to the inhabitants of Szczecin based on the Magdeburg Law. There are about 400 thousand inhabitants in Szczecin. The city"s territory covers an area of 300.8 km², of which 41.8% is land, and 23.8% is water. The largest body of water is Lake Dombe, the only navigable lake in Poland with an area of 65 km². A significant part of the city"s territory is protected; such areas include parks, reserves, zones of natural and architectural landscape, natural monuments and 230 archaeological sites.
Garden on the water
The city has a very advantageous location. Half of its territories are reservoirs and green areas. There are few cities in Europe with such a landscape. From a bird"s eye view, Szczecin is seen as a harmonious combination of islands, canals, beaches and bays. In the future, thanks to an innovative approach to the development of the city, Szczecin will become a "new green Venice". The city will acquire a non-trivial look. The transformation of islands, canals and backwaters in the south and east of the city will turn Szczecin into an ecological coastal paradise. These ideas formed the basis of the project "Garden on the Water" 2050 (Pływający Ogród). This means that Szczecin is able to simultaneously maintain the reputation of a metropolis and create a serene atmosphere for its residents. The city will become a resting place for everyone who wants to relax and take a break during the trip, will offer opportunities for relaxation and will be associated with life in harmony with nature. The local authorities are currently working to bring the project to life.
Tourism
Fans of urban tourism can enjoy the architecture and rich history of the city by following a specially designed tourist route (Miejski Szlak Turystyczny) 7 km long, which runs through 47 of the most interesting and important places in the history of Szczecin. The entire path is marked with a red stripe on the sidewalks of the city. Tourists will also be interested in the underground route that runs through the restored shelters used during the Second World War and the Cold War. It is the largest WWII shelter in Poland, consisting of five levels. The shorter routes leading to the most noteworthy places are great for those who don"t have a lot of time. Tourist hot air balloon flights will leave an unforgettable experience.
The architecture of the city is very diverse, represented by architectural monuments of the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque eras. Architectural landmarks are also beautiful buildings in the Art Nouveau style, Vala the Brave boulevard, the Castle of the Pomeranian Dukes and the cathedral with a terrace of exceptional beauty. Also noteworthy are the world"s oldest cinema "Pionier 1909", a rose garden and a botanical garden – the third largest in Europe and the largest in Poland, with thousands of unique, exotic plants.
Culture
The calendar of cultural events in Szczecin is updated every year, many of which attract world-class celebrities. The Szczecin Music Festival is one of the most significant events, which is not only the hallmark of Szczecin, but also an important cultural event for the whole country. The festival mainly features contemporary ethnic music and jazz.
The annual Young Talents Festival is also organized in Szczecin. This festival gives young artists just starting their careers a chance to show themselves.
Fans of club and electronic music will be interested in visiting the Boogie Brain International Music Festival, which is known throughout Europe. At the festival, various types of electronic music are performed, film screenings are organized, theatrical performances and exhibitions are held. Boogie Brain is live music, the best DJs and lots of fun. The festival sets new directions in the development of electronic and alternative rock music. During this musical event, you can enjoy various musical genres: dubstep, reggae, futuristic dance sounds, as well as modern jazz with elements of house, funk, soul and, of course, stunning vocal performances.
Szczecin is the venue for one of the oldest theater festivals in Poland – Counterpoint, which brings together representatives of all the city"s theaters: theater actors, playwrights, poets, plastic theater masters, photographers. "Counterpoint" is an opportunity to get acquainted with the most notable theatrical trends and outstanding figures of theatrical art. The audience is offered performances by both famous artists and talented novice performers from Poland and Germany, whose work sometimes causes ambiguous assessments. Since 2007, side events for Polish audiences have been organized in Berlin.
Another noteworthy event is the Spoiwa Kultury (International Street Art Festival), which showcases various art movements and fashion trends, mostly in open spaces. The name of the festival is due to the fact that it represents various genres, it conveys the idea of finding similar elements in styles, directions, manner of performance and other forms of expression. The most important are the quality of performance, enthusiasm, dedication, the power of expression and contact with the audience. The aim of the festival is to show that street art is outside the world of money; it offers numerous possibilities and can serve as inspiration to both creators and the public. Moreover, street art destroys stereotypes about cultural differences. The festival shows that there is culture and art almost everywhere,
The science
In Szczecin, a lot of attention is paid to modern technologies. The city has numerous accounting, information technology, research and telephone services. Particular attention is paid to the development of information and information and communication technologies. In this regard, the role of the Szczecin Science and Technology Park is important, which, in particular, provides support to companies founded by university graduates. Szczecin is an important educational center with a large number of schools and universities: Szczecin University, West Pomeranian University of Technology, Pomeranian Medical University, Maritime Academy and Academy of Arts.
Investments
Currently, there is an inflow of investments in the city. Reconstruction and expansion of streets and main communication routes, reconstruction and expansion of the Municipal Stadium as well as the The Museum of Technology and Communication – Art Depot in Szczecin. Soon a big project consisting of revitalization of the area of public space and development of the downtown section of the main and longest street in Szczecin will be put to life. Due to the unique solutions, this project received a grant in the competition of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Development entitled "Model City Revitalization". Activities under the project focus on improving the quality of public space, living conditions of residents and running a business. The project is accompanied by various social undertakings. The residents themselves decided what the longest street in our city will look like after the reconstruction, and during numerous meetings and consultations they indicated their preferred direction of changes. Later, the architectural competition gave those images a real shape.
The mayor of Szczecin is Mr. Piotr Krzystek.
Official website of Szczecin:
