Puck, Poland

Infobox Settlement
name = Puck


imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Market Square
image_shield = POL Puck COA.svg
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = bottom
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = POL
subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship
subdivision_name1 = Pomeranian
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Puck County
subdivision_type3 = Gmina
subdivision_name3 = Puck (urban gmina)
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Marek Rintz
established_title = Established
established_date = 12th century
established_title3 = Town rights
established_date3 = 1348
elevation_min_m = 0
elevation_max_m = 20
area_total_km2 = 4.9
population_as_of = 2006
population_total = 11329
population_density_km2 = auto
population_metro = 1080700
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd = 54
latm = 42
lats =
latNS = N
longd = 18
longm = 24
longs =
longEW = E
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 84-100
area_code = +48 58
blank_name = Car plates
blank_info = GPU
website = http://www.miasto.puck.pl Puck Audio-IPA-pl|Puck.ogg|p|u|c|k ( _cs. Pùck, _de. Putzig, _lv. Pucka) is a town in northwestern Poland with 11,350 inhabitants. It is in Gdańsk Pomerania on the south coast of the Baltic Sea (Bay of Puck). Previously in the Gdańsk Voivodeship (1975-1998), Puck has been the capital of Puck County in the Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999.

History

The settlement became a marketplace and a seaport as early as the 7th century. The name, as was common during the Middle Ages, was spelt differently: Pauzigk, Pautzke (in a 1277 document Putzc, 1277 Pusecz, 1288 Puczse and Putsk, 1289 Pucz, see historical maps below) [http://www.polishroots.org/slownik/puck.htm] . In 1308 it came under the rule of the Teutonic Order as part of Pomerelia together with the main city Dantzike. It achieved town status in 1348. Together with the rest of Royal Prussia it joined Poland in 1454 (1466) and was the place of the local County Administration ("Starostwo"). Since the Polish kings tried to create a fleet at Danzig, but independend Hanseatic Danzig would not allow then in their territory, some chartered by Poland ships had to land at Pautzke (Puck) in 1567. Poland tried to establish a Polish Navy, got to use some harbors in Livonia and Finland, but a standing navy never materialize. Swedish-Lithuanian Vasa King of Poland-Lithuania Sigismund III again tried to establish a fleet in his attempts to wrest the crown of Sweden from King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, but Sigismund's attempts at creating a fleet were destroyed in 1628.

The first actual Polish Navy was founded at the end of World War II in 1918 with heavy French and British involvement.

In 1772, through the Partitions of Poland, the western Prussian town was incorporated into the Kingdom of Prussia. After 1919 it was assigned to the Second Polish Republic as part of the Polish Corridor by the Treaty of Versailles. In 1920 Poland celebrated Poland's Wedding to the Sea in Puck. Until 1939 Puck was the main war harbour of the Polish Navy and the only Polish harbour until Gdynia was built in the 1920s. A branch of the Stutthof concentration camp existed in Puck in the years 1941 to 1944. After 1945 it became part of the People's Republic of Poland.

Interesting places

*Town Hall (1865)
*St Peter and Paul's church (13th century)
*Burghers' houses at the main square ("Plac Wolności"), 17th century, rebuilt in the 19th century
*Flooded port (8th-10th century) located some 500 metres from the shore
*Remnants of a brick castle (14th century)
*Memorials of gen. Józef Haller and Poland's Wedding to the Sea
*Puck region museum ("Muzeum Ziemi Puckiej")
*Wooden pier
*Marina
*Caves in Mechowo
*Coastal Landscape Park ("Nadmorski Park Krajobrazowy")

Population

Land use

Twin towns

Cieszyn, Stein, Konz, Guéret

See also

* Hel
* Jastarnia
* Amber Road

Links

* [http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/roman_empire_1138_1254.jpg1200s Pomerania, Pomerelia, Holy Roman Empire]
* [http://www.library.ucla.edu/yrl/reference/maps/blaeu/prvssia.jpgPautzke at Pautzker Wiek] in 1600s
* [http://www.library.ucla.edu/yrl/reference/maps/blaeu/germania.jpgPautzke, Prussia, ca. 1600]
* [http://www.miasto.puck.pl/ Puck on-line]
* [http://www.mzp.puck.pl/ Puck region museum ("Muzeum Ziemi Puckiej")]
* [http://nadmorski-pk.kaszuby.pl/ Seaside Landscape Park ("Nadmorski Park Krajobrazowy")]
* [http://www.stat.gov.pl/bdren/bdrap.dane_cechter.czaskatpoag?P_NTS_ID=11&P_SZUKANIE=&P_TERY_ID=2788 Statistics on Puck - Central Statistical Office (en)]
* [http://www.miasto.puck.pl/mapa/puck.php Map of the town]
* [http://217.153.152.212/atlas/mapa.php?msc=2&sl=10 Puck on the map of Poland]
* [http://www.hompuck.org/ HOM Puck – Scout Sailing Centre in Puck (pl)]

Gallery