- Łeba
Infobox Settlement
name = Łeba
image_shield = POL Łeba COA 1.svg
pushpin_
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = POL
subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship
subdivision_name1 = Pomeranian
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Lębork
subdivision_type3 =Gmina
subdivision_name3 = Łeba (urban gmina)
area_total_km2 = 14.8
population_as_of = 2006
population_total = 3824
population_density_km2 = auto
latd = 54 | latm = 47 | lats = | latNS = N | longd = 17 | longm = 33 | longs = | longEW = E
elevation_m =
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 84–360
website = http://www.leba.euŁeba [IPA-pl|'|ł|e|b|a] (Kashubian/Pomeranian: "Leba"; _de. Leba) is a town in
Middle Pomerania ,Poland , located nearŁebsko Lake and the mouth of theŁeba River at the coast ofBaltic sea .History
The settlement of Łeba was first mentioned in 1282. At that time the village was located about two kilometers west from the present mouth of the Łeba River. Łeba received municipal rights in the year 1357. Łeba developed to a fishing port and a wood marketplace.
Łeba was threatened for many centuries by floods and expanding sand dunes. After 1558 Łeba was rebuilt in a safer location. In the 18th century a large port was built on instruction of the Prussian king. In the course of the harbor construction a 34 meter broad channel between the Łebsko lake and the
Baltic Sea was dug.In the proximity of Łeba there is a large testing area for long-range rocket weapons. On this area the German long-range rocket
Rheinbote was tested between 1941 and 1945. Also theV-1 flying bomb was tested here from 1943 to 1945. Between 1963 and 1973 33 Polishsounding rocket s of the type Meteor were launched in Łeba (http://www.astronautix.com/sites/leba.htm). Allegedly, the German generalErwin Rommel practiced desert warfare in the vast dunes of Łeba.Famous people
After
World War I Łeba became a popular resort for German bohemians.Max Pechstein and other expressionists frequented the place.ights
Łeba possesses a few objects of interest:
*ruins of the Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas church) west of the city on the way to the beach
*fishermen's church of 1683
*fishermen's dwellings from the 19th century in Kosciuszki street
*the castle in Nadmorska street, today the hotel Neptun
*former rocket test site near Pletka (http://lawrenz.homepage.t-online.de/hp-s10.htm)
*there is an abundance of architectural and natural attractions near Łeba, for instance the Slowinzi national park with the sand dunes, 8 km west of the city.ee also
*
Łeba (PKP station) External links
* [http://www.leba.eu Main website]
* [http://www.fotoleba.eu Photogallery]
* [http://leba.info/info_galeria-2.html Łeba - Moving Dunes]
* [http://www.biblioteka.net.pl Library]
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