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Chelm

Chełm
Cathedral on Góra Chełmska
Cathedral on Góra Chełmska
Flag of Chełm
Flag
Coat of arms of Chełm
Coat of arms
Chełm is located in Poland
Chełm
Chełm
Coordinates: 51°9′N 23°29′E / 51.150°N 23.483°E / 51.150; 23.483
Country  Poland
Voivodeship Lublin
County city County
Established 10th century
Town rights 1392
Government
 • Mayor Wiesław Kociuba
Area
 • City 35.28 km2 (13.62 sq mi)
Highest elevation 153 m (502 ft)
Lowest elevation 80 m (260 ft)
Population (2015)
 • City 63,949
 • Density 1,812/km2 (4,690/sq mi)
 • Metro 78,419
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 22-100 to 22-118
Area code(s) +48 082
Car plates LC
Website http://www.chelm.pl

Chełm [xɛu̯m] (German: Kulm, Ukrainian: Холм, meaning a hill, Lithuanian: Chelmas) is a city in eastern Poland with 63,949 inhabitants (2015). It is located to the south-east of Lublin, north of Zamość and south of Biała Podlaska, some 25 kilometres (16 miles) from the border with Ukraine. Chełm used to be the capital of the Chełm Voivodeship until it became part of the Lublin Voivodeship in 1999.

The city is of mostly industrial character, though it also houses numerous notable historical monuments and tourist attractions. Chełm's etymology stems from the Slavic word "cholm" - a hill, relating to the Wysoka Górka gord.

The first traces of settlement in the area of modern Chełm date back to at the least 9th century. The following century, a Slavic fortified town was created and initially served as a centre of pagan worship. The etymology of the name is unclear, though most scholars derive it from the Slavic noun denoting a flat hill. The town's centre is located on a hill called góra chełmska. However, it is also theorized that the name is derived from some Celtic root. In 981 the town, then inhabited by the Eastern Slavic tribe of Buzhans, was made a part of Kievan Rus', along with the surrounding Cherven Towns. According to a local legend, Vladimir the Great built the first stone castle there in 1001. Following the Polish capture of Kiev in 1018, the region became part of Poland until returning to Kievan rule in 1031.


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