Chwarszczany

Chwarszczany
Village
Church of Saint Stanisław Kostka (former Templar chapel) at Chwarszczany
Chwarszczany
Coordinates: 52°41′13″N 14°38′9″E / 52.68694°N 14.63583°E / 52.68694; 14.63583
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	West Pomeranian
County	Myślibórz
Gmina	Boleszkowice
Population	222

Chwarszczany [xfarʂˈt͡ʂanɨ] (German: Quartschen) is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Boleszkowice, within Myślibórz County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-western Poland, close to the German border. It lies on the river Myśla (German: Mützel), approximately 6 kilometres (4 mi) south-east of Boleszkowice (German: Fürstenfelde), 32 km (20 mi) south-west of Myślibórz (German: Soldin), and 82 km (51 mi) south of the regional capital Szczecin (Stettin). It is located at the junction of voivodeship road 127 and national road 31. The village has a population of 222.

The origins of this chapel lie in the gift to the Knights Templar of 1,000 hides of land (1 hide is approximately 17 hectares) by Władysław Odonic, Duke of Greater Poland, in 1232. This land was in the Kostrzyn (German: Küstrin) region and centred on the town. This donation fulfilled more than simply religious reasons, as it provided a safeguard in a borderland and enabled the settlement of the area. The Dukes of Pomerania, however, considered this whole district as belonging to their castle of Kinice, and not to Kostrzyn and Santok. In order not to become expelled from the area they hurried to make their own donation. Thus, in 1234 Barnim I, the Duke of Pomerania, gave the Templars a further 200 hides which were centered on Dargomyśl (German: Darmietzel), pointing out that this land is located in his own territory.