Darlowo

Darłowo

Market Square (top) and lighthouse (bottom)

Coat of arms

Darłowo

Coordinates: 54°25′N 16°25′E / 54.417°N 16.417°E

Country

Poland

Darłowo (urban gmina)

Area

• Total

19.93 km² (7.70 sq mi)

Highest elevation

5 m (16 ft)

Lowest elevation

1 m (3 ft)

Population (2006)

• Total

14,931

• Density

750/km² (1,900/sq mi)

Postal code

76–150 and 76–153

Website

http://www.darlowo.pl/

Darłowo ([darˈwɔvɔ]) (in full The Royal City of Darłowo; Polish: Królewskie Miasto Darłowo, German: Rügenwalde), is a seaside town in the West Pomeranian Region, at the south coast of the Baltic Sea, north-western Poland, with 14,931 inhabitants (as of 2016^[update]). Located in Sławno County in West Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999, it was previously in the Koszalin Voivodeship (1950–1998).

Historically, Darłowo has been part of the Polish Kingdom, but the earliest signs of a settlement in the area dates back to around 8000 BC when Roman merchants travelled along the Amber Route in the hope of trading precious metals like bronze and silver for amber. Archaeological excavations have shown that in the period between the 8th and 9th centuries ancient Slavic wooden fortified towns called "gords" combined to establish one large settlement by the name of "Dirlov", situated at the mouth of the Wieprza River, which runs into the Baltic Sea. By the 11th century Darłowo was already becoming a significant trading point and received its city rights under Lübeck law from the wealthy Pomeranian nobles in 1312, which additionally contributed to the development of the town. Over the years Dukes of Pomerania like Wartislaw IV and Bogislaw V constructed a Ducal Castle on a nearby island and chose Darłowo as their seat. In 1412 Darłowo became part of the Hanseatic League and had its own trade fleet, larger than in other surrounding towns; it actively traded with Lübeck, while boats and ships owned by local merchants travelled as far as Normandy and Spain.

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Wikipedia