Węgorzewo

Post-war buildings in Węgorzewo Town Centre. Much of the town was destroyed by Soviet shelling during World War II, when it was part of Germany as Angerburg.

Coat of arms

Węgorzewo

Coordinates: 54°13′N 21°45′E / 54.217°N 21.750°E

Country

Poland

Established

15th century

Town rights

1571

Government

• Mayor

Krzysztof Piwowarczyk

Area

• Total

10.87 km² (4.20 sq mi)

Population (2006)

• Total

11,638

• Density

1,100/km² (2,800/sq mi)

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

• Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

Postal code

11-600, 11-601

Area code(s)

+48 87

Car plates

NWE

Website

http://www.wegorzewo.pl

Węgorzewo [vɛŋɡɔˈʐɛvɔ] (German: Angerburg, Lithuanian: Ungura) is a tourist town in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland, not far from the border with Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast. It is the seat of Węgorzewo County. Lake Mamry (called Mauersee until 1945) is close to the town.

The town's names in different languages are derived from local names for European eels, which used to live in the area in great numbers. The German name Angerburg ( listen ) is derived from the Old Prussian word for eel, Anger, which the German Teutonic Knights appropriated after conquering the Old Prussians. The Polish name Węgorzewo (and the older Węgobork) is derived from Węgorz, while the local Lithuanian names Ungura and Unguris comes from Ungurys. A Lithuanian variation is Angerburgas.

The town was first mentioned in a 1335 chronicle as Angirburg, or "eel castle", a settlement of the Teutonic Knights with a block house, a palisade, and a watchtower. A 1341 document reported that the Teutonic Order had bestowed land on the river Angerapp (Angrapa) upon twelve Old Prussians for their loyal service. The Grand Duke of Lithuania, Kęstutis, destroyed the castle in 1365, although the order rebuilt the castle out of stone thirty years later. The completion of the stone castle Angerburg allowed the Teutonic Knights to increase development of the surrounding countryside.

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Wikipedia