Złotów

Złotów
Urban Lake, view over the Złotów Old Town
Flag Coat of arms
Złotów
Coordinates: 53°21′37″N 17°2′27″E / 53.36028°N 17.04083°E / 53.36028; 17.04083
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Greater Poland
County	Złotów County
Gmina	Złotów (urban gmina)
Established	8th century
Town rights	before 1370
Government
• Mayor	Adam Pulit
Area
• Total	11.58 km2 (4.47 sq mi)
Elevation	110 m (360 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	18,303
• Density	1,600/km2 (4,100/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	77-400
Area code(s)	+48 067
Car plates	PZL
Climate	Dfb
Website	http://www.zlotow.eu

Złotów [ˈzwɔtuf] (German: Flatow) is a town in northern Wielkopolska in Poland with a population of 18,303 inhabitants (2011). It is today part of Wielkopolska Province (Greater Poland Voivodeship), but was previously in Piła Voivodeship (1975–1998). Since 1999 Złotów has been the seat of Złotów County.

The town is located on the river Głomia and is surrounded by five lakes. A railway line connects it to Piła and Chojnice, with buses operating locally. The local Metaplast windows fitting factory is the biggest industrial employer. The Euro Eco Meeting is organized regularly there each July.

Złotów is the historical centre of the northern part of Krajna. Human activity in the region goes as far back as the 8th century BC. Around 700 AD, a hill fort on the shore of the Baba lake was the residence of a Pomeranian tribal chief. The land belonged to the dukes of Pomerelia from the house of the Samborides until the dukedom came to an end in 1294. Later, the Teutonic Knights ruled the area but the sovereignty of the territory was disputed between them and Kingdom of Poland. Złotów was mentioned in 1370 in the chronicle of Janko of Czarnkow. In 1370, Złotów was granted Magdeburg rights while under Polish rule. According to the last will of Polish king Casimir III after his death in 1370 his grandson, Casimir IV, Duke of Pomerania, was to inherit the lands of Dobrzyń, Bydgoszcz, Kruszwica, Złotów and Wałcz as fiefs.