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Towns on the island of Usedom |
  
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| Places on Usedom: | general information about the island Email / Imprint deutsch |
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There are three towns which lie entirely or partially on the island of Usedom: Wolgast, Swinemuende (Świnoujście) and finally the town of Usedom, after which the whole island is named. In medieval times, when it was granted its town charter, Usedom was quite an important place, but today with a population of only 2000 it looks rather like a large sleepy village. In fact, most of the seaside resorts on the island have more inhabitants. Nevertheless, the place is worth a visit: It does not only convey the impression of a typical Pomeranian country town, but also offers some noteworthy sights, among them a medieval town gate and St. Mary´s Church. On the outskirts of the town there is also an interesting hill where in former times a palace of the Pomeranian dukes was located. In 1128 all the Slav rulers of Western Pomerania met there and agreed to the Christianization of the region. On top of this hill you will not find any remnants of the palace, but a huge stone cross recalling this important event.
Although most of the town of Wolgast lies on the mainland and only a small number of its 13000 inhabitants lives on Usedom, there is nevertheless a close relationship between the town and the island. A big bascule bridge at the eastern edge of the town extending over the river Peene is the most obvious indication of this close relationship. Apart from that the town and the island of Usedom belonged to a same district until 1994 which was called the District of Wolgast.
Among the places of interest at Wolgast the tower of St. Peter´s Church is a special attraction offering from its lookout platform a tremendous view of the town and the entire western part of the island. There are also two remarkable museums: a local heritage museum and the house where the famous painter Philipp Otto Runge was born. Swinemuende (Świnoujście), on the eastern tip of the island, is the largest town of Usedom and has been Polish since the end of the Second World War. In 1945 the town was considerably destroyed by an air raid: For this reason the townscape is dominated mostly by modern buildings, many of which date from the communist period. However, there are also several beautiful ancient buildings left. Each summer Swinemuende (Świnoujście) and its 45000 inhabitants are being invaded day-to-day by German holidaymakers who above all appreciate a large outdoor market and its low prices. |
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