Poland, Lublin

Lublin is the biggest city in eastern Poland and the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 355,954 (2004). It is Poland's ninth largest city.

History

permanent settlements on the Lublin site were established in the early Middle Ages, though archeological finds indicate a long, earlier presence of various cultures in the general area. The earliest, most significant settlement began in the 6th century, on a hill located in the suburb of Czwartek (in Polish Thursday, most likely in reference to the market day of the settlement).

The city was a target of attacks by Tatars, Ruthenes, Yotvingians and Lithuanians and was destroyed a number of times. It received a city charter in 1317. Casimir the Great, appreciating the strategic importance of the site, built a masonry castle in 1341 and encircled the city with defensive walls.

In the 17th century, the town suffered a decline due to the Swedish invasion during the Northern Wars. After the Third of the Partitions of Poland in 1795 Lublin was located in the Austrian empire, then since 1809 in the Duchy of Warsaw, and then since 1815 in the Congress Poland under Russian rule.

The Russian rule ended in 1915, when the city was occupied by German and Austro-Hungarian armies. After the defeat of the Central Powers in 1918, the first government of independent Poland operated in Lublin for a short time.

After the 1939 German invasion of Poland the city found itself in the General Government. During the German occupation the city's population was a target of various repressions by the occupiers, with a particularly grim fate reserved for the Jewish inhabitants.

Economy

The Lublin region had the unfortunate distinction of having the lowest per capita GDP in the entire European Union, until Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2007 (it was 32% of EU average in 2002). It is a part of eastern Poland, which has generally benefited less from the economic transformation after 1989 than other regions of Poland located closer to Western Europe.

Agriculturally, the area of Lublin has been an important center of hops production since medieval times, and Lublin hops are used in lager beers throughout Central Europe. A hop plant is depicted on the city's coat of arms in recognition of this.

Tourism and nightlife

In addition to being an important historical site, Lublin has decent bars, cafes and restaurants, which are all significantly cheaper than neighbouring Warsaw.

Lublin’s Old Town has uncial atmosphere with its cobbled streets and buildings that are certainly worth seeing. The Classicist superstructure of Old Town Hall or Tribunal is set in the middle of the Market Square and is surrounded by burgher houses with equally interesting adornments.

Transport

Trains run ten times a day to Warsaw and three times to Krakow as well as all other major cities in Poland. Buses also run from below the castle in the Old Town and serve most of the same destinations as the rail network. The fast train to Warsaw takes around two and half hours and public transport is available to the Frederick Chopin Airport, which is only 10km outside the centre and has flights worldwide.

The new airport in Świdnik, near Lublin, which has finally been accepted and will receive large EU funds, will be opened by 2011 at the latest and will serve a large young population of this area as well as business.