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'Żnin' is a small town in Poland with a population of 14,558 (June 2005). It is in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship (''Kujawsko-Pomorskie'', previously Bydgoszcz Voivodeship) and is the capital of Żnin County (''Powiat Żniński''). The town is situated in the historic land of Pałuki and the Gniezno Lake Area on the river Gąsawka.

Contents

Name

History

Prominent features

Local events

Local authorities

Notable Żninians

Transport links

By plane

By bus

By car

Gallery

Twin Towns

See also

External links

Hotels and resorts

Name

The name originates from the Polish word "żnieja" (a harvest or a harvester). During the World War II Żnin's name was "Dietfurt".

History

The first mention of Żnin is in the Gniezno Papal Bull issued on July 7, 1136 by Pope Innocent II. Żnin was given town rights in 1263 (based on Magdeburg Law). In the 13th century the town was given the right of coinage which resulted in its dynamic expansion. Żnin was a major town located on the trade route from Silesia to Gdańsk (the Amber Road).
The town's importance diminished in the 17th century after the Swedish invasion (The Deluge, in Polish "Potop"), numerous destructive fires and epidemics, and The Northern Wars. The medieval part of Żnin constructed of wood was totally destroyed. However, tourists can still admire the historic centre of Żnin and its old structure dating back to the Middle Ages.

Prominent features

Żnin is located on the Gąsawka river and between two lakes – the Żnin Great Lake and the Żnin Small Lake. Both these and the nearby forests are popular tourist attractions.
Other points of interest include:

★ A narrow gauge railway

★ The ruins of a 14th century castle

★ Churches: (St. Martin's from the 14th century, St. Florian's from the 15th century and Blessed Virgin Mary's from the 19th century)

★ Museums: the Archaeological Museum, the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in Wenecja, the Museum of Sacred Art and the Museum of the Pałuki Land

★ A 15th century Tower (''Baszta'')

★ A 19th century Town Hall (''Magistrat'' at the market square)

Local events

★ Tour de Pologne

★ World/European Motorboat Championships

★ Archaeological Festival in Biskupin

★ Folk Authors' Rally "Autumn in the Pałuki Land"

★ Pałuki Agricultural Fair

★ Tourists' Rallies

★ Polish and European Windsurfing Championships

Local authorities

'The Żnin Town Council '
Urząd Miejski w Żninie (Żnin Town Hall)
ul. 700-lecia 39
88-400 Żnin (Poland)
'Mayor of Żnin'
Leszek Jakubowski

Notable Żninians

★ Wanda Dobaczewska

★ Erazm Gliczner

★ Aleksander Guttry

★ Jakub of Żnin

★ Klemens Janicki

★ Leon Ksycki

★ Mikołaj z Wenecji

★ Jan Śniadecki

★ Jędrzej Śniadecki

Transport links

By plane

Located 45 kilometers to the north of Żnin, Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport is the nearest one. Once you are in Bydgoszcz (possibly via Warsaw or London), you will need to catch a local bus or taxi to take you into Żnin.

By bus

Several companies dealing with public transport serve Żnin with bus services connecting the town with all major cities of the region (Bydgoszcz, Gniezno, Inowrocław, Poznań, Toruń, Wągrowiec) and also with Wrocław.
For bus connections see:

★ PKS Bydgoszcz

★ PKS Poznań

★ PKS Toruń

★ PKS Gniezno

By car

Żnin is served by the national road no. 5 (''droga krajowa nr 5'', DK5, E261) which runs from Wrocław via Poznań, Gniezno to Bydgoszcz and Świecie. It is about an hour's drive from Bydgoszcz and about 45 minutes drive from Gniezno.
The regional road no. 251 (''droga wojewódzka nr 251'') running from Inowrocław to Kaliska near to Wągrowiec is another major road connection. It is about 45 minutes drive both from Inowrocław and Wągrowiec.

Gallery

Twin Towns

{|

★ - Ommen (the Netherlands), since 1991

★ - Mettmann (Germany), since 1997

★ - Veseli nad Moravou (the Czech Republic), since 1997

★ - Birštonas (Lithuania), since 1998

★ - Malacky (Slovakia), since 2001

★ - Šalčininkai-Jašiūnai (Lithuania), since 2003

★ - Albertirsa (Hungary), since 2005

See also

★ Biskupin

★ Bydgoszcz

★ Gniezno

★ Kuyavian-Pomeranian

★ Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in Wenecja

★ Pałuki

★ Wenecja

External links

★ www.um.znin.pl Town Hall

★ Starostwo Powiatowe - Żnin County Office

★ The Archaeological Museum in Biskupin

★ The Narrow Gauge Railway Company in Żnin see also narrow gauge railways

★ The Museum of the Pałuki Land in Żnin (Muzeum Ziemi Pałuckiej)

★ The Palace in Lubostroń

★ Football Club Pałuczanka Żnin

★ Żnin historic pictures gallery

★ Forum on Żnin

★ Żnin Internet Radio

Hotels and resorts

★ Reko in Wenecja

★ Roma in Chomiąża Szlachecka

★ Roma in Ostrówce

★ Town's Sports Centre MOS

★ Polish Tourist Country Lovers' Society PTTK