Szczecin, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland

🇵🇱 Szczecin [Szczecina] is the capital and largest city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in north-western Poland. Located near the Baltic Sea and the German border, it is a major seaport and Poland's seventh-largest city. Szczecin is located on the river Oder, south of the Szczecin Lagoon and the Bay of Pomerania. The city is situated along the south-western shore of Dąbie Lake, on both sides of the Oder and on several large islands between the western and eastern branches of the river. Szczecin is adjacent to the town of Police and is the urban centre of the Szczecin agglomeration, an extended metropolitan area that includes communities in the German states of Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

The city's recorded history began in the 8th century as a Lechitic Pomeranian stronghold, built at the site of the Ducal Castle. Following World War II the city became part of Poland again in accordance with the Potsdam Agreement, resulting in a nearly complete population exchange.

Szczecin is the administrative and industrial centre of West Pomeranian Voivodeship and is the site of the University of Szczecin, Pomeranian Medical University, Maritime University, West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin Art Academy, and the see of the Szczecin-Kamień Catholic Archdiocese. Szczecin serves as the site of the headquarters of NATO's Multinational Corps Northeast. The city was a candidate for the European Capital of Culture in 2016.

Szczecin is served by Solidarity Szczecin–Goleniów Airport, which is 47 km (29 miles) north-east of central Szczecin. There is also a grass airstrip within city limits, the Szczecin-Dąbie Airstrip. Szczecin has a tram network comprising 12 tram lines serving 95 tram stops and measuring 110.77 km (69 mi) in length. Tram transport is operated by the Tramwaje Szczecińskie (TS). Szczecin has a bus network of 70 bus routes. Bus transport is operated by 4 companies: SPA Dąbie, SPA Klonowica, SPPK and PKS Szczecin.

Of all bus routes, 50 lines are designated as normal. At night time, Szczecin is served by a night bus network of 16 routes. There are also 7 express bus lines, which do not serve all stops on their route.

The recently upgraded A6 motorway serves as the southern bypass of the city, and connects to the German A11 autobahn, from where one can reach Berlin in about 90 minutes (about 150 km; 93 mi). Szczecin also has road connections with the rest of Poland.

The main train station – Szczecin Główny railway station – is situated in the city centre on Kolumba Street. Szczecin has good railway connections with "Solidarity" Szczecin–Goleniów Airport and the rest of Poland, e.g., Świnoujście, Kołobrzeg, Poznań, Wrocław, Warsaw and Gdańsk. Szczecin is also connected with Germany (Berlin Gesundbrunnen and through Pasewalk to Neubrandenburg and Lübeck).

The Port of Szczecin is the third largest port in Poland and handles almost 10 million tons of cargo annually. The harbour serves the Baltic Sea and the Oder river.

Museums and galleries • National Museum in Szczecin (Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie) is the largest cultural institution in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. It has branches: • The Main Building of Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie, Wały Chrobrego 3 Street. • Szczecin's History Museum (Muzeum Historii Szczecina) in the Old Town Hall, Szczecin, Księcia Mściwoja II Street. • The Old Art Gallery of the National Museum, Staromłyńska Street 27. • The Museum of Contemporary Art, Staromłyńska 1 Street. • The Narrow Gauge Railway Exhibition in Gryfice • Planned investments: Dialogue Center Breakthroughs (Polish Centrum Dialogu Przełomy) and Maritime Science Centre (Muzeum Morskie – Centrum Nauki). • Literature Museum (Muzeum Literatury) • EUREKA – the miracles of science. • The Castle Museum (Muzeum Zamkowe) in the Pomeranian Dukes' Castle, Szczecin. • Museum of Technology and Transport (Muzeum Techniki i Komunikacji – Zajezdnia Sztuki).

Arts and entertainment There are a few theatres and cinemas in Szczecin: • The Castle Cinema (Kino Zamek) • Pionier 1909 Cinema (Kino Pionier 1909) • Kana Theatre (Teatr Kana) • Modern Theatre (Teatr Współczesny) • Opera in the Castle (Opera na Zamku) • Polish Theatre in Szczecin (Teatr Polski w Szczecinie) • The Cellar by the Vault Cabaret (Kabaret Piwnica przy Krypcie) • The Crypt Theatre (Teatr Krypta) • The Pleciuga Puppetry Theatre (Teatr Lalek Pleciuga) • The Niema Theatre (Teatr Niema) • Szczecin Philharmonic

and many historic places as: • Bismarck tower Szczecin • (ruins of) The Quistorp's Tower (Wieża Quistorpa) • Napoleon mound (at the intersection of Klonowica Street and Unii Lubelskiej Street)

The statue, Monument of Sailor stands at the Grunwald Square at John Paul II Avenue.

Economy Szczecin is a centre of the maritime economy; it employs 13279 people. The seaport of Szczecin serves shipowners from all over the world and is the home port of two shipping companies: Polsteam and Euroafrica. In addition, other maritime-related companies are headquartered here.

In 2013, a subzone of the Szczecin-Kostrzyn-Slubice Special Economic Zone was established.

As of September 2016, the number of registered unemployed in Szczecin included about 8,400 residents, representing an unemployment rate of 5.0% to the economically active population.

The average employee salary in October 2012 was PLN 3807.73, with the number of employed workers in Szczecin - 90,754 people. According to data from the District Labor Office in Szczecin, effective 1 January 2023, the minimum wage is PLN 3490, while the average salary of residents of the capital of West Pomerania is at PLN 6733.49.

In 2009, the average gross monthly salary in the enterprise sector in Szczecin was PLN 3439.94.

Szczecin's GDP is PLN 20.255 billion, which is 1/3 of the GDP of the entire province. There are 49,497 zlotys per capita, about 40% more than the result for the province.

Transport: Air Szczecin is served by Solidarity Szczecin–Goleniów Airport, which is 47 km (29 miles) north-east of central Szczecin. There is also a grass airstrip within city limits, the Szczecin-Dąbie Airstrip.

Trams Szczecin has a tram network comprising 12 tram lines serving 95 tram stops and measuring 110.77 km (69 mi) in length. Tram transport is operated by the Tramwaje Szczecińskie (TS).

Szczecin's first horse tram opened in 1879, running from Gałczyńskiego Square to Staszica Street. In 1896, the first line using electric traction was opened. By 1900, the horse trams had been entirely replaced by electric trams.

Transport: Bus Szczecin has a bus network of 70 bus routes. Bus transport is operated by 4 companies: SPA Dąbie, SPA Klonowica, SPPK and PKS Szczecin.

Of all bus routes, 50 lines are designated as normal. At nighttime, Szczecin is served by a night bus network of 16 routes. There are also 7 express bus lines, which do not serve all stops on their route.

Transport: Road The recently upgraded A6 motorway serves as the southern bypass of the city, and connects to the German A11 autobahn (portions of which are currently undergoing upgrade), from where one can reach Berlin in about 90 minutes (about 150 km (93 mi)). Other important highways are the S3 Expressway, linking Szczecin with the more southern cities of Gorzów Wielkopolski, Zielona Góra and Legnica, and the S6 Expressway, connecting Szczecin with Koszalin (and eventually Gdańsk once the easternmost section is completed). Through intersections with other highways, Szczecin has convenient highway connections with a number of other major Polish cities, such as Poznań, Łódź, Wrocław, Katowice, Warsaw and Kraków. Also planned is the construction of the S10 highway to connect the city with Bydgoszcz, Toruń, Płock and Warsaw.

Transport: Rail The main railway station – Szczecin Główny railway station – is situated in the city centre (Kolumba Street). Szczecin has good railway connections with "Solidarity" Szczecin–Goleniów Airport and the rest of Poland, e.g., Świnoujście, Kołobrzeg, Poznań, Wrocław, Warsaw and Gdańsk. Szczecin is also connected with Germany (Berlin (Gesundbrunnen) and through Pasewalk to Neubrandenburg and Lübeck), but only by two single-track, non-electrified lines. Because of this, the rail connection between Berlin and Szczecin is much slower and less convenient than what is typical for two European cities of that size and proximity.

Transport: Port The Port of Szczecin is the third largest port in Poland and handles over 32 million tons of cargo annually. This is a harbour of the Baltic Sea and the Oder river.

Education and science • University of Szczecin (Uniwersytet Szczeciński), with 35,000 students; rector: Waldemar Tarczyński • West Pomeranian University of Technology (Zachodniopomorski Uniwersytet Technologiczny) • Pomeranian Medical University (Pomorski Uniwersytet Medyczny) • Art Academy of Szczecin (Akademia Sztuki) • Maritime University of Szczecin (Akademia Morska w Szczecinie) • WSB Merito Universities – WSB Merito University in Poznań, departments of Economics • The West Pomeranian Business School (Polish: Zachodniopomorska Szkoła Biznesu) • Higher School of Public Administration in Szczecin (Wyższa Szkoła Administracji Publicznej w Szczecinie) • High Theological Seminary in Szczecin (Polish: Arcybiskupie Wyższe Seminarium Duchowne w Szczecinie) • Higher School of Applied Arts (Wyższa Szkoła Sztuki Użytkowej) • Academy of European Integration (Wyższa Szkoła Integracji Europejskiej) • Wyższa Szkoła Ekonomiczno-Turystyczna • Wyższa Szkoła Humanistyczna TWP • Wyższa Szkoła Języków Obcych • Wyższa Szkoła Techniczno-Ekonomiczna • Wyższa Szkoła Zawodowa - Collegium Balticum • Wyższa Szkoła Zawodowa "OECONOMICUS" PTE • Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania • Bangor University • Universities in Szczecin • Pomeranian Medical University • West Pomeranian University of Technology • Maritime University of Szczecin • University of Szczecin, Faculty of Humanities

Scientific and regional organisations • Western Pomeranian Institute (Instytut Zachodnio-Pomorski) • Szczecin Scientific Society (Szczecińskie Towarzystwo Naukowe) • local branches of Polish scientific societies in many disciplines, including Polish Philosophical Society, Polish Historical Society, Polish Philological Society, Polish Mathematical Society, Polish Economic Society, Polish Geographical Society, Polish Copernicus Society of Naturalists, Polish Phytopathological Society, Polish Parasitological Society and many medical societies • local branches of students' societies, e.g., AIESEC, International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA) and Polish Association of Dental Students.

Consulates There are 15 honorary consulates in Szczecin, of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Norway, Sweden and Ukraine.