Nowogard () (; ) is a town in northwestern Poland, in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. it had a population of 16,733.

Name

Nowogard is a combination of two Slavic terms: novi (new) and gard, which is Pomeranian for town, city, or fortified settlement. In this capacity, the term gard (or gôrd) is still being used in the only surviving variation of the Pomeranian language, Kashubian.

Location

Nowogard has been situated in Goleniow County of West Pomeranian Voivodship since 1999, but formerly in Szczecin Voivodship from 1975 to 1998. It is located northeast of Szczecin and south of the Baltic coast

History

thumb|left|Medieval town walls

In the 10th century the area became part of Poland. Probably then the first Catholic chapel was established in present-day Nowogard. In 1274, the town and its surrounding area was administered by Otto von Eberstein, it remained in the possession of the von Eberstein family until 1663. They were a collateral branch of the Counts of Everstein (sometimes also called Eberstein) from Lower Saxony with their ancestral home Everstein Castle on the Burgberg (ridge).

In 1309 the town adopted German municipal law. In the first half of the 14th century, new fortifications were erected with an oblong market square in the center of the town. This is where the town hall and St. Mary's Church were erected.

thumb|left|upright|Plaque commemorating the capture of the town by Polish and allied Napoleonic troops in 1807

In 1663, after the death of the last Eberstein, Naugard became property of Ernst Bogislaw von Croÿ and in 1684, property of the electors of Brandenburg. and there was a Nazi German prison for youth in the town. On 1 March 1945, the Germans committed a massacre of 40 POWs.

Sights

thumb|Church of the Assumption

The city's main tourist attraction is a large lake which extends to the center of Nowogard. Its surface covers with a length of and a width of . Surrounding forests have mushrooms, berries and game. Historic heritage sights include the Gothic Church of the Assumption and medieval town walls.

Population

thumb|A police station in Nowogard

Transport

The Polish S6 highway acts as a bypass of the town, and the Voivodeship roads (roads of regional importance) 106 and 144 pass through the town. There is also a train station in Nowogard.

Notable residents

  • Friedrich Michael Ziegenhagen (1694–1776), German clergyman, court preacher of George I of Great Britain
  • Paul Manasse (1866 in Naugard – 1927) a German physician, who specialized in the field of otology
  • Zbigniew Szczepkowski (born 1952) a Polish former cyclist, competed in the team pursuit at the 1976 Summer Olympics
  • Ewa Durska (born 1977) a two time Paralympic gold medalist, competing mainly in category T20 shot put

International relations

Twin towns — sister cities

Nowogard is twinned with:

  • Gützkow, Germany
  • Heide, Germany
  • Kävlinge, Sweden
  • Veles, North Macedonia

In 1963 West Germany (FRG) town of Heide took over a partnership for the expelled populace of Naugard. In 1996 this led to the signing of a contract of partnership between Heide and Nowogard in which the former populace is regarded "constitutive partners".

References

  • Homepage of City
  • Homepage of High School no 1