Gołdap

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Town in Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland

title: "Gołdap" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["cities-and-towns-in-warmian-masurian-voivodeship", "gołdap-county", "1565-establishments-in-poland", "cittaslow", "poland–russia-border-crossings", "populated-lakeshore-places-in-poland", "populated-places-established-in-1565", "masuria-(region)", "spa-towns-in-poland"] description: "Town in Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland" topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gołdap" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Town in Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameGołdap
image_skyline{{multiple image
borderinfobox
total_width268
image_styleborder:1
perrow1/2
image1Wieża ciśnień w Gołdapi.jpgWater tower
image2Gołdap, Poland - panoramio (1).jpgGraduation towers
image3Gołdap, kościół NMP Matki Kościoła (2).jpgGołdap Co-cathedral
caption1Water tower
caption2Graduation towers
caption3Co-cathedral}}
image_flagPOL Gołdap flag.svg
image_shieldPOL Gołdap COA.svg
pushpin_mapPoland
pushpin_label_positionbottom
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_name
subdivision_type1Voivodeship
subdivision_name1Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship
subdivision_type2County
subdivision_name2Gołdap
subdivision_type3Gmina
subdivision_name3Gołdap
leader_titleMayor
leader_nameKonrad Kazaniecki
established_titleFounded
established_date1565
established_title3Town rights
established_date31570
area_total_km217.2
population_as_of2007
population_total15600
population_density_km2auto
timezoneCET
utc_offset+1
timezone_DSTCEST
utc_offset_DST+2
coordinates
postal_code_typePostal code
postal_code19-500
area_code+48 87
blank_nameCar plates
blank_infoNGO
blank_name_sec2National roads
blank_info_sec2[[File:DK65-PL.svg
blank1_name_sec2Voivodeship roads
blank1_info_sec2[[File:DW651-PL.svg
websitehttp://www.goldap.pl/
::

| name = Gołdap | image_skyline = {{multiple image | border = infobox | total_width = 268 | image_style = border:1 | perrow = 1/2 | image1 = Wieża ciśnień w Gołdapi.jpgWater tower | image2 = Gołdap, Poland - panoramio (1).jpgGraduation towers | image3 = Gołdap, kościół NMP Matki Kościoła (2).jpgGołdap Co-cathedral | caption1 = Water tower | caption2 = Graduation towers | caption3 = Co-cathedral}} | image_flag = POL Gołdap flag.svg | image_shield = POL Gołdap COA.svg | pushpin_map = Poland | pushpin_label_position = bottom | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = | subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship | subdivision_name1 = Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship | subdivision_type2 = County | subdivision_name2 = Gołdap | subdivision_type3 = Gmina | subdivision_name3 = Gołdap | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Konrad Kazaniecki | established_title = Founded | established_date = 1565 | established_title3 = Town rights | established_date3 = 1570 | area_total_km2 = 17.2 | population_as_of = 2007 | population_total = 15600 | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone = CET | utc_offset = +1 | timezone_DST = CEST | utc_offset_DST = +2 | coordinates = | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 19-500 | area_code = +48 87 | blank_name = Car plates | blank_info = NGO | blank_name_sec2 = National roads | blank_info_sec2 = [[File:DK65-PL.svg|32px|link=National road 65 (Poland)]] | blank1_name_sec2 = Voivodeship roads | blank1_info_sec2 = [[File:DW651-PL.svg|32px|link=Voivodeship road 651]] | website = http://www.goldap.pl/ Gołdap (; or variant Goldapp; , Geldapė, Galdapė) is a spa town in northeastern Poland, in the region of Masuria, seat of Gołdap County in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. It is located on the Gołdapa River, between the Szeskie Hills, Gołdap Lake and the Puszcza Romincka forest. It has a population of 15,600 ().

History

Early history

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Gołdap_-_Konkatedra_NMP_Matki_Kościoła.jpg" caption="Mater Ecclesiae Co-cathedral"] ::

The settlement was founded in 1565, while it was part of Ducal Prussia, a fief and part of the Kingdom of Poland. In 1570 it was granted Chełmno town rights with weekly markets on Mondays and four annual fairs by Duke Albert Frederick. The charter granted fishing, brewing and trading privileges, as well as the right to build market stalls, a brickyard and a lime kiln, and established the coat of arms. The plan was to settle 100 Polish families from Mazovia, but 350 arrived, resulting in an additional expansion of the town.

The town had a rough start due to natural disasters and competition from other towns. In 1583, 10 residents staged a rebellion against the mayor. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the town suffered several fires and was plundered by Tatars and Cossacks.

18th and 19th centuries

The town became a part of the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701 and Germany in 1871. Between 1757 and 1762 it was occupied by Russians.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Kościół_parafialny_p.w._św._Leona_i_Bonifacego_Gołdap.jpg" caption="Saint Leon church"] ::

From 1709 to 1711 eastern Prussia suffered from a plague. The deceased were replaced by Germans from Brandenburg, Pomerania, Magdeburg, Halberstadt, the Electorate of the Palatinate, and Nassau, as well as Swiss and Lithuanians. In 1734, 117 Protestants expelled from Salzburg settled in the town. In 1831, the Polish pastor's house was burnt down.

In 1807, Polish troops of General Jan Henryk Dąbrowski were stationed in the town. Part of the French Grande Armée passed through the town in 1812. In 1863, Poles smuggled weapons through the town to the Russian Partition of Poland to support the January Uprising.

In the 18th and 19th centuries Goldap was a notable centre of commerce and production of various goods for the local market, as well as an important centre of grain production. In 1818 it became a seat of Landkreis Goldap. In 1825, the county (including the town) had 24,911 inhabitants, including (by mother tongue): 17,412 (~70%) German, 3,940 (~16%) Polish and 3,559 (~14%) Lithuanian. In 1879 the town was linked to a railway.

World War I and II

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Goldap,Ostpreußen-Ruinen_mit_der_alten_Kirche(Zeno_Ansichtskarten).jpg" caption="World War I destructions of Gołdap"] ::

During World War I Goldap was a scene of fierce fighting on the Eastern Front, which passed through the town twice. As a result, 91 residential houses and 92 industrial buildings were destroyed. It was occupied by the Russian army from the 18 August to 10 September 1914, and again from 5 November 1914 to 11 February 1915. The town was rebuilt, and soon after the war ended it reached a similar number of inhabitants it had had before.

During World War II Goldap was planned by the German staff as one of the strongholds guarding the rest of East Prussia from the Red Army on the Eastern Front. As a result of heavy fighting for the city and the regions directly east of it, in August and September 1944, 90% of the town was yet again destroyed. According to German war-time reports, about 50 civilians were murdered (some raped) by the Red Army on its initial entry into Goldap in October 1944. It was the first town of Nazi Germany to fall. However, in November 1944 the Wehrmacht reconquered Goldap and would be able to keep it until the end of December of the same year. In January, the German positions in far-eastern East Prussia collapsed completely.

Post-war Poland

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Gołdap_-_dawne_kasyno_oficerskie.jpg" caption="Former Officers' Mess"] ::

After the war, the town became again part of Poland under the terms of the Potsdam Conference. The transfer was confirmed by the German–Polish Border Treaty. The town was renamed to its historic Polish name Gołdap and rebuilt. The town retained its status as a seat of a powiat until 1975, when all powiats were abolished. After their re-establishment in 1999, Gołdap was not restored as a county seat, being instead assigned in the years 1999-2001 to the Olecko-Gołdap County. The town has subsequently reclaimed the original status, following re-establishment of a standalone Gołdap County.

Today the town of Gołdap remains an important centre of local trade and commerce. There are several small food production facilities (milk plant, industrial slaughterhouse, mill) located there, as well as a paper mill and a small tourist equipment works. In addition, it is one of the centres of tourism, with many skiing, swimming, sailing and leisure centres located both in the town and around it.

Transport

National road 65 bypasses Gołdap.

Sports

The Piękna Góra ski resort is located on the outskirts of Gołdap.

The local football club is . It competes in the lower leagues.

Notable residents

International relations

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Gołdap_Ratusz.jpg" caption="Town hall"] ::

Gołdap is a member of Cittaslow.

Twin towns — sister cities

Gołdap is twinned with:

Former twin towns:

In March 2022, Gołdap ended its partnership with the Russian city of Gusev as a response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

References

References

  1. . (1881). "Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich".
  2. Janosz-Biskupowa, Irena. (1962). "Rozwój przestrzenny miasta Gołdapi".
  3. "Herb i logo Gołdapi, Uzdrowisko Gołdap-Mazurski Zdrój".
  4. Janosz-Biskupowa, Irena. (1962). "Rozwój przestrzenny miasta Gołdapi".
  5. 83-902165-0-7, p. 210-212
  6. Janosz-Biskupowa, Irena. (1962). "Rozwój przestrzenny miasta Gołdapi".
  7. Uchwala Nr XL/258/2017 Rady Miejskiej w Gołdapi z dnia 30 maja 2017 r., p. 39
  8. Janosz-Biskupowa, Irena. (1962). "Rozwój przestrzenny miasta Gołdapi".
  9. "Wydarzenia roku 1863".
  10. von Haxthausen, August. (1839). "Die ländliche verfassung in den einzelnen provinzen der Preussischen Monarchie". Gebrüder Borntraeger Verlagsbuchhandlung.
  11. Jasiński, Grzegorz. (2009). "Statystyki językowe powiatów mazurskich z pierwszej połowy XIX wieku (do 1862 roku)". Komunikaty Mazursko-Warmińskie.
  12. Belzyt, Leszek. (1996). "Zur Frage des nationalen Bewußtseins der Masuren im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert (auf der Basis statistischer Angaben)". Zeitschrift für Ostmitteleuropa-Forschung.
  13. Janosz-Biskupowa, Irena. (1962). "Rozwój przestrzenny miasta Gołdapi".
  14. "Powstanie "Szlak Frontu Wschodniego I WŚ"".
  15. "Cittaslow List".
  16. "Twinnings". Central Union of Municipalities & Communities of Greece.
  17. "Warmińsko-mazurskie: Gołdap zerwała współpracę z partnerami z Rosji".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

cities-and-towns-in-warmian-masurian-voivodeshipgołdap-county1565-establishments-in-polandcittaslowpoland–russia-border-crossingspopulated-lakeshore-places-in-polandpopulated-places-established-in-1565masuria-(region)spa-towns-in-poland