Elblag

is situated on the river Elblag. It connects Lake Druzno (nature reserve) with the Vistula Lagoon. The town lies at the crossroads of two geographical regions: Żuławy Vistula and the Elbląg Upland. It is located on the road No. 7 (Warsaw-Gdańsk), and the so-called. "Berlince" - the road to Kaliningrad, 60 km from Gdansk, 50 km from the Polish-Russian border and 100 km from Kaliningrad.
Elblag sea port makes Elblag an ideal base for tourist destinations on the map of northern Poland and Kaliningrad Region. From Elblag everyone should visit the Vistula Spit, or the cities famous for its medieval monuments (Malbork, Gdańsk), or the surrounding beautiful lakes and forests. The huge diversity of landscape here and surroundings can practice various forms of recreation. Its proximity to water reservoirs developed sailing and windsurfing. A network of local watercourses is a paradise for canoeing and fishing. In winter the frozen Vistula Lagoon attracts lovers of toboggans. Horse stables offer horse riding and carriage rides, and in winter season - sleigh rides. Elblag is not only the tourist qualities. Many of the local sights make this place an important historical point in Poland. It is worth going for a walk around the Old Town. Here capture medieval, Gothic style buildings and restored houses. A forest complex called Bażantarnia is probably one of the most favorite places in the town. For tourists wait interesting walking routes, band shell and spectacular views.
Not everyone knows that Elblag is a true treasure of archeology. Elblag Old Town is one of the largest in Europe in terms of surface area covered by a comprehensive archaeological research. Among the hundreds of thousands of exhibits found here, the most valuable of them are: eight musical instruments, 23 wax blocks, six characters pilgrimage, a wonderful medieval Moorish plates, toys, weapons, glassware. The variety of objects discovered evidence of commercial contacts on a wide scale. Residents of Elblag conducted their business from virtually all countries in Europe, from Norway to Spain, England and Italy.
For an environmental contribution, Elblag was honored twice - the first city in Poland - the "green" prize of the European Union.

Special attractions:

In Elbląg it is worth seeing:

• Cathedral of St. NICHOLAS from the mid-thirteenth century.
• Fair gate of the fourteenth century.
• Old Town in Elbląg
• EL Gallery
• Museum of Elbląg
• Library Elbląg.

Elblag

The beginnings of the city assess on 1237. There was the castle of the Teutonic Knights. The trading village come into existence in the closed neighborhood. In 1246 it received city rights. At that time, Elbląg was an important political point, the seat of the national Master of the Teutonic Order. In the fourteenth century, Elbląg was also an important seaport. Archaeological studies indicate, that localpeople belonged to wealthy people. Proof of that extracted in the area one thousand of amber, ceramic, glass, metal, etc.
An important date in the history of the city was its accession the Prussian Union in 1440. After the Battle of Grunwald in 1410 citizens of Elbląg paid homage to the Polish King Wladyslaw Jagiello, offering him the conquered castle of the Teutonic Knights. However, at the beginning it did not encountered with the desired reaction. Elblag became a member of the Polish state after the Peace of Toruń in1466. Then the city received many privileges from the Polish kings. It played an important role as a seaport. Wars that swept through this area in the sixteenth and seventeenth century brought the plague, looting and contributions.
After the partition of Poland in 1772, Elblag was a part of the Prussian state. The revival of the city occurred in the nineteenth century. Establishments operated successfully  here, including brewery, a cigar factory, locomotives and cars. Particular importance for the city was, however, the shipyard. Torpedo boats, submarines and locomotives were built in Elblag.
In 1945, the city regained its membership of Poland. Although it must be admitted that it was not a time of splendor of this city. As a result of hostilities, Elblag was destroyed in about 65 percent. Particularly Old Town was affected. Old houses lay in ruins. Others, damaged, demolished.