Kujawsko-Pomorskie is a province (voivodeship) in Poland. It is situated in mid-northern Poland, on the boundary between the two historic regions from which it takes its name: Kujawy (sometimes rendered in English as Cuiavia or Kuyavia or variations thereof) and south-eastern part of Pomorze (or Pomerania, also Pomerelia).
For centuries, the area of the present-day Kujawsko-Pomorskie has been under the political and cultural influence of both Poland and various German states, resulting in unique heritage. It has also historically been quite prosperous, while also becoming a front line for many conflicts in the Middle Ages. As a result, it boasts a number of medieval castles, fortresses and impressive old towns, most of which survived the subsequent wars relatively unscathed.
The picturesque landscape also makes the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship a good destination for nature lovers, and the traditions and concentration of the foodstuffs industry in the region makes the visit delightful to the palate as well.
The area is a borderland between various historical, ethnographic and natural regions. Kuiavia is to the south of the Vistula river, with cities like Bydgoszcz, Włocławek, and Inowrocław. It is known for good lands for agriculture and salt. Located to the north-east, across the biggest Polish river, there is the Land of Dobrzyń that was under Cuiavian control for centuries. With no big cities, it is a land of fields, idyllic hills, small towns, and villages. Pomeranian is the northern part of the voivodeship with the south of historic Eastern Pomerania known also as Pomerelia and the Land of Chełmno. Both areas were in the 19th century part of West Prussia province and are linked by the medieval history of Teutonic Order State that began in the 1230s. This is why there are many medieval monuments across this part of the region, including world heritage old town of Toruń. Additionally, the western part of the voivodeship historically belonged to Greater Poland. The area in the northwest is known as Krajna which meant a borderland, as it is a part of lands separating Pomerania from Greater Poland. It is an agrarian, hilly land with many idyllic landscapes around small towns of Sępólno Krajeńskie and Nakło. To the south, there is an ethnographic region of Pałuki centred around Żnin, popular among tourists due to many historic sites from prehistoric and early medieval times. Also, the area around the town of Mogilno is a part of historic Greater Poland, being for centuries a part of Gniezno district.
In the early Middle Ages, south-western part of the region was in the core of newly forming Polish state. In the 11th century, a bishopric was established in Kruszwica and later transferred to Włocławek. Poland was divided into several duchies from 1138 and the area became more and more divided. When the reunited Kingdom of Poland took back Kuiavia, the area retained its traditional division into two separate parts, The Inowrocław Voivodeship and the Brześć Kujawski Voivodeship.
In the meanwhile, Masovian dukes invited Teutonic Knights to the Land of Chełmno, to help them fight pagan Prussian tribes to the north. Mostly German-speaking monks-soldiers not only conquered the area known later as East Prussia but also turned against Polish dukes and series of fierce wars continued for over two centuries. Teutonic State conquered also Polish-controlled East Pomerania in the 14th century, and briefly controlled Kuiavia and Land of Dobrzyń too. During the 15th century the Kingdom of Poland, now entering its golden age, finally crushed the power of knights and regained control over East Pomerania and the Land of Chełmno in 1466, since then known also as Royal Prussia.
Until 17th century Vistula river was an important trade route for Polish goods to the major international harbour of Gdańsk and many towns along the river flourished. During the 16th century also came reformation, popular mainly among German-speaking citizens. Because Poland was the most tolerant country in Europe, many religious groups learned to live together. During the 17th century, Dutch, Frisian and German Mennonite colonists founded numerous villages along the Vistula river. They developed independent village communities and brought their agricultural knowledge to the region, specializing in the cultivation of lakes and rivers in moorland and fallow land. Also, many Jews and Catholic refugees from Scotland settled in the area.
Golden Age of Poland ended with the economic stagnation and wars of the 17th century. The Kingdom, since 1569 a member of democratic Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, gradually collapsed and was partitioned by its absolutist neighbours of Prussia, Russia, and Austria. Following the First Partition of Poland in 1772, the northern part and following the Second Partition of Poland in 1793 also the southern part of this region was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia.
Between 1807 and 1815 the region was a part of the Duchy of Warsaw and later split between Prussia and the Russian Kingdom of Poland. After more than a century, in 1918 it became part of the Second Polish Republic. In 1938, after administrative reform, Kuiavia was added to the Pomeranian Voivodeship, which capital was Toruń. After Nazi German occupation during World War II, this administrative unit was restored, although without its northernmost part around Gdańsk. The voivodeship received for the first time borders similar to modern ones. Also, in 1945 the capital was moved to the bigger and more proletarian Bydgoszcz, and in 1950 the name was changed to Bydgoszcz Voivodeship. In 1975 another reform divider the region into three smaller ones.
At the time of the fall of communism in 1989, and regaining the full independence by Poland, the economic crisis hit hard, especially rural areas. Luckily, economic reforms and later joining the EU in 2004 by Poland helped to overcome the most difficult period. Another administrative reform created the current voivodeship in 1999 in the shape similar to the post-war territory.
The people of Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship speak standard Polish with little if any local dialect. Due to its history, many inhabitants have at least cursory knowledge of German. As in the entirety of Poland, English knowledge is on the rise, particularly among the younger generations. The region sees a fair amount of tourist travel and thus many service-sector employees have reasonable fluency in English.
Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship is unique in that it has a fairly distributed population and many medium-sized cities and smaller towns spread across the region, so there is plenty to visit and see besides the region's capitals. Capitals in the plural, as the region is governed from two of its largest cities:
- Bydgoszcz. — often called “Little Berlin” because of the beautiful Art-Nouveau, Neo-Baroque and Eclecticist architecture
- Toruń. — one of the most historic cities in Poland with the biggest amount of gothic architecture buildings in the Baltic Sea region, famous for its well-preserved old town, being the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus and delicious gingerbread called katarzynki
Other cities and major towns:
- Brodnica. — historic town surrounded by the natural Brodnica Lake District region
- Chełmno. — gothic and renaissance old town surrounded by almost intact city walls
- Grudziądz. — brick Gothic town on the Vistula River - and the smallest tram system in Poland
- Inowrocław. — known for its saltwater baths and historic churches
- Włocławek. — third largest city of the region with a beautiful gothic cathedral and a dam on Vistula river
- Świecie. — gothic water castle ruins on the Wda river
Bydgoszcz. — often called “Little Berlin” because of the beautiful Art-Nouveau, Neo-Baroque and Eclecticist architecture
Toruń. — one of the most historic cities in Poland with the biggest amount of gothic architecture buildings in the Baltic Sea region, famous for its well-preserved old town, being the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus and delicious gingerbread called katarzynki
Brodnica. — historic town surrounded by the natural Brodnica Lake District region
Chełmno. — gothic and renaissance old town surrounded by almost intact city walls
Grudziądz. — brick Gothic town on the Vistula River - and the smallest tram system in Poland
Inowrocław. — known for its saltwater baths and historic churches
Włocławek. — third largest city of the region with a beautiful gothic cathedral and a dam on Vistula river
Świecie. — gothic water castle ruins on the Wda river
- Biskupin. — unique late Bronze-Age and early Iron-Age settlement recreated at the archaeological site where it was discovered, with a lively open-air exhibit. It is located along the Żnin heritage railway
- Brześć Kujawski. — small town, one of historic capitals of Cuiavia known as the birthplace of Ladislas III, a king that successfuly reunited Poland in 1320
- Byszewo. — village on a historic border between Kuiavia and Krajna between two lakes with a beautifull rococo church
- Chełmża. — historic town with gothic cathedral and a beach on the Chełmża Lake
- Chrystkowo. — small village with one of the best preserved and open to the public mennonite houses
- Ciechocinek. — popular spa town close to the Vistula River
- Cisy Staropolskie. — strict nature reserve protecting the largest natural concentration of old-grown yews in Europe
- Gąsawa. — village along the Żnin heritage railway and a historic town, famous for baroque wooden church with beautifull wall paintings
- Golub-Dobrzyń. — charming little town rife with historic architecture
- Górzno. — small town on the lake close to forests protected by the Górzno-Lidzbark Landscape Park
- Izbica Kujawska. — in the vicinity of this small town there are the biggest neolithic structures in Poland, long for up to 130 m Kuyavian Megalithic Graves in Gaj, Sarnowo and Wietrzychowice
- Kłóbka. — Kuyavian village open air museum
- Koronowo. — town north to Bydgoszcz, located in the Brda valley known for gothic-baroque monastery and popular in summer reservoir lake
- Kruszwica. — town of old Polish legends on the Gopło lake with medieval castle ruins and one of the oldest existing church buildings in the country
- Lubostroń. — small village with well preserved and open to the public palladian-style palace
- Mogilno. — historic town with well preserved baroque-romanesque monastery, that has the oldest surviving complete chamber structure in Poland
- Nieszawa. — small historic town on Vistula river
- Ostromecko. — baroque and new classical palaces in a pictoresque landscape park
- Pakość. — baroque monastery and second oldest in Poland calvary
- Pieranie. — beautiful wooden baroque church
- Raciążek. — village and historic town on a hill with a renaissance church and ruins of a castle with beautiful panorama over Ciechocinek and Vistula river
- Radzyń Chełmiński. — small town with ruins of medieval castle and a historic church
- Runowo Krajeńskie. — village with ruins of a palace and beautifull small renaissance church
- Skępe. — baroque monastery and pilgrimage site
- Solec Kujawski. — a town close to Bydgoszcz where one can visit dinosaur museum and theme park
- Strzelno. — with a monastic complex of romanesque-baroque churches with one of the best preserved sets of romanesque sculptures in Central Europe
- Tuchola. — cultural and economic centre of the southern part of the Tuchola Forest region
- Wenecja. — small historic village along the Żnin heritage railway is famous for railway museum, ruins of a gothic castle and the name meaning "Venice" in Polish
- Więcbork. — small town by the Więcbork Lake in the middle of Krajna Landscape Park
- Żnin. — historic town surrounded by two lakes is the centre of ethnographic Pałuki region. A heritage railway links it with several historic sites in the area
Biskupin. — unique late Bronze-Age and early Iron-Age settlement recreated at the archaeological site where it was discovered, with a lively open-air exhibit. It is located along the Żnin heritage railway
Brześć Kujawski. — small town, one of historic capitals of Cuiavia known as the birthplace of Ladislas III, a king that successfuly reunited Poland in 1320
Byszewo. — village on a historic border between Kuiavia and Krajna between two lakes with a beautifull rococo church
Chełmża. — historic town with gothic cathedral and a beach on the Chełmża Lake
Chrystkowo. — small village with one of the best preserved and open to the public mennonite houses
Ciechocinek. — popular spa town close to the Vistula River
Cisy Staropolskie. — strict nature reserve protecting the largest natural concentration of old-grown yews in Europe
Gąsawa. — village along the Żnin heritage railway and a historic town, famous for baroque wooden church with beautifull wall paintings
Golub-Dobrzyń. — charming little town rife with historic architecture
Górzno. — small town on the lake close to forests protected by the Górzno-Lidzbark Landscape Park
Izbica Kujawska. — in the vicinity of this small town there are the biggest neolithic structures in Poland, long for up to 130 m Kuyavian Megalithic Graves in Gaj, Sarnowo and Wietrzychowice
Kłóbka. — Kuyavian village open air museum
Koronowo. — town north to Bydgoszcz, located in the Brda valley known for gothic-baroque monastery and popular in summer reservoir lake
Kruszwica. — town of old Polish legends on the Gopło lake with medieval castle ruins and one of the oldest existing church buildings in the country
Lubostroń. — small village with well preserved and open to the public palladian-style palace
Mogilno. — historic town with well preserved baroque-romanesque monastery, that has the oldest surviving complete chamber structure in Poland
Nieszawa. — small historic town on Vistula river
Ostromecko. — baroque and new classical palaces in a pictoresque landscape park
Pakość. — baroque monastery and second oldest in Poland calvary
Pieranie. — beautiful wooden baroque church
Raciążek. — village and historic town on a hill with a renaissance church and ruins of a castle with beautiful panorama over Ciechocinek and Vistula river
Radzyń Chełmiński. — small town with ruins of medieval castle and a historic church
Runowo Krajeńskie. — village with ruins of a palace and beautifull small renaissance church
Skępe. — baroque monastery and pilgrimage site
Solec Kujawski. — a town close to Bydgoszcz where one can visit dinosaur museum and theme park
Strzelno. — with a monastic complex of romanesque-baroque churches with one of the best preserved sets of romanesque sculptures in Central Europe
Tuchola. — cultural and economic centre of the southern part of the [[Tuchola Forest]] region
Wenecja. — small historic village along the Żnin heritage railway is famous for railway museum, ruins of a gothic castle and the name meaning "Venice" in Polish
Więcbork. — small town by the Więcbork Lake in the middle of Krajna Landscape Park
Żnin. — historic town surrounded by two lakes is the centre of ethnographic Pałuki region. A heritage railway links it with several historic sites in the area
- Old Town in Toruń brick gothic town hall and churches form a unique medieval panorama at the Vistula shore. Nicolaus Copernicus was born in one of the fine Gothic houses. This picturesque and academic city is listed as a world heritage site.
- Old Town in Chełmno with nearly intact city walls, six gothic churches (incl. relics of St. Valentine), renaissance city hall, and the best view in the world (a Polish wordplay meaning also the best view on the neighbouring town of Świecie pronounced the same way as the World in this case)
- View from the Mice Tower in Kruszwica on the Gopło Lake
- The largest graduation towers in Europe in the famous spa town of Ciechocinek
[[Toruń|Old Town in Toruń]] brick gothic town hall and churches form a unique medieval panorama at the Vistula shore. Nicolaus Copernicus was born in one of the fine Gothic houses. This picturesque and academic city is listed as a world heritage site.
Old Town in Chełmno with nearly intact city walls, six gothic churches (incl. relics of St. Valentine), renaissance city hall, and the best view in the world (a Polish wordplay meaning also the best view on the neighbouring town of Świecie pronounced the same way as the World in this case)
View from the Mice Tower in Kruszwica on the Gopło Lake
The largest graduation towers in Europe in the famous spa town of Ciechocinek
- Ride the Żnin heritage railway
- Kayak along Brda or Wda rivers
- Take a "water tram" boat on the Brda river in Bydgoszcz
Ride the Żnin heritage railway
- Gingerbreads from Toruń
The region is relatively safe. Standard caution is always advisable though, as petty crime does occur.
Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship borders five other Polish voivodeships:
- Wielkopolskie,
- Łódzkie,
- Mazowieckie,
- Warmińsko-Mazurskie,
- and Pomorskie.