Piła
Piła (German: Schneidemühl) is a town in northwestern Poland with 77,000 inhabitants (2001).
Situated in the Greater Poland Voivodship (since 1999), previously capital of Piła Voivodship (1975-1998). Piła is the largest town in the northern part of Greater Poland, at now is headtown of a county. The town is beautifully located on the Gwda river. It is a very important point of roads and railroads. First mentions about the town come from the 15th century.
History
Founded in 1380 or 1513, Piła was part of Greater Poland. In 1772 annexed by Kingdom of Prussia. 1806-1815 in the Duchy of Warsaw. Later in the Grand Duchy of Poznań. Since 1871 in the Imperial Germany, Province of Posen. In 1918, unlike the rest of the province, it stayed in Germany, becoming the capital of Grenzmark Posen-Westpreussen. In 1938 included in Pommern. After 1945 returned to Poland. The town was almost completely ruined during World War II.
Among its famous people is Stanislaw Staszic (1755-1826), a priest and the activist of the Polish Enlightenment, who was very active also as economist in the times of the Congress Kingdom.
Interesting objects include: a 19th century building of former arsenal, St Stanislaus Kostka's church - built in Neo-Gothic style, Holy Family's church - built in Neo-Baroque style, St Anthony's church with the biggest in Europe seven metre tall wooden figure of Jesus Christ (church built in 1930), museum in house of Stanislaw Staszic, two war cemeteries (prisoners from the World War I and Polish and Soviet soldiers killed during the battle of Wał Pomorski (Pommerstellung) during World War II). Cemeteries are in uptown part of Piła, in Leszków.
Piła cooperates with some twin towns in Europe: Chatellerault (France), Kronsztadt (Russia), Schwerin and Cuxhaven (Germany). The town has a very good speedway club Polonia, four times Polish champion women volleyball team "Nafta-Gaz", and fourth division soccer club MKP 1999.
City name
Piła is a Polish word which means "a saw". The old German name of the town, Schneidemühl, literally means "sawmill" in English.
Historical population
| 1774 | 1,322 |
| 1816 | 1,992 |
| 1843 | 4,111 |
| 1856 | 6,060 |
| 1867 | 7,516 |
| 1875 | 9,724 |
| 1905 | 21,600 |
| 1910 | 26,100 |
| 1919 | 32,600 |
| 1925 | 37,518 |
| 1933 | 43,180 |
| 1938 | 45,600 |
| 1939 | 45,791 |
| 1948 | 10,700 |
| 1960 | 33,800 |
| 1970 | 43,700 |
| 1980 | 58,900 |
| 1990 | 71,100 |
| 1995 | 75,700 |
Economy
Major corporations
- Philips Lighning Poland SA, Piła
- Winkowski sp. z o.o., Piła
Education
Sports
- PPTS Nafta Gaz Piła - women's volleyball team playing in Polish Seria A Women's Volleyball League: 4th place in 2003/2004 season.
Politics
Piła constituency
Members of Parliament (Sejm) elected from Piła constituency
- Ajchler Romuald, SLD-UP
- Beger Renata, Samoobrona
- Gawłowski Andrzej, SLD-UP
- Kalemba Stanisław, PSL
- Pijanowska Grażyna, SLD-UP
- Piosik Stanisław, SLD-UP
- Skowyra Józef, LPR
- Stec Stanisław, SLD-UP
- Szejnfeld Adam, PO
Links
Pila is also the plural form of the Roman weapon, the pilum.