This Baltic town of Miedzyzdroje is on the island of Wolin, not far from Świnoujście. The latter is a port near the German border that operates ferry connections with Sweden and Denmark. It’s here that some of Poland’s most famous and beautiful beaches are. In direct vicinity of the town is Wolin National Park, featuring spectacular cliffs and a multitude of wild birds.
Tourists come to Miedzyzdroje for its status as a health resort, and to enjoy the cyclical festivals of art and culture organized here. The most popular event is the Festival of Stars held in July. Artists who take part leave their hand-prints on memorial flagstones along the Promenade of Stars, modeled on Hollywood Boulevard.
Other highlights include a wax museum, fun parks for kids and a 395 meter long pier, which stretches into the Baltic Sea. For nature lovers, a visit to the nearby Wolin National Park is a must.
Undoubtedly, the major attraction of Miedzyzdroje is its beautiful beach with its high cliffs. And yet the town has more to offer than just sand. If you’re done with the lazy beach life or it’s a rainy day, then a visit to the Natural History Museum may seem like a good idea.
Here you can while away an hour or two exploring the diverse flora and fauna of Wolin National Park. Another tourist attraction is the Wax Figure Museum, modeled on the London’s Madame Tussaud’s.
Finally, simply walking along the paths of the Zdrojowy Park or strolling around the town to take a look at the old villas is an enjoyable activity in itself.
In July the sumptuous “Amber Baltic” hotel annually welcomes the most outstanding Polish actors, who arrive here for the Summer Festival of Stars. Close to the hotel is the Promenade of Stars where the celebrities leave their hand impressions.
The best way to experience the beauty of Wolin National Park, just southeast of Miedzyzdroje, is by hiking. Featuring many lakes, the park provides a home for a diverse variety of bird species. The bison reserve is only 2 kilometers from Miedzyzdroje.
At the end of the 12th century there were two settlements on the site of today’s Miedzyzdroje. Both belonged to the bishopric of Kamien Pomorski, but while swamp iron ore was mined in Selazo (or “Zelazo”, which means “iron” in English), Campenz (Kepience) relied on agriculture. The name “Misdroige” appeared for the first time in the 15th century. Settlers lived on agriculture, cattle-breeding, bee-keeping, hunting and fishing.
One of the most tragic periods in the history of Pomerania was the Thirty Years’ War, when the whole of Wolin Island fell under the rule of Sweden. In 1715 the Prussians took over the island, whose sway in Pomerania was sanctioned by the peace treaty of Stockholm. The village’s population grew. A particularly high increase in the number of inhabitants was recorded in the 18th century. After a dike had been built across the moors, the town’s first public-house moved to a new location.
European recognition
Only in the first half of the 19th century did people in Europe begin to recognize the healing properties of a sea climate. With the arrival of these new visitors, the small fishing village quickly began to transform itself into a fashionable health resort. First to be built were the baths, on the beach in 1835 with separate ones for ladies and for gentlemen. Wealthy manufacturers from Szczecin and Berlin would rest in their own magnificent villas, designed by the best architects of the era. More and more such houses began to dot the shoreline.
The Zdrojowy house with its surrounding park came into being in 1860 as an initiative of a Belgian merchant, Lejeune. A wooden pier constructed at that time was later rebuilt in 1906. The pier measured 360 m in length and the old coffee-house situated at its end is still open today.
In the last year of the 19th century, Miedzyzdroje got a railway connection with Szczecin and Swinoujscie, which resulted in even greater numbers of patients and holiday makers arriving in the town. The year 1913 saw as many as 20,000 visitors to Miedzyzdroje, a remarkably large number for those times. The same year saw the construction of a new water supply network, sewer system and a power plant.
Just before the outbreak of World War II, Miedzyzdroje had around 4,000 permanent inhabitants. The town suffered little from war operations and received town status in 1945.