Białogard

Białogard (pronounced [bjaˈwɔɡart] ⓘ; German: Belgard [ˈbɛlɡaʁt]; Pomeranian: Biôłogard) is a historic town in Middle Pomerania, northwestern Poland, with 23,614 inhabitants as of December 2021.

Białogard is first mentioned in the chronicle of Gallus Anonymous as a rich and populous stronghold in the middle of Pomerania, a famous royal city called white (Alba Regia).

The town developed quickly as one of the more important economic centres of the Duchy of Pomerania, and this was strengthened by the Lübeck law granted to the city by Duke Bogusław IV in 1299.

[6] On the 500-year anniversary of the battle, on the initiative of Polish writer and publisher Leon Zdanowicz [pl], in post-World War II Poland, a medieval-style competition was organized between the inhabitants of both towns.

[6] As a result of the feudal fragmentation of Pomerania, Białogard was part of Pomerania-Wolgast from 1295 and Pomerania-Stolp (Duchy of Słupsk), a vassal state of the Polish Crown, from 1368.

[6] After the death of the last Pomeranian Duke in 1637, and as a result of the Thirty Years' War, the Duchy of Pomerania was divided between Sweden and Brandenburg-Prussia.

In 1858 the first railroad connecting Belgard to Köslin (Koszalin) and Schivelbein (Świdwin) was completed; it was extended to Stargard and Neustettin (Szczecinek) in 1878.

In 1999 the 700th anniversary of receiving town rights was celebrated with the participation of Polish President Aleksander Kwaśniewski, who was born in Białogard.

Former town granary made from a timber frame
Some of the historical tenements in the Old Town
Preserved town hall dating back hundreds of years