The history of Bialogard is very interesting. The City is among the oldest Pomeranian strongholds whose beginnings started in the VIII-th century. In 1299 the city was granted City Rights and its golden years were on the turn of the XIII-th c. The most precious buildings located mostly in the vicinity of the Old Town come from that period of time.

At present intensive activities are being carried out targetted at restoring the significance of that part of the City, lost during the post war period. In particular the trade, cultural, service and residential functions of the old Town.

Bialogard is proud of its sports clubs which represent our region at Europe and World Championships like for example our wrestling and dancing clubs. International athletic sports tournaments are organized on our modern City Stadium.

Clean rivers abundant in fish, trout and grayling, are an undoubtful advantage of the Commune, e.g. the Parseta, the Lesnica, the Mogielnica, the Topiel and the Pokrzywnica Rivers. The Parseta River is also perfectly suitable for canoeing. Modern farming is another feature of the Commune of Bialogard. It is a raw material base for farming and food processing companies in the region. In the commune there is a lot of farm land that can be purchased or rented. Please contact the Commune Office or AWRSP - the State Treasury Agricultural Property Agency for assistance when purchasing farming land.

Some of the natural resources to be found in the Commune are: construction raw materials(aggregate, sand, gravel), ceramic resources (clays and silts), peat, natural gas resources. The most important communication links are interprovince roads Kolobrzeg - Poznan and Szczecin - Gdansk as well as railway routes which provide connections with bigger cities in Poland.

There are a number of investments in progress targetted at the improvement of the living standard of country people. Educational facilities are being modernized and developed, the water and natural gas networks are being developed. The construction of a sewage system is possible due to PHARE Fund economic assistance.

The eruption of crude oil in Karlino was an important event not only for the city but also countrywide. At present there is a Crude Oil and Natural Gas Mine located next to the oil well that once was on fire. Natural gas produced here is 40-50% cheaper than the gas in the country gas grid, which is favourable for the growing number of investors visiting our region.

The commune has a sewage treatment plant as well as an ecological dumping site. All coal boiler rooms have been modernised and adapted to burning natural gas. All the ecological activities carried out have been noticed. In the year 2000 the City and Commune of Karlino was recognized among 16 most environmentally friendly communes in Poland. Active leisure and recreation are encouraged by sports facilities such as football and volley - ball sports fields, tennis courts, sports hall with sauna and fitness room, as well as a stadium and open theater where numerous culture and sporting evants are organized every year.

The leading advantagges of our region are a well devloped infrastructure, good roads, collecting pipes together with a sewage purification plant, two types of natural gas, telephones, and first of all clean environment. You are welcome to visit Karlino and you can be sure that we will provide all the assiatance you may need.

The Commune has a well developed technical infrastructure consisting of good road connections with other regions of the country, a railway track with loading-unloading sidings in Tychowo and Podborsk, collecting pipes with sewage treatment plants in Tychowo, Dobrowo and Wicewo, a water-pipe network in all places in the Commune, electric power, direct telephone connections with all Cities in Poland and in the world, cable connections and mobile telephone networks.

Other advantages of the Commune are clean natural environment, forests with an abundance of undergrowth and chase game, which attract berry and mushroom collectors as well as hunting enthusiasts. Clean air, water and vast forest areas covering ranges of hills, numerous architectural and nature monuments make this area attractive for hiking and rallying.

The environment protection activities undertaken by the Commune are all targetted at improving the cleanliness of river waters flowing via its territory. The abundance of fish species in rivers attracts anglers particularly enthusiasts of salmon and brown trout which at spawning time swim up the Parseta and Chotli rivers and their tributaries.

You are cordially welcome by the authorities and residents of the Commune to visit the Land of Tychowo and you can be sure to receive proper assistance in carrying out investment enterprises as well as goodwill and help in contacting the already existing businesses.

History and Tourist/ Nature Amenities

We care about our natural environment and thus we have clean air, water and fragrant meadows and forests. This is one of the cleannest regions in Poland and we are aware of how important it is for us. Karlino is the seat of two important regional institutions, i.e. the Association od Community and Economic Initiatives and the Union of Cities and Communes of the Parseta River Basin. The target of the said institutions is to preserve the bioclimate, physiotherapeutical and health-resort values of the Parseta River Basin as well as the economic development of the region. For some years now the Union of Cities and Communes of the Parseta River Basin has been carrying out a programme called "Clean Vistula and Other Coastal Rivers".

In Tychowo Knights of St. John of Jerusalem have opened a center. They are a charity organization operating all around Europe.

In the County there are a number of clean lakes suitable for bathing. The Parseta River and its tributaries are even a bigger attraction for anglers. Salmon and brown trout swim up the river at spawning time. The Parseta is the largest river on the coast and it is one of the few wild and natural rivers in Poland. It is 157 kms long and together with its 17 tributaries it covers an area of 3150 km 2. The Parseta River is also perfectly suitable for canoeing.

There are also a number of wildlife enclaves here recognized as wildlife monuments. There are mansion-house parks in Kamasowo, Nasutowo, Laski and Rarwino; in Stanomino there is a sanatorium-forest park; in Podwilcze a park with a palace and in Nawinie a country park with a mansion-house. In the Commune of Tychowo there is a wildlife reserve called Tychowo Yew Trees Cisy Tychowskie.

An obvious advantage of the County are forests with an abundance of undergrowth and chase game, which attract berry and mushroom collectors as well as hunting enthusiasts.

In the County there are also recreational complexes, restaurants, hotel facilities and crude oil eruption places from 1980. The following should also be listed among tourist attractions: a huge postglacial erratic boulder called "Tryglaw", the largest one in Poland and one of the largest ones in Europe, located in the City Cemetery in Tychowo, the remains of a prison camp for allied countries pilots from the II World War located in Modrolesie as well as a place commemorating soldiers who died during the I World War.

Near Karlino there is the magnificent figure of Mother Mary the Queen of Nations, a gift from the people of the Philippines to the people of Poland.

Sport and Education

Our wrestlers are also very successful, one of them took part in Olympic Games Sydney 2000. Athletic tournaments organized at the modern city stadium in Bialogard are at a high level. "The Pope's Foot -Race" is the latest international event organized by the City and Commune of Karlino.

The Economy of The County

Companies investing in the County of Bialogard receive extensive assistance and support while setting up a business. In order to achieve the above the Association of Community and Economic Initiatives was founded in Karlino in 1995. This institution stimulates the economic development of the County. The Association can assist investors in receiving preference low - interest loans and partial refund for the salaries paid to new employees. In case companies do not have all the required guarantees they may be assisted by the Credit Guarantee Fund.

The County of Bialogard owns a lot of buildings and land for investments. The most attractive are located at the E 163 Kolobrzeg - Poznan and the E 6 Gdansk - Sczecin interprovince road. The majority of investment grounds and real estate have all technical infrastructure facilities. Due to easy communication access all the investment offers can be used for starting production, service, tourist or warehouse enterprises.

The history of the Bialogard region

Due to warming up of the climate, connected with the backing up of the iceland to the north, those regions became more convenient for people to live on. Appeared tundra flora animals of subarctical climate, whose representative was the reindeer.

In the middle Stone Age (Mesozoic 8000 BC till 4200 BC) followed further improvement and warming up of the climate. Which results in developing of flora and fauna. The land of northern Poland is becoming more and more convenient for settlement of first human communities. In younger Stone Age (neolit 4200 - 1700 years BC) follows a big social-economical turn. The climate becomes warm and dry. Are appearing other technical inventions especially like new, better and improved work equipment. The basic raw material for it's production was not silex, which was till that time relatively soft, but hard stone. The difficult stone techniques was mastered.

The next age was the Bronze Age (1700-650 years BC). In the period from 1700 years BC follows in the development of mankind next progress in ability to find new and even more improved ways of manufacturing. This progress was enabled by mastering new way of production, which was the ability to win copper and tin ore and their further metallurgic treatment. The end-effect of this procedure was gaining of a harder metal than copper, which was bronze. Started production of their own local articles like guns, work equipment as well as wide assortment of decorations and jewellery.

In the Iron Age (650BC-1250 AD) the knowledge and spreading of iron metallurgy based is in the beginning on imported raw material and ready articles and later on iron ore deposit (so called marshy), in which Polish land was reach. Iron becomes the basic raw material used for production of wide assortment of manufacturing means, weapons and decorations. The main activity of the inhabitants was agriculture, animal husbandry as well as fishery and hunting. After the times of unrest, which took place in the time of migration of nations and connected with it general cultural recession in Europe and Poland the political, social and economic relations are stabilising. In this period so called early Middle Ages (570-1250 AD) Polish nation has been established.

In archaeological chronology Polish early Middle Ages is divided in two periods: first, period before the Piast family ruling (570-950 AD) and second - period of early Piastfamily ruling (950-1250 AD). In the "before Piastfamily" period follows the consolidation of tribe - territorial administration in the area between Bug and Oder, which are crating foundation for early feudal country. And than this country in second period (early Piastfamily period) appears as fully feudal country under ruling of first Piasts. During intensive surface researches at colony's subsidiaries a raw of unknown in that time's literature new archaeological places, mainly from early Middle Age was discovered. In the administrative district of Bialogard are recognised generally 8 castle remainings in following places: Bialogard, Buczek, Dzieciolowo, Lubiechowo, Ostre Bardo, Rarwino, Stare Debno and Weldkowko and 31 settlements from early Middle Ages. According to the archeologcal sources that reach settlement in the Bialogard's administrative district the begun in VIII century (e.g. Lubiechowo, Dzilciolowo) and lasts uninterrupted until end of XIII century. Those castles were build mainly in difficult to reach places, on wet meadows, peninsulas and moraine headlands in areas of rivers and lakes.

Their main aim was protection of colonies and they fulfilled many different functions, like: administrative, strategic-military, cultural, as a shelter and others. The economic foundation of the inhabitants was agriculture, with which was connected husbandry of following animals: cattle, pigs, ships, goats and horses. Concerning the specific area, that means the amount of waters and forests, very important role played fishery and hunting. To mention are also other their activities as working on metals - metallurgy and smithing, tailoring, tanning, shoemaking, working on wood (coopering, wheelwrighting), carpentry (manufacture of wheels and wagons, farmsteads, castles, bridges, boats, etc.). Important activities connected with treatment of horns, bones, amber and precious metals. Internal and far-reaching trade was the factor, which influenced the development of the economy in early Middle Ages. Through the Middle Pomeranian and Bialogard's region led important economic paths with local and far-reaching meaning. In the early period of line of Piast kings in Pomeranian region developed first cities on the ground of old tribe-territorial colonies. The most important of those cities were Kolobrzeg and Bialogard. According to Gall Anonimus in those centres were supposed to be seated: bishop Reinbern in Kolobrzeg and the main centre of West Pomeranian Princedom in beginning of XII century in Bialogard.

In mater of history the Bialogard's region from XIII to XVII century was one of the main seaside centres, around which was located well-developed and concentrated colonisation. Its confirmed by chroniclers. One of them - Gall Anonym described Bialogard city as "majestic and splendid", and the other time as "rich and populated" city from which polish king Boleslaw Krzywousty brought countless prizes. In the same year Bialogard's castle was destroyed and grounded, but short time after (1107-1108) city fortifications ware already so strong that Krzywousty "had to build an camp and prepare siege machines to conquer it again". Importance of the city confirms mission of Otton bishop, who had been visiting only the biggest centres of Eastern Pomeranian region, and He stayed in Bialogard for whole eight days. Proceeding progress of technology, changes in economy and society, as well as in ethnic structure leaded to increase of the agricultural production and development of the local trade. Importance of Bialogard as a main economy centre in the region leaded to receiving privilege of Lubeck's City Rights awarded by count Boguslaw IV on 2 August 1299. It changed local organisation and strengthened economy.

We know from chroniclers relations that on edge of the XI and XII century Bialogard region was an important political centre of the Western Pomeranian region. Probably it was a habitat of some counts, especially because it has grate strategic features - location on swamps and soppy meadows between Parslta and Lilnica rivers - and that could improve their safety. Under Brandenburg-Prusian rule during 30 Years War (1618-1648) eastern Pomeranian region experienced heavy fights and devastating army movements, it had to pay contributions to Brandenburg, Sweden and Denmark forces as well. Under the Osnabruck pact, Eastern Pomeranian region was split between elector of Brandenburg and king of Sweden. Bialogard together with the surrounding lands became a part of the Brandenburg. History of the Bialogard reflects history of all Pomeranian lands under Brandenburg and later Prusian and German authority.

In mater of territory, political system, public and law administration, today's borders of Bialogard region are much different than in the past (1815-1932). City Polczyn was part of the Bialogard administrative district, and Karlino belonged to "Princedom" district (since 1872 Kolobrzeg district). Most visible differences were in borders between Bialogard and Swidwin districts. Bialogard region consisted of Rabino, Redlo, Lipie, Legi, Slawa, Cieszeniewo and Bierzwica villages. Since 1724 official named "Landrat" elected from local land owners (aristocracy), and confirmed on this post by King.

Year 1932 brought important changes in territory of the Bialogard administrative district. Bialogard and Swidwin districts were combined in one large administrative district witch in Bialogard, but in the same time two communities were joined to Koszalin district, and another three to Drawsko. New district combined three cities (Biaologard, Polczyn Zdroj and lwidwin) and 126 rural communities. Liberation of the region, in first days of March 1945 was an important moment in the history of this old Slavish land. Bialogard region together with whole Western Pomerania returned under Polish control. Old law and administrative organisation system were destroyed, and there was need to build new one. To provide law and order control over region was granted to military headquarters. On 14 March government resolution made an provisional partition on administrative districts,. Since then directors of the local Administration Offices were nominated by Temporary Government. On Western Pomerania were sent operation group, which had to organise local administration, after their arrival there were two directors of local administration one nominated by Temporary Government and one by Military Headquarter. They decided to liquidate second one. At the same time were organised administration in particular communities of the Bialogard's region and Government plenipotentiary nominated local officials and office workers. During this period of time there was no real local administration. All decisions were made by organisation of the Government plenipotentiaries. It was only temporary and emergency situation and with time It was liquidated due to normalisation of the social relations. In 1946 organisations of the Government Plenipotentiaries in whole country were changed on Administrative Districts directed by Foremans.

Source: "History of the Bialogard's Land" - collective work under Andrzej Czarnik editorial.