Chelmno

The history of Chelmno is integrally associated with the Teutonic Knights who founded here their capital city in 1233. Nowadays this charming town with many historic monuments is being promoted as a city of the love and lovers – in 1893 the first textbook for lovers „The Love secretary or Handbook for lovers” was published here.

In 1226 Konrad, the Duke of Mazovia presented the lands of Chelmno to the Teutonic Knights what initiated an existence of a new strong state in this territory. In the years 1233-1309 Chelmno was a capital city of their state and its city law became a model for the other Pomeranian and Mazovian towns. In the past Chelmno belonged also to the Hanzeatic League and had its own university between 1472 – 1818. Its medieval street plan and fortifications have survived almost intact. The greatest attraction of the town is the Renaissance town hall with the Gothic elements of decoration from the 16th century and “pręt” marked on its wall. Pręt was an iron measuring stick of the lenght just over 14 ft. Worth seeing are also the town 13th-century defensive walls with 23 towers and the Grudziadz Gate. What-is-more the six Gothic Churches survived in the town. The most interesting is the Gothic Parish Church of the Virgin Mary from the 13th century with an interesting sculptural decoration, the ribbed vaults and Baroque interior furnishing. Another one – the brick Church of St John the Baptist and St John the Evangelist is run by the Sisters of Mercy and has two storeys in the west side. The upper one is a beautiful gallery for the nuns and is decorated with a medieval Gothic frieze with 44 scenes.