Kuyavian–Pomeranian Voivodeship ( ) is one of Poland's 16
voivodeships (provinces).
It was created on 1 January 1999 and is situated in mid-northern Poland, on the boundary between the two historic regions, from which it takes its name:
Kuyavia
Kuyavia (; ), also referred to as Cuyavia, is a historical region in north-central Poland, situated on the left bank of Vistula, as well as east from Noteć River and Lake Gopło. It is divided into three traditional parts: north-western (with th ...
() and
Pomerania
Pomerania ( ; ; ; ) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The central and eastern part belongs to the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, West Pomeranian, Pomeranian Voivod ...
().
Its two chief cities, serving as the province's joint capitals, are
Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...
and
Toruń
Toruń is a city on the Vistula River in north-central Poland and a World Heritage Sites of Poland, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its population was 196,935 as of December 2021. Previously, it was the capital of the Toruń Voivodeship (1975–199 ...
.
History
The Kuyavian–Pomeranian Voivodeship was created on 1 January 1999, as a result of the
Polish local government reforms
The administrative division of Poland since 1999 has been based on three levels of subdivision. The territory of Poland is divided into ''voivodeships'' (provinces); these are further divided into ''powiats'' (counties or districts), and these i ...
adopted in 1998. It consisted of territory from the former
Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...
,
Toruń
Toruń is a city on the Vistula River in north-central Poland and a World Heritage Sites of Poland, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its population was 196,935 as of December 2021. Previously, it was the capital of the Toruń Voivodeship (1975–199 ...
and
Włocławek
Włocławek (; or ''Alt Lesle'', Yiddish: וולאָצלאַוועק, romanized: ''Vlatzlavek'') is a city in the Kuyavian–Pomeranian Voivodeship in central Poland along the Vistula River, bordered by the Gostynin-Włocławek Landscape Park ...
Voivodeships.
The area now known as Kuyavia-Pomerania was previously divided between the region of
Kuyavia
Kuyavia (; ), also referred to as Cuyavia, is a historical region in north-central Poland, situated on the left bank of Vistula, as well as east from Noteć River and Lake Gopło. It is divided into three traditional parts: north-western (with th ...
,
Dobrzyń Land
Dobrzyń Land () is a historical region in central-northern Poland. It lies northeast of the Vistula River, south of the Drwęca, and west of the Skrwa. The territory approximately corresponds with the present-day powiats of Lipno, Rypin, and ...
,
Pomerania
Pomerania ( ; ; ; ) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The central and eastern part belongs to the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, West Pomeranian, Pomeranian Voivod ...
(including
Chełmno Land
Chełmno land (, or Kulmerland) is a part of the historical region of Pomerelia, located in central-northern Poland.
Chełmno land is named after the city of Chełmno. The largest city in the region is Toruń; another bigger city is Grudziąd ...
and
Kociewie
Kociewie is an ethnocultural region in the eastern part of Tuchola Forest, in northern Poland, Pomerania, that is inhabited by the Kociewians. Its cultural capital is Starogard Gdański, the biggest town is Tczew, while other major towns include ...
), and
Greater Poland
Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; ), is a Polish Polish historical regions, historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed by Kalisz, the oldest city in Poland.
The bound ...
(including
Pałuki
Pałuki () is a historic and ethnographic region lying in central Poland, part of Greater Poland neighbouring Pomerania and Kuyavia. In terms of administrative division the region lies in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodship and Greater Poland Voivo ...
and
Krajna
Krajna is a forested historical region in the north of Greater Poland in Poland, situated in the border area between the Greater Poland, Kuyavian-Pomeranian and Pomeranian Voivodeships. The region consists of parts of Złotów, Piła, Sęp� ...
). Of the two principal cities of today's Kuyavian–Pomeranian voivodeship, one (
Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...
) was historically located in Kuyavia, while the other (
Toruń
Toruń is a city on the Vistula River in north-central Poland and a World Heritage Sites of Poland, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its population was 196,935 as of December 2021. Previously, it was the capital of the Toruń Voivodeship (1975–199 ...
) was an important town of Chełmno Land.
Administration and territory
The functions of regional capital are split between
Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...
and
Toruń
Toruń is a city on the Vistula River in north-central Poland and a World Heritage Sites of Poland, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its population was 196,935 as of December 2021. Previously, it was the capital of the Toruń Voivodeship (1975–199 ...
. Bydgoszcz serves as the seat of the centrally appointed governor or
voivode
Voivode ( ), also spelled voivod, voievod or voevod and also known as vaivode ( ), voivoda, vojvoda, vaivada or wojewoda, is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe in use since the Early Mid ...
(), while Toruń is the seat of the elected
Regional Assembly (
sejmik
A sejmik (, diminutive of ''sejm'', occasionally translated as a ''dietine''; ) was one of various local parliaments in the history of Poland and history of Lithuania. The first sejmiks were regional assemblies in the Kingdom of Poland (before ...
), and of the executive elected by that assembly, headed by the voivodeship marshal (''marszałek województwa'').
The Kuyavian–Pomeranian Voivodeship is bordered by five other voivodeships. These are
Pomeranian Voivodeship
Pomeranian Voivodeship ( ; ) is a Voivodeships of Poland, voivodeship, or province, in northwestern Poland. The provincial capital is Gdańsk.
The voivodeship was established on January 1, 1999, out of the former voivodeships of Gdańsk Voivo ...
to the north,
Warmian–Masurian Voivodeship
Warmian–Masurian Voivodeship is a voivodeship (province) in northeastern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Olsztyn. The voivodeship has an area of and in 2019 had a population of 1,425,967.
Warmian–Masurian Voivodeship was created on ...
to the north-east,
Masovian Voivodeship
Masovian Voivodeship or Mazowieckie Province (, ) and any variation thereof, is a Voivodeships of Poland, voivodeship (province) in east-central Poland, containing Poland's capital Warsaw.
Masovian Voivodeship has an area of and had a 2019 po ...
to the east,
Łódź Voivodeship
Łódź Voivodeship ( ) is a Voivodeships of Poland, voivodeship (province) of Poland. The province is named after its capital and largest city, Łódź, pronounced .
Łódź Voivodeship is bordered by six other voivodeships: Masovian Voivodeship ...
across a short boundary to the south, and
Greater Poland Voivodeship
Greater Poland Voivodeship ( ) is a Voivodeships of Poland, voivodeship, or province, in west-central Poland. The province is named after the region called Greater Poland (''Wielkopolska'' ). The modern province includes most of this historic re ...
to the south and west.
Bdg UWoj 3 6-2015.jpg, Voivodeship Office in Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...
Urząd marszałkowski w Toruniu.jpg, Voivodeship Sejmik in Toruń
Toruń is a city on the Vistula River in north-central Poland and a World Heritage Sites of Poland, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its population was 196,935 as of December 2021. Previously, it was the capital of the Toruń Voivodeship (1975–199 ...
Cities and towns

The voivodeship contains 5 cities and 47 towns. These are listed below in descending order of population (according to official figures for 2019
):
Economy
The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the province was 21.8 billion euros in 2018, accounting for 4.4% of Polish economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 17,300 euros or 57% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 64% of the EU average.
Transportation
Transportation infrastructure is of critical importance to the voivodeship's economy. Kuyavia-Pomerania is a major node in the Polish transportation system. Railway lines from the South and East pass through
Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...
to connect to the major ports on the
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
. In addition to this,
Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...
is home to the rolling stock manufacturer
PESA SA
Pesa SA (Polish language, Polish: Pojazdy Szynowe Pesa Bydgoszcz) is a Polish rolling stock manufacturer based in Bydgoszcz. The name 'Pesa' derives from the initials PS which stand for ''Pojazdy Szynowe,'' 'railway vehicles' in Polish. Pes ...
, Poland's largest and most modern producer of railway and tram products. The province's sole international airport,
Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport, is located in Bydgoszcz and has connections to a number of European destinations as well as
Warsaw
Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
, which are all operated by either Irish carrier
Ryanair
Ryanair is an Irish Low-cost carrier#Ultra low-cost carrier, ultra low-cost airline group headquartered in Swords, County Dublin, Ireland. The parent company, Ryanair Holdings plc, includes subsidiaries Ryanair , Malta Air, Buzz (Ryanair), Buzz ...
or
LOT Polish Airlines
LOT Polish Airlines, legally Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT S.A. (, ''flight''), is the flag carrier of Poland. A founding member of IATA, it is one of the world's oldest airlines. With a fleet of 87 aircraft as of June 2025, LOT is Europe's 16th ...
.
The main railway stations of the province are Bydgoszcz main station and Toruń main station; both stations are served by fast
PKP Intercity
PKP Intercity is the subsidiary of the PKP Group responsible for long-distance rail passenger transport in Poland. It operates around 350 trains daily, connecting large agglomerations and smaller towns in Poland. It offers its services under ...
trains which connect them with the capital
Warsaw
Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
, as well as other major Polish cities. In addition to these fast express services, inter-regional trains are operated by the firm
Przewozy Regionalne
Polregio (formerly ''Przewozy Regionalne'') is a train operator in Poland, responsible for local and interregional passenger transportation. Each day it runs approximately 3,000 regional trains. In 2002 it carried 215 million passengers.
T ...
, while domestic rail transportation within the voivodeship is provided by
Arriva RP, a private firm to which the provincial government subcontracted the provision of rail transport.
The
A1 and
S5 highways pass through the province, with the
S10 S10 may refer to:
Automobiles
* Chevrolet S-10, a pickup truck
* Nissan Silvia (S10), a sports car
* Toyota Crown (S10), a luxury car
Aviation
* Lake Chelan Airport, in Chelan County, Washington, United States
* Letov Š-10, a Czech trainer a ...
also under construction.
All major towns of the province have municipal transportation companies operating buses, while
Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...
,
Toruń
Toruń is a city on the Vistula River in north-central Poland and a World Heritage Sites of Poland, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its population was 196,935 as of December 2021. Previously, it was the capital of the Toruń Voivodeship (1975–199 ...
and
Grudziądz
Grudziądz (, ) is a city in northern Poland, with 92,552 inhabitants (2021). Located on the Vistula River, it lies within the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship and is the fourth-largest city in its province.
Grudziądz is one of the oldest citie ...
also have extensive tram systems.
Politics
The Kuyavian-Pomeranian voivodeship's government is headed by the province's voivode ''(governor)'' who is appointed by the
Polish Prime Minister. The voivode is then assisted in performing his duties by the voivodeship's marshal, who is the appointed speaker for the voivodeship's executive and is elected by the sejmik ''(provincial assembly)''. The current voivode of Kuyavia-Pomerania is
Ewa Monika Mes, and the present marshal is
Piotr Całbecki
Piotr Franciszek Całbecki (born 4 October 1967 in Toruń, Poland) is a Polish politician who is a current member of Kuyavian-Pomeranian Regional Assembly and Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Marshal. He was part of the Toruń City Councillors b ...
.
The Sejmik of Kuyavia-Pomerania consists of 33 members.
Governors
Administrative division
The Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship is divided into 23 counties (
s): 4 city counties and 19 land counties. These are further divided into 144
gmina
The gmina (Polish: , plural ''gminy'' ) is the basic unit of the administrative division of Poland, similar to a municipality. , there were 2,479 gminy throughout the country, encompassing over 43,000 villages. 940 gminy include cities and tow ...
s.
The counties are listed in the following table (ordering within categories is by decreasing population).
Protected areas
Protected area
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural or cultural values. Protected areas are those areas in which human presence or the exploitation of natural resources (e.g. firewood ...
s in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship include the nine
Landscape Parks listed below.
*
Brodnica Landscape Park (partly in
Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship)
*
Chełmno Landscape Park
Chełmno Landscape Park (''Chełmiński Park Krajobrazowy'') is a protected area ( Landscape Park) in north-central Poland, established in 1998, covering an area of .
The Park lies within Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in the region of the town ...
*
Gopło Landscape Park
Gopło () is a ribbon lake in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, north-central Poland, near the city of Gniezno. It gives its name to the protected area called Gopło Landscape Park.
In early Middle Ages, the shores of Lake Gopło were home to a ...
*
Górzno-Lidzbark Landscape Park (partly in
Masovian and Warmian-Masurian Voivodeships)
*
Gostynin-Włocławek Landscape Park (partly in Masovian Voivodeship)
*
Krajna Landscape Park
*
Tuchola Landscape Park
Tuchola Landscape Park (''Tucholski Park Krajobrazowy'') is a protected area ( Landscape Park) in north-central Poland, established in 1985, covering an area of in the Tuchola Forests close to the town of Tuchola.
The Park is shared between two ...
(partly in
Pomeranian Voivodeship
Pomeranian Voivodeship ( ; ) is a Voivodeships of Poland, voivodeship, or province, in northwestern Poland. The provincial capital is Gdańsk.
The voivodeship was established on January 1, 1999, out of the former voivodeships of Gdańsk Voivo ...
)
*
Vistula Landscape Park
Vistula Landscape Park (''Nadwiślański Park Krajobrazowy'') is a protected area ( Landscape Park) in north-central Poland, established in 1993, covering an area of .
The Park lies within Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, on the left bank of the ...
*
Wda Landscape Park
Wda Landscape Park (''Wdecki Park Krajobrazowy'') is a protected area ( Landscape Park) in north-central Poland, established in 1993. Covering an area of , the park takes its name from the Wda river.
The park lies within Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voi ...
Sights and tourism
There are eight
Historic Monuments of Poland and one
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
in the voivodeship:
*
Medieval Town of Toruń
Medieval Town of Toruń () is the oldest historic district of the city of Toruń. It is one of Poland's World Heritage Sites (added in 1997). According to UNESCO, its value lies in its being "a small historic trading city that preserves to a rem ...
(listed as both)
*Old Town of
Chełmno
Chełmno (; older ; , formerly also ) is a town in northern Poland near the Vistula river with 18,915 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is the seat of the Chełmno County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship.
Due to its regional importance ...
*
Biskupin
Biskupin () is an archaeological site and a life-size model of a late Bronze Age fortified settlement in north-central Poland that also serves as an archaeological open-air museum. When first discovered it was thought to be early evidence of a ...
archeological reserve
*
Graduation towers, saline and spa parks of
Ciechocinek
Ciechocinek (Polish pronunciation: ; German (1941–1945): ''Hermannsbad'') is a spa town in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, north-central Poland, located on the Vistula River about east of Aleksandrów Kujawski and south-east of the city of Tor ...
*
Grudziądz Granaries
Grudziądz Granaries () is a unique 14th-century fortification complex of river bank granaries on the Vistula river in Grudziądz, Poland.
History
After the Teutonic Order founded the settlement of present-day Grudziądz in 1291, the Order began ...
*
Lubostroń Palace
The Lubostroń Palace is a neoclassical palace, built in 1795-1800 by Stanisław Zawadzki, a leading architect of the time. Author, among others, of edifices in Warsaw and in the region of the Greater Poland, Zawadzki was commissioned by Count Fr ...
and Park Complex
*Norbertine monastery complex with the Romanesque Saint Procopius Church and the Romanesque-Gothic-Baroque
Holy Trinity Church
Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...
in
Strzelno
Strzelno is a town in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland. The town is located south of Inowrocław. According to the June 2005 Census, the population numbered 22,486. It is located in the historic region of Kuyavia.
History
Establish ...
*
Włocławek Cathedral
The Basilica Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption is a large Gothic architecture, Gothic building situated in the Polish city of Włocławek located near to the Vistula, Vistula River. Construction on the cathedral began in the 1340s, and it was ...
The region is rich in historic architecture ranging from
Romanesque and
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High Middle Ages, High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It evolved f ...
to
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
,
Baroque
The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
and
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...
. Other preserved historic old towns include
Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...
,
Grudziądz
Grudziądz (, ) is a city in northern Poland, with 92,552 inhabitants (2021). Located on the Vistula River, it lies within the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship and is the fourth-largest city in its province.
Grudziądz is one of the oldest citie ...
and
Brodnica
Brodnica () is a town in northern Poland with 28,574 inhabitants . It is the seat of Brodnica County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. The nearby Brodnica Landscape Park, a protected area, gets its name from Brodnica.
History
The first r ...
. There are also numerous castles, including
Dybów,
Golub,
Radzyń Chełmiński
Radzyń Chełmiński (; ) is a town in Grudziądz County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland, with 1,946 inhabitants (2004).
History
Radzyń is located within the historic Chełmno Land, which became part of the emerging Polish state in the 1 ...
,
Świecie
Świecie (; ) is a town in northern Poland with 24,841 inhabitants (2023), capital of Świecie County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is located within the ethnocultural region of Kociewie in the historic region of Pomerania.
Founded ...
,
Zamek Bierzgłowski
Zamek Bierzgłowski is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Łubianka, within Toruń County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-central Poland. It lies approximately north-west of Toruń and east of Bydgoszcz. It is located i ...
, preserved castle towers, including
Brodnica
Brodnica () is a town in northern Poland with 28,574 inhabitants . It is the seat of Brodnica County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. The nearby Brodnica Landscape Park, a protected area, gets its name from Brodnica.
History
The first r ...
and
Kruszwica
Kruszwica () is a town in central Poland, in the Inowrocław County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. It has a population of 9,161 (2010). Initially founded in the 6th century, Kruszwica is the oldest town in the region and features a medieva ...
, and palaces, including
Jabłonowo Pomorskie
Jabłonowo Pomorskie (Polish pronunciation: ; , 1903-1945: ''Goßlershausen'') is a town in the Brodnica powiat of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland. As of 2018, the town had a population of 3,783. It is located in the Chełmno Land in th ...
,
Ostromecko
Ostromecko is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Dąbrowa Chełmińska, within Bydgoszcz County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-central Poland. It lies south-west of Dąbrowa Chełmińska, east of Bydgoszcz, and nor ...
,
Wąpielsk
Wąpielsk is a village in Rypin County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-central Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Wąpielsk. It lies approximately north-west of Rypin and east of Toruń.
Histo ...
,
Żołędowo. The Dybów Castle was the place where in 1454 King
Casimir IV Jagiellon
Casimir IV (Casimir Andrew Jagiellon; ; Lithuanian: ; 30 November 1427 – 7 June 1492) was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440 and King of Poland from 1447 until his death in 1492. He was one of the most active Polish-Lithuanian rulers; under ...
issued the famous
Statutes of Nieszawa The Nieszawa Statutes () were a set of laws enacted in the Kingdom of Poland of the Jagiellons, Kingdom of Poland in 1454, in the town of Nieszawa located in north-central Poland. The King Casimir IV Jagiellon made a number of concessions to the Pol ...
, covering a set of privileges for the
Polish nobility
The ''szlachta'' (; ; ) were the nobility, noble estate of the realm in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Depending on the definition, they were either a warrior "caste" or a social ...
; an event that is regarded as the birth of the noble democracy in Poland, which lasted until the late-18th-century
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland were three partition (politics), partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that took place between 1772 and 1795, toward the end of the 18th century. They ended the existence of the state, resulting in the eli ...
. The manor in
Szafarnia was a place of stay for
Fryderyk Chopin
The Fryderyk is the annual award in Polish music. Its name refers to the original Polish spelling variant of Polish composer Frédéric Chopin's first name. Its status in the Polish public can be compared to the US Grammy and British BRIT Awar ...
during his 1824 and 1825 summer vacations, and contains a museum dedicated to the composer.
Włocławek, Toruń and Bydgoszcz contain preserved Gothic cathedrals. Locations of historic
monasteries include
Chełmno
Chełmno (; older ; , formerly also ) is a town in northern Poland near the Vistula river with 18,915 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is the seat of the Chełmno County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship.
Due to its regional importance ...
,
Grudziądz
Grudziądz (, ) is a city in northern Poland, with 92,552 inhabitants (2021). Located on the Vistula River, it lies within the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship and is the fourth-largest city in its province.
Grudziądz is one of the oldest citie ...
,
Mogilno
Mogilno (; ) is a town in central Poland, seat of the Mogilno County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship.
History
Mogilno is one of the oldest settlements along the border of the Greater Poland and Kuyavia historical regions. Since the turn o ...
,
Rywałd and
Skępe
Skępe is a town in Lipno County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland, with 7790 inhabitants (2012). It is the main sanctuary of Dobrzyń Land, with image of Our Lady crowned officially in 1755.
History
Skępe developed from a medieval Slav ...
. In
Gąsawa
Gąsawa is a town in Żnin County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-central Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Gąsawa. It lies approximately south of Żnin and south-west of Bydgoszcz. It is sit ...
, there is the 17th-century Saint Nicolas Church with a unique collection of multi-layered mural paintings, dating back several centuries.
There are three
spa town
A spa town is a resort town based on a mineral spa (a developed mineral spring). Patrons visit spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits.
Thomas Guidott set up a medical practice in the English town of Bath, Somerset, Ba ...
s:
Ciechocinek
Ciechocinek (Polish pronunciation: ; German (1941–1945): ''Hermannsbad'') is a spa town in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, north-central Poland, located on the Vistula River about east of Aleksandrów Kujawski and south-east of the city of Tor ...
,
Inowrocław
Inowrocław (; , ) is a city in central Poland with a total population of 68,101 (as of December 2022). It is situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is one of the largest and most historically significant cities within the historic re ...
and
Wieniec-Zdrój
Wieniec-Zdrój is a spa in the administrative district of Gmina Brześć Kujawski, within Włocławek County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in central Poland. It lies approximately north-east of Brześć Kujawski, west of Włocławek, and so ...
.
Major museums and art galleries are located in Bydgoszcz, Toruń and Włocławek, including the
Leon Wyczółkowski Regional Museum in Bydgoszcz,
District Museum in Toruń
Toruń Regional Museum (), located in the '' Ratusz'' hall of Toruń, is one of the oldest and largest museums in Poland. It started in 1594 as the mere Cabinet of Curiosities at the library of the academic Gimnazjum, called ''Musaeum'' in Latin. ...
and Museum of Kuyavia and Dobrzyń Land in Włocławek. The more unique museums include:
*
Copernicus House in Toruń
The Copernicus House is a historic, Gothic tenement house in Toruń, Poland, which belonged to the Copernicus family in the second half of the 15th century. It is considered by many historians to be the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus, and it h ...
, museum dedicated to
Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus (19 February 1473 – 24 May 1543) was a Renaissance polymath who formulated a mathematical model, model of Celestial spheres#Renaissance, the universe that placed heliocentrism, the Sun rather than Earth at its cen ...
*European Museum of Money at the former
Polish Royal Mint in Bydgoszcz
*Museum of
Toruń Gingerbread
Toruń gingerbread (, ) is a traditional Polish gingerbread that has been produced since the Middle Ages in the city of Toruń.
History
Old Polish sayings connect Toruń with making of some form of gingerbread, and the expansion of the craft ...
in Toruń
*Museum of Far Eastern Art in the
Under the Star Tenement House in Toruń
The Star Tenement () is a townhouse located in Toruń, Poland. It is distinguished by a late baroque facade, decorated at the top with a golden star, from which its name comes from. Its present shape has been influenced by numerous reconstructions ...
*Andrzej Szwalbe Collection of Historical Pianos at the palace in
Ostromecko
Ostromecko is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Dąbrowa Chełmińska, within Bydgoszcz County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-central Poland. It lies south-west of Dąbrowa Chełmińska, east of Bydgoszcz, and nor ...
, one of two largest such collections in Poland
*
Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in Wenecja
*
Exploseum
The Exploseum ("explosines + museum"; ) is an open-air museum of industrial architecture combined with a museum of 20th century technology in Bydgoszcz, Poland. It is built around the World War II Nazi Germany munitions factory Bromberg Dynamit N ...
in Bydgoszcz, operated at the site of a former Nazi German arms factory.

There are numerous World War II memorials in the province, including a memorial at the site of the former
Potulice concentration camp
Potulice concentration camp () was a concentration camp established and operated by Nazi Germany during World War II in Potulice near Nakło in the territory of occupied Poland. Until the spring of 1941 it was a subcamp of the Stutthof concentra ...
, memorials at the sites of Nazi massacres of Poles, including the largest massacres at
Mniszek,
Gniewkowo
Gniewkowo (Polish pronunciation: ) is a town in Inowrocław County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-central Poland with a population of 7,301 inhabitants (2005). It is located within the historic region of Kuyavia.
Location
Gniewkowo ...
,
Klamry
Klamry is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Chełmno, within Chełmno County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-central Poland. It lies approximately east of Chełmno, north of Toruń, and north-east of Bydgoszcz. It is ...
,
Łopatki and
Fordon, and memorials to
Allied prisoners of war held by Nazi Germany in the region at the sites of the former
Stalag XX-A
Stalag XX-A was a German World War II German prisoner-of-war camps in World War II, prisoner-of-war camp located in Toruń in Occupation of Poland (1939–1945), German-occupied Poland. It was not a single camp and contained as many as 20,000 men ...
,
Oflag XXI-B
Oflag XXI-B and Stalag XXI-B were World War II German prisoner-of-war camps for officers and enlisted men, located at Szubin a few miles southwest of Bydgoszcz, Poland, which at that time was occupied by Nazi Germany.
Timeline
* September ...
and
Oflag 64 POW camps in Toruń and
Szubin
Szubin () is a town in Nakło County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland, located southwest of Bydgoszcz. It has a population of around 9,333 (as of 2010). It is located on the Gąsawka River in the ethnocultural region of Pałuki.
A small ...
.
Other notable sights include the
Bydgoszcz Canal
Bydgoszcz Canal (; ) is a canal between the cities of Bydgoszcz and Nakło nad Notecią in Poland. It is 24.7 km long and connects the Vistula river with the Oder river, through the Brda (river), Brda and Noteć rivers (the latter ending in ...
, connecting
Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...
and
Nakło nad Notecią
Nakło nad Notecią (Polish pronunciation: ) is a town in north-central Poland on the river Noteć with 23,687 inhabitants (2007). It is the seat of Nakło County, and also of Gmina Nakło nad Notecią, situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivod ...
, the
Battle of Koronowo
The Battle of Koronowo was a battle of the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War. It took place on 10 October 1410, near the village of Łąsko Wielkie and ended in victory for the Polish–Lithuanian alliance.
This is the account of the battle of ...
(1410) Monument, and monuments do distinguished people from the region, including cryptologist
Marian Rejewski
Marian Adam Rejewski (; 16 August 1905 – 13 February 1980) was a Polish people, Polish mathematician and Cryptography, cryptologist who in late 1932 reconstructed the sight-unseen German military Enigma machine, Enigma cipher machine, aided ...
(birthplace and monument in Bydgoszcz), writer
Jan Kasprowicz
Jan Kasprowicz (12 December 1860 – 1 August 1926) was a Polish poet, playwright, critic and translator; a foremost representative of Young Poland.
Biography
Kasprowicz was born in the village of Szymborze (now part of Inowrocław) within t ...
(childhood home and monument in Inowrocław), and surgeon
Ludwik Rydygier
Ludwik Antoni Rydygier (21 August 1850 – 25 June 1920) was a Polish surgeon, professor of medicine, rector of the University of Lwów and Brigadier General of the Polish Army. He was one of the most distinguished Polish and worldwide known s ...
, the first surgeon in the world to carry out a peptic ulcer resection (former clinic and monument in Chełmno).
Sports
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four clockwise, anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that ...
, basketball and volleyball enjoy the largest following in the province. The
KS Toruń
KS Toruń, currently competing as PRES Grupa Deweloperska Toruń, is a Polish motorcycle speedway team from Toruń. The team currently competes in the Ekstraliga (the highest division) and have won the Team Speedway Polish Championship four tim ...
and
Polonia Bydgoszcz
Polonia Bydgoszcz is a Polish sports club based in Bydgoszcz most known for its Motorcycle speedway, speedway team ŻKS Polonia Bydgoszcz which currently races in the Polish Speedway First League, 1. Liga. The club has won the Team Speedway Pol ...
clubs are among the most accomplished speedway clubs in the country and contest the
Pomeranian-Kuyavian Derby
The Pomeranian-Kuyavian Derby (), also known as the Pomeranian Derby (''Derby Pomorza'') is a motorcycle speedway match between rivals Polonia Bydgoszcz and KS Toruń. The rivalry comes about as Bydgoszcz and Toruń are the two largest cities in f ...
, one of the fiercest speedway rivalries.
Since the establishment of the province, several major international sports competitions were co-hosted by the province, including the
EuroBasket 2009
The 2009 FIBA European Championship, commonly called FIBA EuroBasket 2009, was the 36th FIBA EuroBasket regional basketball championship held by FIBA Europe. The tournament, which was hosted by Poland, began on 7 September and concluded with the ...
,
2009 Women's European Volleyball Championship
The 2009 Women's European Volleyball Championship was the 26th edition of the European Volleyball Championship, organised by Europe's governing volleyball body, the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball. The cities that hosted matches were B ...
,
2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held at Myślęcinek Park in Bydgoszcz, Poland on 28 March 2010. It was the first time in over twenty years that Poland hosted the annual championships, having previously held them in Warsaw in ...
,
EuroBasket Women 2011
The 2011 European Women Basketball Championship, commonly called EuroBasket Women 2011, was the 33rd regional championship held by FIBA Europe. The competition was held in Poland from 18 June to 3 July 2011. This was the 4th time that the EuroBa ...
,
2013 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 2013 IAAF World Cross Country Championships took place on March 24, 2013. The races were held at the Myślęcinek Park in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Kenya topped the medal standings in the competition with 5 gold, and Ethiopia had the most overall ...
,
2014 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship
The 2014 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship was held in Poland from 30 August to 21 September 2014. The tournament featured 24 teams to determine the world champions in men's volleyball. In addition to the host nation Poland, 23 teams qual ...
, and
2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup
The 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the 22nd edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the biennial international men's youth football championship contested by the under-20 national teams of the member associations of FIFA, since its inception in 1977 a ...
.
Curiosities
*
Brześć Kujawski
Brześć Kujawski (Polish pronunciation: ; ) is a town in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship in central Poland. Once a royal seat of Kuyavia, the town has been the seat of one of two small duchy, duchies into which Kuyavia had been temporarily di ...
,
Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...
,
Dobrzyń nad Wisłą
Dobrzyń nad Wisłą (; ) is a town in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland. It lies on the Vistula River in the vicinity of Włocławek. As of December 2021, the town has a population of 2,025.
History Foundations
The settlement of Dobrzy ...
,
Gniewkowo
Gniewkowo (Polish pronunciation: ) is a town in Inowrocław County, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-central Poland with a population of 7,301 inhabitants (2005). It is located within the historic region of Kuyavia.
Location
Gniewkowo ...
and
Inowrocław
Inowrocław (; , ) is a city in central Poland with a total population of 68,101 (as of December 2022). It is situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is one of the largest and most historically significant cities within the historic re ...
were medieval ducal seats of the
Piast dynasty
The House of Piast was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. The first documented List of Polish monarchs, Polish monarch was Duke Mieszko I of Poland, Mieszko I (–992). The Poland during the Piast dynasty, Piasts' royal rule in Pol ...
.
*
Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...
and
Toruń
Toruń is a city on the Vistula River in north-central Poland and a World Heritage Sites of Poland, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its population was 196,935 as of December 2021. Previously, it was the capital of the Toruń Voivodeship (1975–199 ...
, although not capitals of Poland, hosted sessions of the Polish Parliament. Bydgoszcz in 1520, Toruń in 1576 and 1626.
*Toruń served as the temporary Polish capital in 1809.
*Medieval municipal rights modelled after
Chełmno
Chełmno (; older ; , formerly also ) is a town in northern Poland near the Vistula river with 18,915 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is the seat of the Chełmno County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship.
Due to its regional importance ...
, known as
Chełmno rights
Kulm law, Culm law or Chełmno Law (; ; ) was a legal constitution for a municipal form of government used in several Central European cities in the Middle Ages and early modern period.
It was initiated on 28 December 1233 in the Monastic State o ...
, became the basis of municipal form of government for various cities and towns of the region and beyond, including
Warsaw
Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
.
*The Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship is one of four first-level administrative divisions containing the name of the historic region of Pomerania, the other being the
Pomeranian Voivodeship
Pomeranian Voivodeship ( ; ) is a Voivodeships of Poland, voivodeship, or province, in northwestern Poland. The provincial capital is Gdańsk.
The voivodeship was established on January 1, 1999, out of the former voivodeships of Gdańsk Voivo ...
and
West Pomeranian Voivodeship
West Pomeranian Voivodeship is a Voivodeships of Poland, voivodeship (province) in northwestern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Szczecin. Its area equals , and in 2021, it was inhabited by 1,682,003 people.
It was established on 1 Janua ...
in Poland, and
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV; ; ), also known by its Anglicisation, anglicized name Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania, is a Federated state, state in the north-east of Germany. Of the country's States of Germany, sixteen states, Mecklenburg-Vorpom ...
in Germany.
Gallery
Image:Colegiate church, Kruszwica.JPG, Collegiate Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Kruszwica
Kruszwica () is a town in central Poland, in the Inowrocław County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. It has a population of 9,161 (2010). Initially founded in the 6th century, Kruszwica is the oldest town in the region and features a medieva ...
Image:Zamek w Golubiu - ZJ001.jpg, Golub Castle
Image:SM Chełmno Ratusz (4) ID 601491.jpg, Market Square in Chełmno
Chełmno (; older ; , formerly also ) is a town in northern Poland near the Vistula river with 18,915 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is the seat of the Chełmno County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship.
Due to its regional importance ...
Image:Kamienica przy placu Wolności 1 2023.jpg, Freedom Square in Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...
Image:Grudziadz spichrze od str Wisly.jpg, Grudziądz Granaries
Grudziądz Granaries () is a unique 14th-century fortification complex of river bank granaries on the Vistula river in Grudziądz, Poland.
History
After the Teutonic Order founded the settlement of present-day Grudziądz in 1291, the Order began ...
Image:Bdg Dluga 7 07-2013.jpg, Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...
Old Town
Torun Ratusz Staromiejski 2010 03 04.jpg, Old Town Hall in Toruń
Toruń is a city on the Vistula River in north-central Poland and a World Heritage Sites of Poland, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its population was 196,935 as of December 2021. Previously, it was the capital of the Toruń Voivodeship (1975–199 ...
Stanowisko archeologiczne w Biskupinie, 20210907 1402 2436.jpg, Biskupin
Biskupin () is an archaeological site and a life-size model of a late Bronze Age fortified settlement in north-central Poland that also serves as an archaeological open-air museum. When first discovered it was thought to be early evidence of a ...
Old town hall in Swiecie 02.jpg, Town hall in Świecie
Świecie (; ) is a town in northern Poland with 24,841 inhabitants (2023), capital of Świecie County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is located within the ethnocultural region of Kociewie in the historic region of Pomerania.
Founded ...
603104 Toruń Dom M. Kopernika i wnętrza 01.JPG, Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus (19 February 1473 – 24 May 1543) was a Renaissance polymath who formulated a mathematical model, model of Celestial spheres#Renaissance, the universe that placed heliocentrism, the Sun rather than Earth at its cen ...
House in Toruń
Toruń is a city on the Vistula River in north-central Poland and a World Heritage Sites of Poland, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its population was 196,935 as of December 2021. Previously, it was the capital of the Toruń Voivodeship (1975–199 ...
Pałac klasycystyczny w Lubostroniu. - panoramio (13).jpg, Lubostroń Palace
The Lubostroń Palace is a neoclassical palace, built in 1795-1800 by Stanisław Zawadzki, a leading architect of the time. Author, among others, of edifices in Warsaw and in the region of the Greater Poland, Zawadzki was commissioned by Count Fr ...
Town hall tower in Znin (2).jpg, Market Square in Żnin
Żnin (; , 1941–45: ) is a town in north-central Poland with a population of 14,181 (June 2014). It is in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship (previously Bydgoszcz Voivodeship) and is the capital of Żnin County. The historical town, initially es ...
Image:Bdg Wilenska 5 07-2008.jpg, Birthplace of cryptologist Marian Rejewski
Marian Adam Rejewski (; 16 August 1905 – 13 February 1980) was a Polish people, Polish mathematician and Cryptography, cryptologist who in late 1932 reconstructed the sight-unseen German military Enigma machine, Enigma cipher machine, aided ...
in Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz is a city in northern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Kuyavia. Straddling the confluence of the Vistula River and its bank (geography), left-bank tributary, the Brda (river), Brda, the strategic location of Byd ...
Bdg Katedra 13 07-2013.jpg, Bydgoszcz Cathedral
St. Martin and St. Nicholas Cathedral (), or simply known as Bydgoszcz Cathedral, is a Catholic church built in the 15th century. It has a Gothic style, serves as a parish church and cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bydgoszcz, Diocese ...
See also
*
Kuyavian-Pomeranian (European Parliament constituency) * Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship * Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship is one of the 16 voivodeships (provinces) in Poland.
* Kuyavian-Pomeranian is one of 13 Polish constituency of the European Parliament.
* Kuyavian-Pomeranian Regional Assembly is ...
Notes
External links
Visit Kuiavia-PomeraniaGovernment of Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship*
ttp://VisitWloclawek.blogspot.com Blog about Tourismus in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodship
{{Coord, 53, 04, 42, N, 18, 29, 37, E, region:PL-KP_type:adm1st, display=title
1999 establishments in Poland
States and territories established in 1999