"Kamien Pomorski - the Pearl of West Pomerania" Kamien Pomorski by evaanna

Kamien Pomorski Travel Guide: 9 reviews and 14 photos

Kamien Pomorski and the area around - Kamien Pomorski

Kamien Pomorski is one of the oldest towns of West Pomerania dating back to the 9th century AD. By 1124, when St Otto arrived there to preach Christianity, it was already a well-established town. Its name - meaning the Pomeranian stone - derives probably from the enormous post-glacial boulder which can be found in the middle of the Dziwna River - the landmark for sailors and merchants arriving there from the Baltic Sea, just 8 km north of the town.
In the 12th century Kamien became the seat of the Pomeranian dukes, bearing Polish names, like Warcislaw, Boguslaw and then castellans with names like Zawist, Unim, Wargin and Stoislaw. Repeatedly invaded by the Danes and then burnt down twice during the battles with the margraves of Brandenburg in the mid-13th and early 14th centuries, the town began to recover from the war damage soon afterwards. It then consisted of two towns: the one founded by Duke Barnim I and the church one with the bishop as its head. Both were fortified and surrounded by moats. Altogether, Kamien had eight defensive towers. There was also a Polish Dominican monastery there at the time. But, starting with the 13th century, the Slavic population was being increasingly driven out by the Germans.
In the 17th century the town was repeatedly ravaged by plagues, during the Thirty Years War (1618-1648) it was burnt down, including the cathedral tower. In 1630 Kamien was taken over by the Swedes and turned into a stronghold, in 1679 by Brandenburg. A longer period of peace that followed contributed to its revival and development. The next two changes came in the 19th century: Kamien changed hands twice then, first taken over by the French and Polish armies and then by Prussia. The Second World War brought destruction to the town: 75% of the buildings, many of them listed, lay in ruin. Since then the most precious of them, like the Town Hall, have been lovingly restored. After all the wars and disasters, Kamien is back to life again.

The coat of arms of Kamien Pomorski

The coat of arms of Kamien Pomorski has been changing through the ages. The figure in the present version most probably represents St John the Baptist in prayer with a crozier on both sides and two roses. The eldest version, dating back to 1540, pictured a praying woman, sitting in a chair decorated with two roses.

Last visit to Kamien Pomorski: Aug 2005
Intro Updated Feb 23, 2008
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Reviews (8)

St. Nicholas' Church, Kamien Pomorski - Kamien Pomorski

St. Nicholas' Church Things to Do (6)

The hill that St. Nicholas' Church sits on is an ancient pagan burial ground and the church, which is first mentioned in... more travel advice

Facade of the Bishop's Palace, Kamien Pomorski - Kamien Pomorski

The Bishop's Palace Things to Do (6)

The Bishop's Palace is situated within what used to be the church town, where the clergy and all the church officials... more travel advice

Pod Muzami Hotel, Kamien Pomorski - Kamien Pomorski

Pod Muzami Hotel Hotels (1)

This is just a two-star hotel so we shouldn't expect too much, but the rooms have all the facilities, the prices are... more travel advice

Swierzno Off The Beaten Path (1)

We only saw this place in passing on the way to Swinoujscie and our ferry to Ystad. But the charming half-timbered... more travel advice

Comments (17)

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balhannah Jul 25, 2012 at 3:00 PM

Thanks for sharing this page, really interesting and somewhere I would to visit!
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Nemorino Dec 26, 2011 at 6:32 AM

Kamien Pomorski certainly has had more than its share of historical disasters! Glad it is back to life again. I wish you happy holidays and all the best for the New Year.
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Bwana_Brown Sep 25, 2010 at 3:33 PM

Kamien Pomorski certainly seems to have had quite a series of ups and downs in its long history! Very nice photos of its various main buildings. Your hotel looks quite interesting - alwyas nice to stay in a building with a bit of flair to it!
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Yaqui Oct 8, 2009 at 9:35 AM

Love the architeture here Ewa! The Cathedral in Kamien Pomorski is stunning! Wonderful page!
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LoriPori Oct 6, 2009 at 8:41 AM

Looks to be a great place to visit. Lovely architecture and the hotel looks all right to me.
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HORSCHECK Jul 5, 2009 at 5:03 AM

Gorgeous page about this Polish gem. We might visit Kamien Pomorski when we are in Szczecin.
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deecat Apr 28, 2009 at 11:00 AM

Dynamic architecture here in Kamien Pomorski with the half-timber church, the Cathedral, Wolin Gate, beautiful Gothic town hall, the Bishop's Palace, as well as the St. Nicholas Church. Lovely Photographs.
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gilabrand Feb 12, 2009 at 11:24 PM

I love those roofs! What? They let you take a picture for VT? You showed them a VT card??
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christine.j Mar 23, 2008 at 11:49 PM

Thank you so much for pointing out this beautiful town to me. Since it's close to Swinoujscie I hope we can go and visit it.
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matcrazy1 Feb 5, 2007 at 5:17 AM

Great tips. Glad to hear you were allowed to take a picture of pulpit of the cathedral for VT. Half-timbered church in Swierzno looks great, indeed.