Świdwin

Świdwin (; ) is a town in West Pomeranian Voivodeship of northwestern Poland. It is the capital of Świdwin County, and the administrative seat of Gmina Świdwin. Świdwin is situated in the historic Pomerania region on the left bank of the Rega river, about east of the regional capital Szczecin and south of the Baltic coast at Kołobrzeg. In 2018 the town had a population of 15,725.

==History== thumb|left|Schivelbein about 1860, with the new railway line to Stargard The area became part of the emerging Polish state under its first historic ruler Mieszko I around 967. In the 12th century there was a gród on the trade route from the coastal city of Kołobrzeg to Greater Poland. Following the fragmentation of Poland, it formed part of the Duchy of Pomerania. Duke Barnim I granted the settlement to the Premonstratensians from Trzebiatów. In 1248 the duke ceded the area to the Bishop of Kamień, who shortly afterwards sold it to the Ascanian margraves of Brandenburg. Schivelbein was incorporated as the northeastern outpost of the Neumark region. It was granted town rights by 1296. From 1373 it was part of the Lands of the Bohemian (Czech) Crown as one of its northernmost towns, in 1384 it was passed to the State of the Teutonic Order, and in 1455 to Brandenburg, which possession it remained until the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806. In the 15th century there were disputes with the nearby town of Białogard, and in 1469 even a battle was fought between the towns. Nowadays, an annual medieval-style competition is organized between the inhabitants of both towns. In 1477 a Carthusian monastery was established, which was secularized in 1539. Brewing developed at that time. In 1550, around 30% of the population died in an epidemic. In the 17th century the town suffered as a result of two fires and the Thirty Years' War. In 1816 it became part of the Prussian province of Pomerania.