Colbergcoffee » Colberg » Colberg and Kołobrzeg – History of the Town of Kołobrzeg

Colberg and Kołobrzeg – History of the Town of Kołobrzeg

The beginnings of settlement – salt, the stronghold and the first wealth

Kołobrzeg is one of the oldest towns in Pomerania. Its history goes back to the 8th century, when a settlement here was known for extracting salt from brine springs.
In the 10th century the stronghold was incorporated into the Polish state by Bolesław I the Brave, who even tried to establish a bishopric here. After his death Pomerania returned to paganism, and Bolesław III Wrymouth – as Gallus Anonymus wrote – had to conquer the famous town of Kołobrzeg.

The history of settlement, however, goes back even further, to the pre-Piast period. Probably as early as the 7th century there was a settlement on Wyspa Solna (Salt Island) on the Baltic shore, where people knew how to extract salt. This became the source of the inhabitants’ wealth.

The stronghold at Budzistowo and trade with the Vikings

In the 9th century a stronghold was built about 4 km from the coast, down the river Parsęta. Its traces can be found in what is now Budzistowo. A settlement grew up around it.
Salt was exported from here to, among other places, Wielkopolska and Silesia. Local craftsmen specialised in working iron, antler and amber, which they traded with the Vikings.

Word of the stronghold’s wealth reached Ostrów Lednicki. Soon the warriors of Mieszko I arrived on the Parsęta. The stronghold was captured and garrisoned by Piast troops. It became one of the stronger centres of Piast power in Western Pomerania.

The Bishopric of Kołobrzeg and its fall

At the Congress of Gniezno in the year 1000, Bolesław I the Brave and Emperor Otto III founded the archbishopric of Gniezno. The bishoprics of Kraków and Wrocław were placed under it, and a bishopric was also established in Kołobrzeg.
Its first bishop was Reinbern. The diocese was named Salsae Cholobergiensis aecclesiae episcopus – “the church of the Kołobrzeg salt”.

Kołobrzeg became the seat of the bishopric, gaining a rank equal to towns such as Kraków, Wrocław or Poznań. This did not last long, however. Bishop Reinbern destroyed temples and idols, which provoked the resistance of the inhabitants.
A return to paganism forced him to flee, and Kołobrzeg lost its status as the bishop’s seat to Kamień Pomorski.

Piast rule and further conflicts

Slavic Cholberg regained its independence and kept it until the time of Bolesław III Wrymouth. In 1103 the Piasts tried to capture the stronghold, but its powerful defensive fortifications withstood their attack.
Only in 1107 or 1108 did the town surrender to Polish forces, and the whole of Middle Pomerania once again came within the borders of the Piast state. Gallus Anonymus wrote of Kołobrzeg at the time as a “famous city”.

The town’s charter under Lübeck law (1255)

In the 1130s Kołobrzeg came under the overlordship of the German emperors. From 1187 to 1227 Pomerania, Kołobrzeg included, was taken over by the Danes, but was later recovered by the dukes of Western Pomerania.
On 23 May 1255 Duke Warcisław III and Hermann von Gleichen, bishop of Kamień, chartered the new town under Lübeck law. It received numerous privileges – among them five years free of charges, 100 łans of arable land, the right to fish the sea between the mouths of the Rega and the Parsęta, and a forest of its own.

The new town was built closer to the coast. The old stronghold at Budzistowo began to be called Altstat – the Old Town. Remains of medieval churches and monasteries still stand there today, including Bishop Reinbern’s cathedral and the chapel of St Peter.
A relic from that period is the church of St John the Baptist, from 1222.

The Hanseatic League, wealth, and the loss of Polish character

In the Middle Ages settlers began arriving in the town from Germany, mainly from Lübeck and Greifswald. Around the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries Kołobrzeg became a strong Hanseatic town.
It was surrounded by walls and a moat, and thanks to trade and the port the town quickly grew in strength. Its Slavic character, however, gradually faded. In the 16th century the town authorities barred Polish craftsmen from the guilds.

War, fortress and epidemics in the 17th century

In the 17th century Pomerania became a battleground for the European powers. During the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) Kołobrzeg was seized by Swedish troops. They did not leave the town until 1653, handing it over to Brandenburg.

Shortly before that, an epidemic had decimated the inhabitants – more than 3,500 people died. In the second half of the 17th century Kołobrzeg was surrounded by massive earthworks, and even the lighthouses were fortified.
The town became one of the strongest fortresses in the region.

Under Prussian rule and the growth of the spa

In 1701 Colberg [ Kołobrzeg ] passed into the hands of Prussia, and later Germany – and remained under their rule until 1945. The salt trade, which for centuries had been a pillar of the local economy, began to decline.
In 1830 the first brine bath house was opened here. The water turned out to contain bromine, iodine, sodium and magnesium, which attracted patients from across Europe. Kołobrzeg began to develop as a spa.

By the end of the 19th century the town had a theatre, a new town hall, a stone pier, gas lighting and rail connections to Szczecin, Gdańsk and Poznań. Kołobrzeg had become a popular resort.

Colberg, Kolberg, Kołobrzeg – the history of one name

The name of Kołobrzeg changed many times over the centuries and was closely tied to the region’s turbulent history. The oldest records date from the year 1000, when the chronicler Thietmar of Merseburg used the Latin form “Salsa Cholbergiensis”, referring to the bishopric founded by Bolesław the Brave. Later medieval documents give the name Colberg, used in German sources from the 12th to the 15th century. Over time, with the advancing Germanisation of Pomerania and the strong influence of the Hanseatic League, the form Kolberg became established – used for the following centuries, especially under Prussian rule. During the Second World War the town operated under the name Festung Kolberg, that is “Fortress Kołobrzeg”. Only in 1945, after Pomerania was incorporated into Poland, was the Slavic name Kołobrzeg restored, and it remains in use today. The historical form Colberg, however, has not disappeared entirely – today it is still used in local initiatives, brands and projects that refer back to the town’s centuries-old heritage.

Destruction in the Second World War and the rebuilding of the town

During the Second World War Kołobrzeg was declared a fortress – Festung Kolberg – and defended by the Germans to the last days. The Battle of Kołobrzeg, fought from 4 to 18 March 1945, was one of the heaviest battles in Pomerania. Polish and Soviet forces took the town building by building, and the key moment was the “Katyusha” rocket bombardment, which decided the outcome. On 18 March Kołobrzeg was captured, and that same day saw the symbolic Poland’s Wedding to the Sea, during which Corporal Franciszek Niewidziajło ran into the Baltic with a white-and-red flag.

The scale of destruction was enormous – 90-95% of the buildings were left in ruins. Rebuilding the town took many years and gave it its present-day shape. Reconstruction of the old fabric was abandoned in favour of modernist architecture, sanatoria and wide avenues. Under the Polish People’s Republic, Kołobrzeg became a well-known spa town, and it also became known for the Soldiers’ Song Festival, held from 1967. The town’s present-day layout, its character as a resort, and its status as one of the most important places on the Baltic are a direct result of those decisions.

Kołobrzeg today

Today Kołobrzeg is one of the most important resorts on the Baltic, drawing both tourists and investors. It is a town of spas, ports and modern infrastructure, but also a place full of history that is visible at every step. You only need to walk the streets to see how the past intertwines with the present – medieval walls and the Gothic collegiate church stand next to Prussian fortifications, modernist blocks from the Polish People’s Republic era, and modern apartment buildings.

Kołobrzeg is also developing dynamically in culture and dining. More and more interesting places are appearing for lovers of good food and coffee. Modern specialty cafés are opening, such as Colbergcoffee, bringing a whole new coffee-drinking culture to the town. Alongside them come atmospheric restaurants that give Kołobrzeg a fresh culinary character – among them Syrenka, Nawigacja, Lavoo, Neo Bistro Mariacka and Jaremko Soli. Next to these new concepts, there are also iconic places that have built the town’s dining tradition for years, such as Pod Winogronami, Domek Kata and Pergola.

This makes Kołobrzeg a town full of contrasts – it combines historical heritage with modernity, and here tourism meets culture, art and a distinctive culinary atmosphere. The beaches, the marina, cycle paths, numerous cultural events and a growing dining scene make the town today one of the most visited places in Poland.

Colbergcoffee Blog

read more: