Reszel

Infobox Settlement
name = Reszel


image_shield = POL Reszel COA.svg
pushpin_

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = POL
subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship
subdivision_name1 = Warmian-Masurian
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Kętrzyn
subdivision_type3 = Gmina
subdivision_name3 = Reszel
area_total_km2 = 3.81
population_as_of = 2006
population_total = 5098
population_density_km2 = auto
latd = 54 | latm = 3 | lats = 8 | latNS = N | longd = 21 | longm = 8 | longs = 41 | longEW = E
elevation_m =
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 11-440
website = http://www.reszel.net/

Reszel [IPA-pl|'|r|e|sz|e|l] (Audio|pl-Reszel.ogg|listen; before 1946: _de. Rößel; Prussian: "Resel" or "Resl") is a city in Poland in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. The population is about 5,700.

Reszel was originally a settlement built by the Bartian tribe of Old Prussians and conquered by the Teutonic Knights in 1241. The native Prussians later recaptured the settlement and held it for five years, but were eventually defeated by the German crusaders. Reszel received its town privileges in 1337 under Magdeburg law.

As a result of the treaty of Versailles on 11 july 1920 the Warmia and Masuria plebiscite was organized under the control of the League of nations, which resulted 97,90 % of votes to remain in Germany and 2,10 % for Poland.

The town was transferred from Germany after WWII to Poland following the Potsdam Conference of 1945.

The main tourist attraction is the Gothic Episcopal castle. It was built 1350−1401 on a steep hill side above the right bank of the river Sajna by the Teutonic Order.

The Gothic St Peter’s Church dating back to the 14th century boasts the painting of the church’s patron dating back to the end of the 18th century. Other worthy of note buildings are the Jesuit monastery complex, St John’s Church and the church and the monastery of the nuns of the Order of St Catherine − all from the 15th and the 16th century. Large fragments of preserved defensive walls and the Classicist town hall in the market square dating back to the 19th century are also worth visiting.

Near Reszel is the local Masurian Catholic shrine of Święta Lipka (German: "Heiligelinde"), Poland’s magnificent baroque church, a Late Medieval shrine augmented in the 17th century. Since its beginning it has attracted German pilgrims from Warmia, as well as Polish and Lithuanian pilgrims.

External links

* [http://www.ug.reszel.pl/ Municipal website] pl icon
* [http://www.reszel.net/ Site of Reszel] pl icon
* [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=localityhitlist&columns=*%2C0%2C0&PLACE=R%C3%B6%C3%9Fel&PARTOF=&prePLACE=R%C3%B6%C3%9Fel&prePARTOF= Statistics of inhabitants, birth, marriage, deaths, from 1569]