SZCZECIN REGIONAL GUIDE
I. WELCOME
• Welcome in our Region
We are pleased that you have chosen our region as a place where you can make another step in the development of your research career and take an active holiday in your free time. We hope that what we can offer to you will live up to your expectations.
This Guide gives an insight into the geography and culture of West Pomerania, as well as a few practical tips for foreigners on how to find their way in our region.
The Guide has been prepared by the Polish network of EURAXESS Services Centres created to provide information and help to mobile researchers in administrative, legal, educational and cultural matters.
The Guide summarises more detailed information available on the website of our Centre at: www.innowacje.zut.edu.pl
• The Regional EURAXESS Services Centre, which covers the West Pomeranian Voivodship, is situated at West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin.
• Address:
8 Janosika Street, 71-424 Szczecin Tel./fax: (+48) 91 449 41 53 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.innowacje.zut.edu.pl
• How to get to the Mobility Centre
- From the Railway Station (Dworzec PKP): Take tram 3 at the stop opposite the Railway Station and get off at the “Kołłątaja” stop (the seventh stop, including one request stop on your way).
- From the Airport: take a Polish Airlines minibus at the airport and go to the city centre (ca 45 minutes).
- From the Coach Station (Dworzec PKS): take tram 3 at the stop beside the station (Pl. Tobrucki), and get off at the „Kołłątaja” stop (mentioned above).
II. ABOUT THE REGION • Introduction
The West Pomeranian Voivodship, covering an area of 22,900 sq km, is the fifth largest voivodship in Poland. It has a population of 1.732 million, including nearly 420,000 inhabitants in Szczecin, the capital of the region.
Szczecin is an urban county and the historical capital of West Pomerania. Centuries ago it was the ducal seat of the Gryfit family. At present, Szczecin is the largest city in the Pomerania Euroregion and a major transport centre. The Port of Szczecin, handling both passenger and cargo ships, is the largest port of the Baltic Sea. The city has domestic and European railway and road connections, and an international airport. The boundaries of the voivodship are marked by the Baltic Sea coast in the north, the Federal Republic of Germany in the west, the Pomeranian Voivodship in the east, and the Wielkopolska and Lubuskie Voivodships in the south.
The fact that the voivodship borders directly EU countries is favourable to economic activity and investment. The geographical position of the region fosters the development of international co-operation with both the closest neighbours and countries situated further away. The West Pomerania Voivodship has the largest number of border crossings in Poland (22), which supports its integration and allows it to play a major role as a trade centre in the region. Transport roads in the West Pomerania region are fairly well developed: motorway A6 is an extension of the German A11 motorway, thus connecting Szczecin with Berlin. In addition to motorways, the region has very well developed railway and water transport networks: Świnoujście-Szczecin-Gryfino-Widuchowa-Hohensaaten-Eberswalde-Berlin.
With hundreds of lakes, woods, parks, primeval forests and nature reserves, West Pomerania is a region famous for its natural beauty. Ca 6% of the area of the West Pomeranian Voivodship is covered by waters: Szczecin Bay which the Oder River flows into, and a part of the Słowiańskie, Drawsko, Myślibórz, Wałcz and Ińsko Lake Districts.
There are numerous protected areas in the region, including: two beautiful national parks, Drawa and Wolin National Parks, five landscape parks, Barlinek-Gorzów, Cedynia, Drawsko and Ińsko Parks, Lower Oder Valley Landscape Park, Warta Mouth Landscape Park and Szczecin Landscape Park, as well as many nature reserves. All these natural qualities make the West Pomerania region attractive for sailors, anglers, hunters, mushroom pickers, as well as biking, hiking and horse-riding enthusiasts.
• Major cities and towns
Szczecin (420,000 inhabitants), Koszalin (107,000), Stargard Szczeciński (71,000), Kołobrzeg (45,000), Świnoujście (41,000), Szczecinek (39,000).
• Tourist attractions
Szczecin is a city with a history dating back more than a thousand years, which was the seat of the Gryfit family. Szczecin has always been a port city and an industrial centre that travellers have never failed to visit. The city’s 7-kilometre long sightseeing route, which is marked with red strips on the pavement, will help you to get to the most important monuments. The city is also a place of natural beauty, with four large parks which are home to many tree and bush species from various parts of the world. One of them, Jasne Błonia Park, has the largest cluster of plane trees (about 200) in Poland.
Main monuments in Szczecin:
- Chrobry Embankment: the structure, which is the mark of the city, was built in the early 20th century on the Prussian fort embankment.
- The Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle: consisting of five wings, four towers and two courtyards; now hosting most important exhibitions and concerts in the city; www.zamek.szczecin.pl. - Old Town Hall: rebuilt after the war in the Gothic style with baroque elements; now
housing the Museum of the City of Szczecin which presents the history of the city from the early Middle Ages to the contemporary times.
- The Maiden Tower (Seven Cloaks Tower): the remains of medieval ramparts.
- Royal Gate: built in the 18th c.; a shield with the Prussian eagle placed above the passage is surrounded with the Black Eagle Order chain and topped with a royal crown, ornamented with carved arms elements, shields, armours and banners.
- Cathedral Basilica: a remodelled temple which dates from 1187, was destroyed in 1944 and rebuilt in the Gothic style in the 1970-ties. A reliquary with the remains of St. Otton is placed under the altar. The eastern wall frames the largest stained glass window (87m2) in West Pomerania, showing the Mother of the Church with the baby, the Holy Spirit and persons linked with the history of the Church in the Szczecin region.
- Harbour Gate: built between 1724 and 1740, called originally “The Brandenburg Gate”, and later on “The Berlin Gate”.
Near Szczecin:
- Koszalin: Among the monuments in the city, those particularly worth seeing are the remains of ramparts from the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries, and the Gothic Chapel of St. Gertrude, the patron of travellers, erected in 1384 and bearing traces of influence of the Scandinavian architecture.
- Stargard Szczeciński: the water tower from 1896, which is a monument of technology, a regional museum, and the Basteja Military Museum. Another place worth visiting is the historic mill which now combines perfectly several functions, housing a comfortable three-star hotel, a tastefully furnished restaurant and an atmospheric wine tavern under one roof. - Świnoujście: 19th century forts, breakwaters, and the highest lighthouse on the Polish
coast and the Baltic Sea;
- Kołobrzeg: medieval tenement houses, and the Museum of Polish Arms. • Scenery and climate
Green areas cover almost 40% of the total area of the West Pomeranian Voivodship. Forests, parks, specific microclimate with a high iodine content, natural brine and therapeutic mud deposits, and attractive tourists routes – all make West Pomerania a place for good holiday. The region is characterised by abundant surface waters, encompasses numerous lake-land areas, and its most valuable areas are protected by nature reserves and landscape parks. It has a transitional moderate climate characterised by varying weather conditions.
There are two National Parks, five Landscape Parks and 81 nature reserves in the region. The most interesting ones include:
Wolin National Park Drawa National Park Ińsko Landscape Park Szczecin Landscape Park
„Glinna” Dendrological Garden with sequoias Emerald Lake (flooded chalk mine)
Lake Ińsko with first-class water quality. • Annual events
Szczecin
an event which is increasingly interesting and spectacular every year. The Sea Days are organised across the region between 24 and 27 June.
Szczecin May Picnic: the event is organised every year in May at several places in Szczecin: Chrobry Embankment, Jasne Błonia Park and the Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle.
Outdoor Arts Festival: held during the summer holiday period in July. Every year, it brings together several hundred artists from all over the world.
International Choir Festival: the festival is held in June and each year attracts the biggest choir groups from all over the world.
International Szczecin Fair: The ISF Exhibition and Fair Centre organises numerous fair and exhibition events, and various presentations are given there throughout the year. In addition to fairs and exhibitions, the centre hosts balls, entertainment events, festivities, symposiums and conferences.
• Map of the region • Tourist information Szczecin
Tourist Information Centre (Centrum Informacji Turystycznej): 1 Niepodległości Street; tel. 91 434 04 40
Cultural and Tourist Information Centre (Centrum Informacji Kulturalnej i Turystycznej): 34 Korsarzy Street; tel. 91 489 16 30
West Pomerania Tourism Chamber (Zachodniopomorska Izba Turystyki): 10/12 Malczewskiego Street; tel. 91 433 81 24
III. RESEARCH IN THE REGION • Research potential in the region
Except for Koszalin University of Technology, all five public higher education institutions in the region are situated in Szczecin. The oldest higher education institution in West Pomerania is West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin which linking the long-term tradition of the University of Agriculture in Szczecin and Szczecin University of Technology. As a result of merging two universities, the University holds 10 faculties, 35 fields of study, over 15 000 students on full-time and non-stationary studies. Moreover, the University has the right to grant the title of habilitated scientific doctor in 17 disciplines and habilitated doctor in 9 disciplines. In total, the West Pomerania Voivodship has ca 80,000 students and ca 3,500 research and teaching staff. The expenditure on science and research as a percentage of the GDP in the West Pomerania Voivodship is 0.27%.
There are also 13 non-public higher education institutions in the region, providing degree programmes in various fields of study, and 8 research centres, including the International Hereditary Cancer Centre at Pomeranian Medical University.
• Selected higher education institutions and research institutes: Public higher education institutions:
West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin (Zachodniopomorski Uniwersytet Technologiczny w Szczecinie): www.zut.edu.pl
Pomeranian Medical University (Pomorski Uniwersytet Medyczny w Szczecinie): www.pum.edu.pl
University of Szczecin (Uniwersytet Szczeciński): www.us.szc.pl
Maritime University of Szczecin (Akademia Morska w Szczecinie): www.wsm.szczecin.pl Koszalin University of Technology (Politechnika Koszalińska): www.tu.koszalin.pl
Research institutes:
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Sciences; Department of Archaeology (Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii PAN, Pracownia Archeologiczna)
Polish Geological Institute, Pomeranian Department in Szczecin (Państwowy Instytut Geologiczny, Oddział Pomorski w Szczecinie)
Institute of Hydroengineering, Polish Academy of Sciences; Department of Ocean Engineering (Instytut Budownictwa Wodnego PAN, Pracownia Oceanotechniki)
Non-public higher education institutions:
West Pomeranian Business School in Szczecin (Zachodniopomorska Szkoła Biznesu w Szczecinie): www.zpsb.szczecin.pl
Academy of European Integration in Szczecin (WyŜsza Szkoła Integracji Europejskiej w Szczecinie) Higher School of Applied Arts in Szczecin (WyŜsza Szkoła Sztuki UŜytkowej w Szczecinie): www.wssu.pl/
Higher School of Public Administration in Szczecin (WyŜsza Szkoła Administracji Publicznej w Szczecinie): www.wsap.szczecin.pl/
Szczecin School of Management (WyŜsza Szkoła Zarządzania w Szczecinie): www.wsz-pou.edu.pl/
• Libraries
Each higher education institution has a Main Library. Access to university libraries is open to: university staff, Bachelor’s and Master’s degree students, students enrolled in doctoral and postgraduate non-degree programmes who hold an inter-library card issued by their home university, and other adult persons living in Szczecin for a fee.
In Szczecin, you will also find the main library of the West Pomerania Voivodship, called „KsiąŜnica”. Its resources comprise ca 1.5 million items, including books, journals and special collections. „KsiąŜnica” co-operates with large scientific libraries in Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Russia.
IV. PRACTICAL INFORMATION
1. EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS 997 – Police
999 – Ambulance Service 998 – Fire Brigade
91 462 96 04 – Municipal Guard 91 479 49 00 – Border Guard
821 30 34 – Police Accident Emergency Service 981 – Road assistance
112 – Emergency telephone number accessible from both mobile and fixed phones; after an interview about the nature of the emergency, the operator will connect you with the relevant emergency service in the region.
2. PUBLIC TRANSPORT Trams and urban buses
To travel in Szczecin, you may take an urban regular, fast or night bus or a tram.
Public transport passengers may buy fixed-period tickets which are valid for a specific number of minutes after stamping. The following types of fixed-period tickets are used in
tickets for regular daytime lines and fast lines. An excellent choice for tourists and other people visiting Szczecin is a 24-hour ticket valid for all (regular, fast and night) lines. You may also choose to buy a monthly or 3-month travel card, which is a practical option for those who expect to use public transport often enough. Tickets can be purchased from “Ruch” and “Kolporter” network news-stands, as well as from the driver after 6.00 p.m. until 6.00 a.m. on weekdays, and around the clock during the weekend.
Prices of tickets (July 2009): - 20-minute ticket: 2.20 PLN - one-hour ticket: 3.40 PLN - 2-hour ticket: 4.40 PLN - 24-hour ticket: 11.00 PLN - monthly travel card: 84 PLN - 3-month travel card: 218 PLN Cars
You are required to pay a charge for parking your car in the centre of Szczecin between Monday and Friday from 8.00 to 17.00. Tickets for 30 minutes, 1 hour and 24 hours may be purchased from the Municipal Guard staff. Approximate prices of single parking tickets (July 2009): 24-hour ticket: 10 PLN; one-hour ticket: 2 PLN; 30-minute ticket: 1 PLN.
Taxis
Szczecin has a large number of taxi companies. These companies offer low prices and ensure that taxis get quicker to their customers. When ordering a taxi over the telephone or by a short message, you get a discount. It is advisable to use taxis with a clearly displayed logo of a given city (e.g. Griffin in Szczecin) and a side door number on a white background.
Some taxi telephone numbers which you may call: Taxi 4 You: 91 483 38 33
Radio Taxi: 9622
3. ADDRESSES OF GOVERNMENT OFFICES
Registration, visa extension, residence permit and residence card
West Pomerania Voivodship Office, Department for Citizens’ Affairs and Migration (Zachodniopomorski Urząd Wojewódzki, Wydział Spraw Obywatelskich i Migracji) www.szczecin.uw.gov.pl/english/Strony/welcome.aspx
Wały Chrobrego 4, 70-502 Szczecin
Opening hours (for all departments of the Office): Monday 7.45-16.45, Tuesday-Friday 8.00-15.00
Work permit
West Pomeranian Voivodship Office, Department of Social Policy (Zachodniopomorski Urząd Wojewódzki, Wydział Polityki Społecznej) www.szczecin.uw.gov.pl/english/Strony/welcome.aspx
Wały Chrobrego 4, 70-502 Szczecin
Opening hours (for all departments of the Office): Monday 7.45-16.45, Tuesday-Friday 8.00-15.00
Embassies and Consulates
A list of consulates, embassies and other offices is available in the section for incoming researchers of “EURAXESS Poland” Portal at: www.euraxess.pl/index.php/services/incoming
Researchers holding a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) are entitled to free primary medical services in healthcare institutions which have concluded a contract with the National Health Fund (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia, NFZ). These institutions are marked with a plate with the following logo:
In the event of an emergency, you may use the ambulance service. Please remember, however, that should your call be unjustified, you will be charged for the services provided. The West Pomeranian Voivodship has over 40 hospitals and over 200 out-patient clinics which have concluded a contract with the National Health Fund.
Once you have found a hotel or other accommodation for your stay in West Pomerania, please check where you have the closest out-patient clinic. It is advisable to go there and obtain all the necessary information before you may urgently need their services.
If you wish to see a general practitioner, you should first make an appointment (preferably by phone) and remember then to bring your identity card and medical insurance document. If you wish to see a specialist medical doctor (other than a gynaecologist or obstetrician, dentist, dermatologist, venereologist, oncologist, ophthalmologist or psychiatrist), you need a referral from your general practitioner.
Please remember that prescriptions given by a medical doctor are valid only for 30 days, and those for antibiotics for 7 days.
Selected hospitals and pharmacies: Hospitals:
- Independent Public Voivodship Hospital (Samodzielny Publiczny Wojewódzki Szpital Zespolony): 4 Arkońska Street; tel. 91 454 10 07
24-hour Hospital Emergency Departments:
- Voivodship Emergency Ambulance Station (Wojewódzka Stacja Pogotowia Ratunkowego): 14 Mazowiecka Street; tel. 91 433 57 54
Moreover, virtually every bigger shopping centre has pharmacies which are also open on Saturdays and Sundays in the business hours of a given centre.
Detailed information, including addresses of hospitals and 24-hour pharmacies, may be found in the section for foreign researchers of „The Researchers’ Mobility Portal – Szczecin”. A list of hospitals and pharmacies “on duty” is also published in local daily newspapers.
When choosing a bank, you should first of all check its charges and commissions for operating a newly opened account and ease of access to cash machines in all parts of the city. Banks are open from Monday till Friday, few of them also work on Saturday, and all are closed on Sundays and public holidays. However, you will find many 24-hour cash machines (several dozen only in Szczecin). Large banks have their own cash machines, and there are also independent cash machine networks (Euronet, Cash4YOU). If you have a card of a given bank, you may use its cash machines free of charge, whereas other card holders pay a commission. Some banks do not charge their clients for using Euronet cash machines or make only nominal charges. More detailed information can be obtained from your bank.
Charge cards are very popular; you may use this non-cash payment method in most bigger and medium-size shops as well as restaurants (where you can see card logos on the entrance door).
In some bigger supermarkets or chain shops, designated cash desks accept payments in euro at the exchange rate given there.
Currency may be exchanged in banks and exchange desks (the latter usually offering a better exchange rate).
You may not pay with traveller’s cheques in Poland. However, cheques may be cashed in some bigger banks.
Website addresses of major banks together with a list of cash machines in a given city are available in the section for foreign researchers of the Regional Portal.
6. POSTAL SERVICE
Mail is delivered between Monday and Friday. Postmen are assigned to each part of a city, town or village, and thus have different delivery hours. However, mail is usually delivered before noon. Unregistered letters and postcards are dropped into personal letter boxes. Registered letters, other letters requiring acknowledgement of receipt and packages are delivered by a postman in person. If the addressee is not at home and does not receive such mail, the postman leaves a note with information on where and when it may be collected. To collect mail at the post office, you should bring the note and your valid identity card; in case you collect someone else’s registered mail, you also need an authorisation.
To send letters and packages, you may use either regular mail or priority (fast) mail. You can also make payments and cash transfers at a post office. Each post office is open between Monday and Friday until afternoon or evening hours. Some post offices also work on Saturdays. The exact opening hours vary between post offices.
7. INTERNET CAFES
Internet cafes in Szczecin are open till 10 p.m. In every Internet café, you may print and scan documents, archive data on a CD, use an Internet camera, and connect your own hard disk, mobile phone or digital camera.
Selected Internet cafes:
“Portal Café”: 52 Kaszubska Str. „Cabernet”: 48 Milczańska Str. “Deptak”: 39 Wojska Polskiego Ave.
8. LAUNDRIES AND DRY-CLEANERS
Szczecin has around 30 laundries and cleaners, some of which also offer ironing services. The biggest ones are:
- Central Laundry (Pralnia Centralna Sp. z o.o.): 15 Wernyhory Str.
- 5-Second Laundry (5 a’Sec Pralnia): 67 Ku Słońcu Str. and 42 Bohaterów Warszawy Str. - „Dolphin” Laundry („Delfin” Pralnia): 73 Mieszka I
- J. Lipowski Dry-Cleaner’s (Lipowski Jarosław Pralnia Chemiczna): 79 Wyzwolenia Str. - „Perfect Clean”: 36 Struga Str.
9. SELECTED SUPERMARKETS
Those who like shopping tours will be pleased to have some information about the hypermarkets and shopping centres in Szczecin. The city has a number of chain hypermarkets, including Galaxy Shopping Centre with Real hypermarket, Castorama, Carrefour, Makro, Auchan. Most of them operate free specially marked bus lines. Buses leave from stops situated in the city centre. Hypermarkets are open all 7 days of the week till late evening. Some hypermarkets accept payment in euro. Every hypermarket has exchange desks where you can exchange foreign currency.
10. POLISH LANGUAGE COURSES FOR FOREIGNERS
Department of Polish Language and Literature, University of Szczecin (Instytut Filologii Polskiej, Uniwersytet Szczeciński): Al. Piastów 40 b; tel. 91 444 27 13
Foreign Language Examination Centre, Szczecin University of Technology (Centrum Egzaminacyjne Języków Obcych, West Pomeranian University of Technology): Al. Piastów 48, tel. 91 449 47 24
Foreign Language Centre „PROGRESS” (Centrum Języków Obcych PROGRESS): 45/16 Parkowa Str.; tel. 91 48-47-846
EMPIK: ul. Niepodległości 60; tel. 91 434 24 97
11. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION www.sedina.pl www.strasse.szczecin.art.pl www.szczecin.pl www.wolinpn.pl www.dpn.pl
