Wałcz

Wałcz is a county town located in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland, serving as the administrative, industrial, and cultural center of the Wałcz Lake District. The town was granted city rights in 1303 and is situated on the banks of the Raduń and Zamkowe lakes in the southeastern portion of the voivodeship. Positioned approximately 26 kilometers from Piła and between 107 and 130 kilometers from major cities such as Szczecin, Poznań, and Bydgoszcz, Wałcz is well-connected through expressway S10 and national road 22.

Historically, Wałcz belonged to Greater Poland as a royal city until the Partitions of Poland. Between 1772 and 1945, the town was under Prussian control and formed part of the German Reich from 1871 to 1945, before being reintegrated with Poland following World War II. The town is notable for hosting one of Poland's oldest high schools, established over 350 years ago, and currently maintains a garrison of the Polish Army. With a population of approximately 24,949 residents as of 2020, Wałcz covers an area of 38.16 square kilometers, with 41 percent dedicated to agriculture and 17 percent to forest. The town's landscape is characterized by its two prominent lakes, Raduń and Zamkowe, which contribute to its identity as a center of the Lake District region.