# Złocieniec

- **Country:** Poland
- **Coordinates:** 53.526944, 16.012222
- **Location Text:** West Pomeranian Voivodeship (ruins)

Złocieniec, historically known as Falkenburg, is a town located in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship of northwestern Poland. Situated within Drawsko County, it serves as the largest municipality in the region with a population of approximately 12,000 to 13,000 residents. The area has been inhabited since ancient times, with evidence of early Slavic settlement dating back to the sixth through eighth centuries. Before becoming part of modern Poland, the land belonged to the Duchy of Greater Poland during the reigns of its first rulers. The town was officially granted municipal rights on December 13, 1333, by the von Wedel brothers, marking its formal establishment as a structured community where German and Slavic populations likely coexisted.

The historical trajectory of Złocieniec is defined by its strategic location and shifting political allegiances. In the late fourteenth century, it fell under the rule of the Luxembourg dynasty as part of the Bohemian Crown within the Holy Roman Empire. Although an agreement was reached in 1402 for Poland to repurchase the town, it was ultimately sold to the Teutonic Order. During the Polish-Teutonic War in the 1430s, the citizens rebelled to support the Polish King, but following the Peace of Brześć Kujawski, the town returned to Teutonic control until 1454. The settlement faced significant devastation in 1668 when a massive fire destroyed almost the entire town, necessitating extensive reconstruction in the subsequent centuries before it eventually became part of the Kingdom of Prussia.

Today, Złocieniec stands as a resilient cultural center with a rich heritage reflecting its complex past under various European powers. While specific details regarding a singular castle structure are not explicitly detailed in the provided text, the town itself functions as the primary historical monument of the area, preserving its legacy through its urban layout and administrative continuity. The local government maintains an active presence, managing the town's development while honoring its origins that span from early Slavic villages to its era as a contested border town between major medieval orders. Its survival through wars, fires, and changing national boundaries underscores its enduring significance in the history of Western Pomerania.

![Photo of Złocieniec](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Zloci.jpg)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Złocieniec (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)