Ełk
Ełk | |
|---|---|
City center with the Solidarity Park District Court Ełk Cathedral | |
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Flag Coat of arms | |
Ełk | |
| Coordinates: 53°49′17″N 22°21′44″E / 53.82139°N 22.36222°E | |
| Country | Poland |
| Voivodeship | Warmian-Masurian |
| County | Ełk |
| Gmina | Ełk (urban gmina) |
| Established | 1237 |
| Town rights | 1445 |
| Government | |
| • City mayor | Tomasz Andrukiewicz |
| Area | |
• Total | 22.07 km2 (8.52 sq mi) |
| Population (31 December 2021) | |
• Total | 61,677 |
| • Density | 2,930/km2 (7,600/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 19-300 |
| Area code | +48 87 |
| Car plates | NEL |
| Highways | |
| National roads | |
| Website | http://www.elk.pl |
Ełk (Polish pronunciation: [ɛwk] ⓘ; German: Lyck) is a city in northeastern Poland with 61,677 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is the seat of Ełk County in the Warmian–Masurian Voivodeship. It lies on the shore of Ełk Lake, which was formed by a glacier, and is surrounded by extensive forests. It is the largest city of Masuria.
The town was founded by the Teutonic Order and settled by Poles in the late 14th century and received town rights in 1445. In the 16th century, it became a leading center for Polish printing and education in Masuria. Ełk is historically considered the capital of Masuria.
Today Ełk is an important rail and road junction and food industry hub in north-eastern Poland, and the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ełk. One of the principal attractions in the area is legal hunting.