Photos

I took this shot in the small town of Ilawa. This is the building of local municipal power. Very nice architecture, isn't it?

The town was founded in Prussia in 1305 and is documented in a manuscript by Luther von Braunschweig in 1317. It was built on the Eylenz (Iławka) River between Lakes Geserich (Jeziorak) and Eylenz (Iławskie). This location makes it a popular vacation area. The town was under the jurisdiction of the komtur of Christburg (Dzierzgoń) and since 1340 under Osterode (Ostróda). In 1457 it was sold to King Casimir IV Jagiellon of Poland during the Thirteen Years' War between the cities of Prussia and the Teutonic Order. With the aid of Ulrich von Kinsberg the city was able to regain its independence from Poland.[citation needed]
As Deutsch Eylau, the town became part of the Duchy of Prussia in 1525 and the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701. Administered within the new province of West Prussia in 1773, it became part of the German Empire in 1871.
In 1862 the Oberland Canal (Elbląg Canal) was built between Elbing (Elbląg) and Eylau by engineer Georg Steenke, which enabled the inland town to transport bulk of lumber, farm products, and other goods north to Elbing and the Baltic Sea. This was superseded ten years later by rail transport, when the Thorn (Toruń)-Insterburg (Chernyakhovsk) railway line was constructed.
Following the Treaty of Versailles, this part of Prussia remained in Germany, as in the East Prussian plebiscite on being a part of Poland or Germany an overwhelming majority of votes was cast in favor of the latter option. It became part of Regierungsbezirk West Prussia in the Province of East Prussia.
As a result of the Potsdam Conference following World War II, Eylau was placed under Polish administration in 1945 and since then remains as part of Poland. Its former German population was expelled and replaced with Poles, many themselves expellees from Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union.
(from Wikipedia)