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Landsat satellite photo of Oder Lagoon - Wolin is the eastern of the two large islands separating the waters of the Lagoon from the Baltic Sea, the western island is Usedom

Map of Wolin Island

Wolin (German: Wollin) is the name shared by an island located in the Baltic Sea located just off the Polish coast, and a town located on the island. It is separated from the island of Usedom by the Świna river, and from mainland Pomerania by the Dziwna river.

Water from the river Oder (Polish: Odra) flows into the Szczecin Lagoon. From there it flows through the Peene (to the west of Usedom), Świna and Dziwna into the Bay of Pomerania, which is part of the Baltic Sea.

• Area: 265 km²
• Highest point: Mount Grzywacz, 115 m above sea level

Most of the island consists of forests and postglacial hills. Located in the middle is the Wolin National Park.

Places on Wolin island:

• Świnoujście (German name: Swinemünde)
• Międzyzdroje (German name: Misdroy)
• Wolin (German name: Wollin)
• Międzywodzie (German name: Heidebrink)
• Wisełka (German name: Neuendorf)
• Świętoujść (German name: Swantuss)
• Wapnica (German name: Kalkofen)
• Chorzelin
• Kodrąb (German name: Codram, 1937-45: Kodram)
• Łuskowo (German name: Lüskow)
• Warnowo (German name: Warnow)
• Dargobądz (German name: Dargebanz)
• Lubin (German name: Lüben)
• Wicko (German name: Vietzig)
• Ognica (German name: Werder)
• Przytór (German name: Pritter)
• Łunowo (German name: Haferhorst)
• Mokrzyca Mała (German name: Klein Mokratz)
• Mokrzyca Wielka (German name: Groß Mokratz)
• Darzowice (German name: Darsewitz)
• Jarzębowo (German name: Jarmbow)
• Dziwnów (German name: Berg Dievenow)

An mediæval document of ca. 850, called Bavarian Geographer after its anonymous creator, mentions the Slavic tribe of Volinians who then had 70 strongholds (Uelunzani civitates LXX). The town of Wolin was first mentioned in the 10th century. Archaeologists believe that in the Early Middle Ages there was a great trade emporium, spreading along the shore for four kilometers and rivaling in importance Birka and Hedeby.

Archaeological finds on the island are not very rich but they dot an area of 20 hectares, making it the second largest Baltic marketplace of the Viking Age after Hedeby. Some scholars speculated that Wolin may have been the basis for the semi-legendary settlements Jomsborg and Vineta. This is dubious, as "no trace has been found there of its artificial harbour for 360 warships, or of a citadel, unless the nearby hill of Silberberg is accepted as the site of such; but there were Norsemen there around the year 1000, and the archaeological finds reveal a mixed population of Vikings and Slavs".^[1]

Until 1945 the island was part of Germany, inhabited by mostly by Germans who were expelled in the same year and replaced with Polish colonists. This is the reason all of the places on this island have former German names.

1. ^ Gwyn Jones. A History of the Vikings. Oxford University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-19-280134-1. Page 127.

• Map of Wolin

Coordinates: 53°55′N, 14°30′E

v • d • e Trade emporia of the Viking Age
Dorestad • Kaupang • Lindholm • Hedeby • Ribe • Birka • Sigtuna • Köpingsvik Reric • Arkona • Menzlin • Ralswiek • Wolin • Truso • Kaup • Grobin Vanaja • Aldeigja • Alaborg • Hólmgard • Gnezdovo • Sarskoe • Timerevo