Stargard is one of the oldest towns in Western Pomerania. It flourished in the late Middle Ages, which is evident in the architecture that has survived to this day despite the war damage.
The stronghold in the place of today's Stargard already existed in the 6th century. However, the town was founded in the mid-13th century and developed as an important trade center on the route leading to Szczecin. The rapid development of the city translated into its architecture. The most important monuments from the Middle Ages that have survived to this day include the Church of Our Lady, Queen of the World, whose construction began in the 13th century, the late Gothic church of John with 99-meter high church towers, one of the highest in Pomerania, and defensive walls with preserved gates and towers, such as the Pyrzycka Gate, the Red Sea Tower, the Rampart Gate, the Weavers' Tower or the White-headed Tower.
There are tenement houses, mainly with baroque facades, around the market square marked out at the time when the town was founded. There is also a Town Hall, built in the 13th century and thoroughly rebuilt two centuries later. In the vicinity there is the Archaeological and Historical Museum, where you can see the rich collections on the history of Stargard and the surrounding area.
