Iława 2025-08-23

Iława Główna Station.

Geographic coordinates: 53.582N 19.573E. Elevation 110 m. Address: Dworcowa Street 3, 14-200 Iława, Poland.

City of Iława.

The city of Iława is a city in Poland, located in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship and the seat of Iława County. The city was founded in 1305. The city has an area of ​​21.88 km². The city’s population was 32,106 in 2024. The city is an agricultural, timber-industrial, tourist, and recreational center, strongly associated with sailing.

Historically, Iława is located in Upper Prussia. Geographically, the city lies in the Iława Forests on the Iława Plain, part of the Iława Lake District. The city is situated on Lake Jeziorak, the longest lake in Poland at 27.45 km. The Iławka and Tynawałd rivers flow through Iława. Within the city and lake boundaries lies the largest inland island in Poland, Wielka Żuława. The city’s surroundings are highly undulating due to the last glaciation.

The oldest form of the name Iława is the Latin spelling Ylavia. This form appeared in documents as early as the 14th century. Over the centuries, the spelling and pronunciation evolved. In the 19th century, the name Deutsch Eylau, or Germanic Iława, prevailed. In 1945, Iława was incorporated into Poland and the Polish name Iława was approved on May 19, 1946.

From 1305, the town was the seat of a Teutonic official. The town was frequently plagued by plagues and fires. During the 1454 rebellion, the residents sided with the Prussian Confederation, which sought to transfer Prussia from Teutonic rule to the Polish Crown. After the lost Battle of Chojnice, Iława found itself within the borders of the Teutonic State. As a result of the Thirteen Years’ War (1454-1466), the town became a fiefdom of the Polish Crown. In 1525, Iława found itself in the Duchy of Prussia. The Swedish Deluge completely destroyed the town. In 1706, the town was ravaged by a major fire. By the mid-19th century, the town had approximately 3,000 inhabitants. It housed a court and customs office. The arrival of the railway did not significantly impact the town’s development. No new businesses were established, and the town became a garrison town. Three barracks complexes were built, the newest of which is currently a prison. Before the Great War, the town had a population of approximately 4,500. In 1912, a town hall was built. In 1901, a gasworks was built, and in 1903, a waterworks.

It is worth mentioning that Germanic Iława had a well-thought-out town center. Before the Great War, plans were made to build a second administrative and commercial center. However, the town’s transformation into a garrison town changed these plans. This did not foster development or the influx of new settlers. On the contrary, it even discouraged Iława’s residents. As a result, a large residential district, consistent with the then-current European trend of garden cities, was not developed in Iława. No parks or boulevards were built along Jeziorak Lake. In 1939, Iława had a population of 12,772.

As a result of the Congress of Vienna, the Działdowo Land became part of Poland without a plebiscite. In 1920, a plebiscite was held in Iława, in which 95% of residents voted for German membership. Unemployment was rampant in the city, and public works were organized for the unemployed. Residents viewed Hitler as their sole providential figure. During World War II, two penal camps were established in the city, in which Poles and Muscovites were imprisoned. The inmates worked 14-hour shifts expanding the Iława railway junction, which was one of the main rail centers for the attack on their Muscovite brethren. In the autumn of 1944, preparations were made for the evacuation of the city, which was never announced. On January 22, 1945, Soviet soldiers from the 2nd Belorussian Front entered Iława. The city was virtually undamaged. However, within a few weeks, the Soviets had almost razed the city to the ground. Machinery and other property were transported to Moscow. A prisoner-of-war camp was established in the former labor camp. The prisoners were used to deliver stolen property to the railway station and were also taken to work at the CCCP.

In 1945, as a result of a decision by the great men of this world, Iława was incorporated into Poland. A Polish administration was established, and Polish settlers began arriving. These were mainly people eager to work on the railway, but without professional experience. Courses were organized for them, and soon a vocational school was opened. Iława attracted settlers with its undamaged Church of the Transfiguration, which already housed Polish priests. The church dates back to the 14th century. By 1948, the remaining Germanic population had left for the Raj. Due to its important railway junction, Iława began to develop dynamically, unmatched in the city’s history. The locomotive depot became one of the largest in Poland. By the end of the 1970s, approximately 5,000 people worked on the railway. The city was also known for its large prison, located on the grounds of one of the former barracks. The prison was also a major employer in Iława. During the communist era, the city saw the construction of potato processing plants, an automotive component factory, a sawmill, a cane prefabrication plant (Suprema), a concrete plant, a silicate brick factory, and milling plants. The town hall, dating from 1912, was rebuilt. An electric mill was commissioned on Jeziorak Lake. A second church, the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was built in 1933 and rebuilt after being destroyed by the Muscovites in 1945.

Many public buildings and former factories were rebuilt. Many of them have been added to the list of historical monuments: the station, the historic platforms and their canopies, the town hall, the slaughterhouse administration building, the former gasworks building, a water mill, three water towers, the school building on Kościuszki Street, and four buildings on Kościuszki Street. Kościuszki Street is the only surviving building not altered by Moscow architects. Moscow engineers rebuilt 80% of the buildings in Iława.

During the communist era, Iława had the largest population, with 33,327 residents. For a time, Iława rivaled the town of Susz administratively and economically. Bishop Karol Wojtyła, later Pope John Paul II, visited Lake Jeziorak twice.

Currently (2025), the primary economic sectors in the Iława commune include: Agriculture (especially animal husbandry and breeding, primarily poultry). Industrial processing (especially woodworking and furniture production, food production, and perfume and cosmetics production). Tourism and recreation.

Railway in Iława.

Iława is an important railway junction in Poland. Railway lines No. 9 Warsaw-Gdańsk and LK 353 Poznań-Toruń-Olsztyn-Skandawa intersect here. The Pendolino EMU train stops here alone in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. The city has two stations: Iława Główna and Iława Miasto.

The first train arrived in Iława in December 1872. At that time, the Toruń-Olsztyn railway line was built, specifically the Toruń-Wystruk railway. The section connecting Jabłonowo Pomorskie and Ostruda was opened. In 1873, the line reached Königsberg. While work on the Toruń-Wystruk railway was nearing completion, preparations began for the construction of the Malbork-Mława line, which was completed in 1876. Iława gained a rail connection to Gdańsk, but also, via the Vistula Railway (broad-gauge), to Warsaw and Lublin.

The Toruń-Olsztyn railway line, No. 353, was built as part of the Prussian Eastern Railway network; a second, southern railway route through East Prussia. The route was built between 1871 and 1873, from Toruń via Iława, Olsztyn, and Korsze to what was then Wystruć (Insterburg), today Chernyakhovsk in the Kaliningrad Oblast. The goal was to shorten and relieve the main Ostbahn route and improve connections with Warmia and Mazury. On November 20, 1871, the first section, Toruń Główny – Jabłonowo Pomorskie, opened. On December 1, 1872, the Jabłonowo Pomorskie – Ostróda section opened. The line ran through Chełmno Land and Western Masuria. The Ostróda–Olsztyn Główny section opened on August 15, 1973, closing the entire line, as the Olsztyn Główny–Czerwonka section had already opened on December 1, 1872. The railway bridge in Toruń over the Vistula River was not completed until August 15, 1873.

It should be noted that the design of the line was difficult due to conflicting interests. They avoided running the line close to the border with the Kingdom of Poland, which was entirely dependent on Moscow. On the other hand, they did not want to duplicate the existing line. Construction between 1871 and 1873 took place in difficult terrain, between numerous lakes and the undulating terrain of Warmia and Mazury, a result of the last glaciation. This required the construction of numerous trenches and embankments, as well as a number of engineering structures. The largest was the bridge in Toruń, mentioned above. The section of the line near Ostróda was particularly challenging.

Along with the construction of the Toruń-Wystruk main line, the first station building was constructed on the outskirts of Iława. The building quickly proved too small. The decision was made to demolish it (1899) and build a new, stately station in 1905. Platform 1 is located on the site of the old station. This allowed the station area to be enlarged.

Because the Iława Główny railway station, originally Iława Wschodnia, was located relatively far from the city center, another station was built near the Old Town buildings on the Malbork-Mława line. This station was named the City Station (Stadtbahnhof), now Iława Miasto.

Initially, the Malbork-Mława railway line, known as the Malbork-Mława railway line, was a secondary line, primarily due to the attitude of the Muscovites, who were not in favor of railway development, and especially of connecting the two railways. The Prussians used this line primarily to transport grain and other agricultural produce, as well as timber, from Podolia, Volhynia, and Ukraine to the port of Gdańsk. The line was intended to connect with the Vistula Railway in the future. Merchants and industrialists from Gdańsk lobbied for the construction of the railway line. This route was the shortest connection between Gdańsk and Warsaw. When the Prussian and Moscow railways were connected, the different track gauges presented a significant drawback. This necessitated costly reloading at the border stations in Mława and Iława. Replacing the Breidsprecha wheel sets did not solve the problem. At the stations, tracks were placed higher and lower. It was easier to transfer bags and crates from the higher wagons to the lower wagons.

It should also be noted that a Gdańsk–Bydgoszcz–Warsaw connection had already existed since 1862, but it was a much longer connection and did not satisfy Gdańsk merchants. In 1872, a committee was established to build a line through Malbork, Iława, and Mława. The company was named the Malbork–Mława Railway, or Marienburg–Mlawaer Eisenbahn in German. On June 1, 1872, the Prussian government granted a concession for the construction and operation of the line. The route approved was: Malbork–Prabuty–Iława– Działdowo–Mława. At that time, Mława was in the Muscovite Partition, in the Kingdom of Poland, which was completely dependent on Moscow. The company had accumulated capital of 25.7 million marks. This amount allowed the line to be operational by the end of 1877.

The lines were put into operation in stages. In May 1876, the Malbork–Iława section was opened. On October 21, 1876, the Iława–Montowo section was opened. On May 15, 1877, the Montowo– Działdowo section was opened. On November 1, 1877, the Działdowo–Mława section was opened. This marked the beginning of cross-border trade. Freight and passenger trains operated. Prussia primarily imported agricultural raw materials: grain, bran, flour, potatoes, butter, eggs, cattle, ducks, geese, and construction timber. Exports included machinery (including locomobiles), agricultural tools, steel products, haberdashery, seeds, fertilizers, and more.

The construction of the Malbork–Mława Railway was regulated by the Prussian Act of November 3, 1838, on Railway Enterprises. Therefore, private capital was involved in the construction, and the state was to purchase the line after 30 years of use. However, the state purchased the lines earlier, on May 18, 1903. At that time, the line was placed under the management of the Gdańsk Railway Company (KPEV).

After the end of the Great War, under the Treaty of Versailles, Poland was granted Działdowo and a section of the line up to Rakowice station (the border station). Smolniki station already belonged to the Germans. The Działdowo land was granted to Poland without a plebiscite. This situation hampered the transport of goods from Warsaw to Gdańsk, even though the treaty provided for free trade. It is worth mentioning that a plebiscite was held in Iława, and 95% of the residents voted in favor of Germanization. In this situation, trains from Warsaw to Działdowo were diverted to the Brodnica–Jabłonowo Pomorskie–Grudziądz–Laskowice Pomorskie route and northward. The remaining section of the line, Iława–Prabuty–Malbork–Tczew, was a regional one. As one might imagine, this situation persisted until September 1, 1939, when the Germans invaded Poland. All broad gauge railways in Poland, starting from the Great War, were systematically converted to standard gauge 1435 mm. A 20-year period was too short for the Działdowo-Brodnica-Jabłonowo Pomorskie-Grudziądz-Laskowice Pomorskie route to become significant for the development of this region, especially since it ran through former Prussian territories.

In August 1902, a new single-track railway line was opened: Iława-Nowe Miasto Lubawskie-Tama Brodzka. The line began on line No. 353, between the Iława Główna and Jamielnik stations, and ran southward. Line No. 251 was single-track and non-electrified. It included stations: Radomno-Bratian-Nowe Miasto Lubawskie-Kurzętnik-Kaługa-Szramowo-Bajkowo-Tama Brodzka-Brodnica. This was a local line, used for passenger and freight transport. Line No. 251 was suspended in 2000 and dismantled by July 28, 2010. Its length was 41.969 km.

Despite completed designs and plans, the Iława–Zalewo railway line was never constructed.

Iława Główna Railway Station.

The Iława Główny Railway Station is located in the southeastern part of the city. The front elevation faces northwest. Iława Główna Railway Station is widely considered one of the most beautiful. Its appearance is undoubtedly due to the local city councilors. The red brick building was erected in 1905 in the neo-Gothic style and, as before, still serves a representative function. The building was constructed on an elongated rectangular plan. It is multi-dimensional and features numerous decorative elements: projections, cornices, and pointed arches of windows of varying sizes. It has a large, steep roof covered with red tiles. The roof covers a usable attic. The exterior cladding is made of red clinker brick. The station has a basement, two main floors, and a usable attic.

The central feature of the station is the representative hall, decorated in brown and orange. It is a dormer-type structure. The dormer is an architectural element of the roof, in the form of a superstructure that illuminates and ventilates the attic, creating two vertical front walls containing windows, often with stained glass. The station building features the coat of arms of the city of Iława as stained glass. The side walls connect with the roof slope. The vault is wooden and dark brown. The side walls feature 24 so-called blind windows, each containing mosaics. Most of the blind windows feature floral motifs. Eight of these mosaics depict the coats of arms of cities that could be reached from Iława. These include the coats of arms of Gdańsk, Malbork, Toruń, Prabuty, Wąbrzeźno, Brodnica, Działdowo, and Kowalewo. The coats of arms were reconstructed after 1945, after the station’s destruction, and feature Polish inscriptions in Gothic script. The walls are reinforced with steel stays. A modernist chandelier sits in the center. The paneling is made of brown ceramic tiles. The interior walls are also decorated with a floral motif. The elegant entrance consists of two double brown doors. Analog clocks are placed just above the doors; both inside and outside. The floor is covered with yellow ceramic tiles. There are walkways leading to the ticket office area, the waiting room (formerly a restaurant), and restrooms. The lobby features stairs leading to a tunnel and three platforms. An ATM is located in the lobby.

The ticket office area is located to the right of the main entrance to the station and is designed to complement the lobby. The walls are clad in brown tiles up to a height of 2 meters. The rest is painted yellow. There are three ticket windows with wood paneling, topped with an arch. Travelers line up along wrought-iron railings and tables on which to place hand luggage. 

The waiting room is a former restaurant/waiting room. The waiting room is located on the left after passing through the main entrance. The interior features impressive large windows with pointed arches. The ceiling is a wooden, beamed, brown ceiling. There are two modernist chandeliers. The walls are painted straw yellow, and brown wooden paneling extends to a height of 1.5 meters. The floor is made of cream-colored ceramic tiles. Passengers have access to brown benches, which perfectly complement the interior’s character. Inside, there are vending machines for drinks and snacks.

The station was listed as a historic monument in 2006. A general renovation (revitalization) was carried out between 2010 and 2012, with an investment of 16.75 million złoty. At that time, the redundant plaster was removed from the façade. In 2011, a complex of platforms, consisting of canopies and an underpass tunnel with exits to platforms 1, 2, and 3, was also added to the register of historical monuments.

Adjacent to the station building is the post office building, also built in the neo-Gothic style. Opposite the station, on a raised platform, are two historic railway water towers dating back to the station’s expansion at the turn of the 20th century. The first tower is polygonal, with a half-timbered top and two water tanks inside. The second tower is a classic tower, one of many found in Poland. In 1970, on the 25th anniversary of the return of the Iława region to Poland, a commemorative stone was placed in front of the Iława Main Station at the initiative of the railway workers at the Iława junction: “To the Fighters for the Polishness of Warmia and Mazury on the 25th Anniversary of the Return of the Iława Region to the Motherland.” On June 24, 2019, in front of the Iława Główna Railway Station, an area was named Iława Railwaymen Square. The square was renovated in 2018, and as a result of modernization work, a buried tube containing the foundation act, signed by the city’s then-mayors and railwaymen, was discovered under a boulder erected in 1970. A TKt48-53 steam locomotive, a monument to engineering, stands near the station. To the south of the station is a multi-story building with a usable attic, which serves as administrative and residential space.

During World War II, Iława Główna station was expanded. The number of station tracks was increased, and many were lengthened. A third water tower was built in the southern part of the station, next to the locomotive shed. The tower is made of brick, circular, covered with a conical roof, and stands 70 meters high. The tower was put up for sale (in 2019) for PLN 70,000.

From 2012 to 2015, Iława Główna station was modernized as part of the revitalization of railway line No. 9. The tracks were replaced and the track layout was modified. New electric traction was installed. A new two-story building was constructed to house the LCS.

Platforms: Iława Główna station has three island platforms with double edges. Platform 1 is 390 m long and has a 232 m long canopy. Platform 2 is 387 m long and has a 170 m long canopy. Platform 3 is 387 m long and has a 57 m long canopy. The platforms have edges paved with burgundy slabs with yellow warning lines. The slabs measure 2 m x 1 m. The remaining platforms are paved with grey concrete paving stones. During the renovation, the platforms were moved southward. As a result, the historic canopies on platforms 2 and 3 protrude beyond the platforms on the north side. The historic tunnel, partially lined with stone cladding and featuring wrought iron railings, was retained.

Written by Karol Placha Hetman