Everything about Hel Peninsula totally explained
Hel Peninsula (; ; ; or
Putziger Nehrung) is a 35-km-long
sand bar peninsula in northern
Poland separating the
Bay of Puck from the open
Baltic Sea. It is located in
Puck County of the
Pomeranian Voivodeship.
Geography
The width of the peninsula varies from approximately 300 m. near
Jurata, through 100 m in the most narrow part to over 3 km at the tip. Since the peninsula was formed entirely of
sand, it's frequently turned into an island by winter storms. Until the
17th century the peninsula was a chain of islands that formed a strip of land only during the summer.
A road and a railroad run along the peninsula from the mainland to the town located at the furthest point,
Hel, a popular tourist destination. Other towns, ports, and tourist resorts are
Jurata,
Jastarnia,
Kuźnica,
Chałupy, and
Władysławowo.
Military importance
After the peninsula became part of the
Second Polish Republic after
World War I, it acquired considerable military significance, and was turned into a
fortified region, with a garrison of about 3,000. In the course of the
Battle of Hel in 1939, Polish forces
dynamited the peninsula at one point, turning it into an island.
During the years of
German occupation (1939-1945), Hel's defenses were further expanded, and a battery of three 406 mm guns was constructed, though the guns were never installed. The peninsula remained in German hands until the end of
World War II, when the defending forces surrendered on
May 10,
1945.
After the war Hel continued to have military significance, with much of its area reserved for military use. Additional gun batteries were built during the 1940s and 1950s. Today many of the fortifications and batteries are open to tourists, though some areas of the peninsula still belong to the
Polish Armed Forces.
Cultural references
During an episode of the cartoon
Metalocalypse, members of the band Dethklok perform a concert near the Hel Peninsula.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Hel Peninsula'.
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