Ilawa

Ilawa is a town in northeastern Poland with 32,276 inhabitants. It is situated in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship previously it was in Olsztyn Voivodeship 1975 to 1998. It is the capital of Ilawa County. The city existed originally as a Old Prussian settlement and was recorded by Teutonic Knights in Prussia in 1305. It is documented in a manuscript by Luther von Braunschweig in 1317 and its first names are knonw as Ylavia, Ylaw oraz Ilow. It was located on the Eylenz River between Lakes Geserich and Eylenz.

This location makes it a popular vacation area. The town was under the jurisdiction of the komtur of Christ burg and since 1340 under Osterode. In 1457 it was sold to King Casmir IV Jagiellon of Poland during the 13 Years' War between the cities of Prussia and Poland on one side and the Teutonic Order on the other. 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.