# Chełm

> city with powiat rights in the Lublin Voivodeship in south-eastern Poland

**Wikidata**: [Q234184](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q234184)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chełm)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/chem

## Summary
Chełm is a city with powiat rights in the Lublin Voivodeship in south-eastern Poland, with a recorded inception in 1237. Historically known by various names including Cholm and Холм, it has served as a capital for several administrative divisions, most recently the Chełm Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998. As of the 2021 Polish census, its population was 59,546.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** City with powiat rights in Poland.
- **Location:** Lublin Voivodeship, south-eastern Poland; coordinates 51.133333°N, 23.483333°E.
- **Area:** 35.28 square kilometres.
- **Inception:** First mentioned in written records in 1237; time of earliest written record is 1072.
- **Population (2021 census):** 59,546 total (27,797 male, 31,749 female).
- **Elevation:** 80 metres above sea level.
- **Administrative Status:** Part of Chełm County (powiat); previously capital of Chełm Voivodeship (1975-1998).
- **Historical Capitals:** Capital of Kholmskii uezd (1837-1918), Kholm Governorate (1912-1918), and Chełm powiat (until 1795).
- **Historical Countries:** Part of the Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia (until 1387), Polish People's Republic (1944-1989), and modern Poland (since 1989).
- **Timezone:** Central European Time (UTC+01:00) standard; Central European Summer Time (UTC+02:00) daylight saving.
- **Postal Code:** 22-100 to 22-118.
- **Local Dialing Code:** 82.
- **Vehicle Registration Plate Code:** LC.
- **Mayor (Head of Government):** Agata Fisz (in office since 2006).
- **Official Name:** Chełm (current); Холм (until 1918).
- **Aliases:** Cholm, Холм.
- **Coat of Arms:** POL_Chełm_COA_1.svg.
- **Flag:** POL_Chełm_flag.svg.
- **Website:** http://www.chelm.pl (Polish language).
- **GeoNames ID:** 774558.
- **OpenStreetMap Node ID:** 253543591; Relation ID: 2659115.
- **Twin/Sister Cities:** Sindelfingen, Germany (since 2001); Knoxville, USA (since 1998); Morlaix, France (since 1997); Lutsk, Ukraine (since 2014); Kovel, Ukraine (since 1996); Utena, Lithuania (since 1998); Khust, Ukraine.
- **Category Associations:** Category:Births in Chełm; Category:People from Chełm; Category:Deaths in Chełm; Category:Maps of Chełm.
- **Encyclopedic References:** Described in sources including the Small Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, Granat Encyclopedic Dictionary, Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron, and Encyclopædia Britannica 11th edition (as "Kulm" / "Kholm").
- **Physical Feature:** Located in the region of Chełm Land.

## FAQs
**What is Chełm's administrative status and location?**
Chełm is a city with powiat rights, meaning it serves as the seat of Chełm County (powiat chełmski) within the Lublin Voivodeship in south-eastern Poland. It is not part of the county's administrative structure but is a separate urban unit.

**What are the historical names and periods of Chełm?**
Historically, Chełm was known as Cholm in German and Холм (Kholm) in Russian and Ukrainian contexts. It was part of the Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia until 1387, later within the Russian Empire's Kholm Governorate (1912-1918), and was called Холм officially until 1918. In the 20th century, it was within the Polish People's Republic from 1944 until 1989.

**What is the current population of Chełm and how has it changed?**
According to the most recent official Polish census from March 31, 2021, Chełm's population was 59,546. Previous estimates were 61,588 (June 30, 2020) and 63,734 (January 1, 2017), indicating a gradual decline over the preceding years.

**With which cities is Chełm twinned?**
Chełm maintains partnerships with seven cities: Sindelfingen (Germany, since 2001), Knoxville (USA, since 1998), Morlaix (France, since 1997), Lutsk (Ukraine, since 2014), Kovel (Ukraine, since 1996), Utena (Lithuania, since 1998), and Khust (Ukraine).

**Why is Chełm historically significant in the region?**
Chełm is historically significant as a long-standing administrative capital, having been the seat of the Chełm Voivodeship (1975-1998), Kholm Governorate (1912-1918), and earlier entities. Its multicultural history, particularly its once-large Jewish community, is documented in major encyclopedias like the Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron.

**What are the key geographic and infrastructural details for Chełm?**
Chełm covers an area of 35.28 km² at an elevation of 80 metres. Its postal codes range from 22-100 to 22-118, the local dialing code is 82, and vehicle registration plates use the "LC" prefix. It operates on Central European Time (UTC+1) and observes Central European Summer Time (UTC+2).

## Why It Matters
Chełm matters as a historical crossroads and administrative centre in eastern Poland, with a legacy stretching back over 800 years. Its role as a capital for successive administrative entities—from the medieval Chełm powiat through the 20th-century Chełm Voivodeship—cements its importance in regional governance. The city is a key site for the study of Eastern European Jewish history, as evidenced by its dedicated entry in the Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron and its inclusion in the YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe. Its strategic location in the Lublin Voivodeship makes it a local economic and cultural hub for the surrounding Chełm Land region. Furthermore, its network of international twin towns reflects a post-1989 engagement with global partnerships, fostering cultural and economic exchange.

## Notable For
- **Ancient Inception:** First written record dates to 1072, with formal inception noted in 1237, making it one of Poland's older documented urban centres.
- **Administive Longevity:** Served as a capital for multiple administrative units across centuries, including a modern voivodeship (1975-1998).
- **Multicultural Toponymy:** Known by distinct names in different historical contexts: Chełm (Polish), Cholm (German), Холм/Kholm (Russian/Ukrainian).
- **Powiat Rights:** Holds the special status of a city county (city with powiat rights), a designation shared by only a select group of Polish cities.
- **Documented Heritage:** Featured in numerous major historical encyclopedias, including multiple editions of Brockhaus and Efron, Granat, and Encyclopædia Britannica.
- **Geographic Specificity:** Precisely defined area of 35.28 km² and a specific geographic coordinate point (51.133333°N, 23.483333°E).
- **International Engagement:** Maintains seven active twin town relationships across Europe and North America, established between 1996 and 2001.
- **Distinct Identity:** The property "different_from" explicitly notes its toponym is not unique, acknowledging the need to distinguish it from other places named Chełm or Cholm.

## Body

### History and Administrative Evolution
Chełm's documented history begins with a written record in 1072 and a formal inception date of 1237. Its administrative significance is demonstrated by its repeated role as a capital city. It was the capital of the Chełm powiat until the Third Partition of Poland in 1795. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, under the Russian Empire, it served as the seat of the Kholmskii uezd (from 1837) and later the Kholm Governorate (from July 6, 1912) until 1918. Following World War II, within the Polish People's Republic, it was the capital of the Lublin District (October 26, 1939 – July 25, 1944). Its most recent role as a regional capital was as the seat of the Chełm Voivodeship from June 1, 1975, to December 31, 1998, after which it was integrated into the larger Lublin Voivodeship from January 1, 1999. The city's official name was Холм (Kholm) until 1918, reflecting its period within the Russian Empire.

### Geography and Location
Chełm is situated in south-eastern Poland within the Lublin Voivodeship. Its precise geographic coordinates are latitude 51.133333°N and longitude 23.483333°E. The city covers a total area of 35.28 square kilometres. It lies at an elevation of 80 metres above sea level. Geographically, it is located within the region known as Chełm Land. The city observes the Central European Time zone (UTC+01:00) during standard time and switches to Central European Summer Time (UTC+02:00) for daylight saving.

### Demographics
Population data from official Polish sources shows a gradual decline. The 2021 national census, conducted on March 31, 2021, recorded a total population of 59,546 residents, comprising 27,797 males and 31,749 females. This was a decrease from an estimated population of 61,588 on June 30, 2020, and 63,734 on January 1, 2017. The 2021 census data is the designated "most recent value" in the source material.

### Governance and Administration
Chełm is a city with powiat rights (miasto na prawach powiatu), meaning it is an independent city county and not subordinate to the surrounding Chełm County (powiat chełmski), though it serves as the county's seat. The head of the city government is the Mayor (Prezydent Miasta). Agata Fisz has held this position since 2006. For national vehicle registration, the city uses the licence plate code "LC". The local dialing code is 82, and the postal code range is 22-100 to 22-118. The city's official website is http://www.chelm.pl, published in Polish.

### International Relations
Chełm maintains an active program of international twinning (partner cities/miasta partnerskie). The partnerships and their start dates are:
*   **Sindelfingen, Germany:** Partnership established October 29, 2001.
*   **Knoxville, Tennessee, USA:** Partnership established April 7, 1998.
*   **Morlaix, France:** Partnership established January 28, 1997.
*   **Lutsk, Ukraine:** Partnership established May 31, 2014.
*   **Kovel, Ukraine:** Partnership established March 20, 1996.
*   **Utena, Lithuania:** Partnership established March 2, 1998.
*   **Khust, Ukraine:** Partnership date not specified in the provided data.

### Cultural and Historical Identity
The city has a rich, multicultural history reflected in its numerous aliases: Cholm (German) and Холм (Russian/Ukrainian). This history has led to its documentation in a wide array of historical and encyclopedic sources, including the *Small Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary*, the *Granat Encyclopedic Dictionary*, the *Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron*, and the *Encyclopædia Britannica* 11th edition (under entries "Kulm" and "Kholm"). Its significance for Jewish history is further noted by its inclusion in the YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe. The city's native Polish label is "Chełm", with a pronunciation audio file available. Its visual identity is defined by the coat of arms (POL_Chełm_COA_1.svg) and flag (POL_Chełm_flag.svg). The city is the subject of a Commons gallery and category, and a Wikipedia article available in over 60 languages.

### Digital and Bibliographic Presence
Chełm is extensively catalogued in global knowledge and library systems. Identifiers include:
*   **GND ID:** 5298105-8 (with qualifiers for "Chełm" and "Cholm (Lublin)").
*   **VIAF ID:** 125144814485282630585.
*   **Freebase ID:** /m/022m3z.
*   **GeoNames ID:** 774558.
*   **OpenStreetMap Node ID:** 253543591; Relation ID: 2659111.
*   **SIMC Place ID (Polish official registry):** 0929902.
*   **Terc Municipality Code (Polish official registry):** 0662011.
*   **Who's On First ID:** 101752211.
*   **MusicBrainz Area ID:** a5aed6e5-d69b-480b-bdd2-0c9dd9d8a525.
*   **iNaturalist Place ID:** 101964.
*   **Archinform Location ID:** 51621.
*   **Museum Digital Place ID:** 65599.
*   **World Historical Gazetteer Place ID:** 12385725.
*   **Early Modern Letters Online Location ID:** 26d2ea55-6cf0-4ad9-98da-af8b144c1b3a.
*   **Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana ID:** chelm (and former scheme 0017476).
*   **Hrvatska Enciklopedija ID:** 11541.
*   **Jewish Encyclopedia ID (Russian):** 14498.
*   **Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine ID:** K\H\Kholm.
*   **Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID:** place/Chelm.
*   **FactGrid Item ID:** George Moberly (likely a misattribution or specific item link).
*   **NL CR AUT ID:** ge181918 (with qualifier "Chełm (Polsko)").

### Categories and Classification
The city is classified as an instance of a "city with powiat rights in Poland" and a general "city". It is the namesake and central subject for several Wikimedia and external categories: Category:Chełm (main topic category), Category:Births in Chełm, Category:People from Chełm, Category:Deaths in Chełm, and Category:Maps of Chełm. The "different_from" property explicitly notes that the toponym "Chełm" and its alias "Cholm" are not unique, referencing other places with the same name. The city is also the subject of a page banner image (Chełm_Banner.jpg) and a specific image (Chełmska_górka1.jpg).

## References

1. [Source](http://www.chelm.pl/www/um/index.php/miasta-partnerskie/sindelfingen-niemcy)
2. [Source](http://www.chelm.pl/www/um/index.php/miasta-partnerskie/knoxville-usa)
3. [Source](http://www.chelm.pl/www/um/index.php/miasta-partnerskie/morlaix-francja)
4. [Source](http://www.chelm.pl/www/um/index.php/miasta-partnerskie/luck-ukraina)
5. [Source](http://www.lutskrada.gov.ua/en/citizen/chelm)
6. [Source](http://www.chelm.pl/www/um/index.php/miasta-partnerskie/kowel-ukraina)
7. [Source](http://www.chelm.pl/www/um/index.php/miasta-partnerskie/utena-litwa)
8. [Source](https://www.worlddata.info/europe/poland/timezones.php)
9. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
10. Czech National Authority Database
11. MusicBrainz
12. [Source](https://bdl.stat.gov.pl/api/v1/data/localities/by-unit/060611062011-0929902?var-id=1639616&format=jsonapi)
13. [Source](https://bdl.stat.gov.pl/api/v1/data/localities/by-unit/060611062011-0929902?var-id=1639618&format=jsonapi)
14. [Source](https://bdl.stat.gov.pl/api/v1/data/localities/by-unit/060611062011-0929902?var-id=1639617&format=jsonapi)
15. GeoNames
16. TERYT
17. Quora
18. System for IDs and names of places
19. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
20. [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/places/inaturalist-places.csv.zip)