# Wieleń

> city of Poland

**Wikidata**: [Q988612](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q988612)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wieleń)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/wielen

## Summary

Wieleń is a city in western Poland, located in Greater Poland Voivodeship, with a population of 5,878 as of 2021. Founded in 1108, the city has a rich history transitioning from German rule (as Filehne) to Polish administration following World War I, and serves as the seat of Gmina Wieleń. The city covers an area of 4.32 square kilometres and sits at coordinates 52.892222222222° N, 16.173611111111° E.

## Key Facts

- **Type**: City (instance_of: city)
- **Location**: Gmina Wieleń, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland
- **Coordinates**: 52.892222222222° N, 16.173611111111° E
- **Area**: 4.32 square kilometres
- **Population**: 5,878 (as of March 31, 2021, per Polish census)
  - Male population: 2,855
  - Female population: 3,023
- **Inception/Founding**: 1108
- **Postal code**: 64-730
- **Timezone**: UTC+01:00 (standard/Central European Time), UTC+02:00 (daylight saving/Central European Summer Time)
- **Continent**: Europe
- **Website**: http://www.wielen.pl/
- **Flag**: POL_Wieleń_flag.svg
- **Coat of arms**: POL_Wieleń_COA.svg
- **Historical names**: Deutsch Filehne, Filehne (German name until 1945)
- **Japanese alias**: ビェレン
- **Country history**: Part of German Reich (1871–1919), Poland since 1919
- **TERC municipality code**: 3002084
- **SIMC place ID**: 0967334
- **Wikidata description**: city of Poland
- **Wikipedia languages available**: be, ceb, commons, csb, da, de, el, en, eo, et, fr, jv, lt, lv, ms, nl, pl, pt, ro, ru, sh, sk, sr, sv, szl, uk, vi, zh (28 language versions)
- **Sitelink count**: 29 (Wikipedia connections)

## FAQs

**What is Wieleń and where is it located?**
Wieleń is a city in western Poland, situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. It serves as the administrative seat of Gmina Wieleń (the administrative district), though it is administratively distinct from the municipality itself. The city is located at coordinates 52.892222222222° N latitude and 16.173611111111° E longitude.

**When was Wieleń founded?**
Wieleń was founded in 1108, giving it a history spanning over 900 years. The city was originally known as Filehne under German rule before becoming part of Poland after World War I in 1919.

**What is the population of Wieleń?**
As of the Polish census of March 31, 2021, Wieleń has a population of 5,878 residents, consisting of 2,855 males and 3,023 females.

**What is the area of Wieleń?**
Wieleń covers 4.32 square kilometres (432 hectares).

**What timezone does Wieleń observe?**
Wieleń follows Central European Time (CET), which is UTC+01:00 during standard time and UTC+02:00 during Central European Summer Time (daylight saving time).

**What is the postal code for Wieleń?**
The postal code for Wieleń is 64-730.

**What are Wieleń's historical names?**
Historically, the city was known as Filehne (German) or Deutsch Filehne. It also has a Japanese transliteration: ビェレン. The GND (Gemeinsame Normdatei) identifier 600449-0 refers to the historical entity "Filehne" (valid until 1945), while 4346089-6 refers to the current Polish name "Wieleń."

**How many language versions of Wikipedia contain articles about Wieleń?**
Wieleń has 29 sitelinks across Wikipedia in 28 languages, including entries in Belarusian (be), Cebuano (ceb), Czech (csb), Danish (da), German (de), Greek (el), English (en), Esperanto (eo), Estonian (et), French (fr), Javanese (jv), Lithuanian (lt), Latvian (lv), Malay (ms), Dutch (nl), Polish (pl), Portuguese (pt), Romanian (ro), Russian (ru), Serbo-Croatian (sh), Slovak (sk), Serbian (sr), Swedish (sv), Silesian (szl), Ukrainian (uk), Vietnamese (vi), and Chinese (zh).

## Why It Matters

Wieleń represents a significant example of Central European historical transition and urban development. The city's founding in 1108 places it among the older settlements in the region, with its history reflecting the broader geopolitical shifts of Central Europe. The transition from German rule (as Filehne) to Polish administration following World War I in 1919 exemplifies the dramatic border changes that reshaped Central Europe after the collapse of imperial powers.

Today, Wieleń serves as an administrative centre for the surrounding Gmina Wieleń, providing municipal services to the region. Its population of nearly 6,000 residents and area of 4.32 square kilometres make it a modest but functioning urban centre in western Poland. The city's presence across 28 Wikipedia language versions and its inclusion in multiple authority databases (VIAF, GND, GeoNames, MusicBrainz, Freebase) demonstrates its recognition as a notable entity within global knowledge systems.

The city's historical documentation in sources such as the Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron and Meyers Konversations-Lexikon (4th edition, 1885–1890) attests to its historical significance in European scholarly literature. Wieleń's inclusion in these encyclopedic works indicates it was considered a place of sufficient importance to warrant historical and cultural documentation during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

## Notable For

- **Historical depth**: Founded in 1108, making it over 900 years old
- **Bilingual historical identity**: Known historically as Filehne (German) and now Wieleń (Polish), reflecting Central Europe's complex history
- **International documentation**: Featured in historical encyclopedias including the Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron and Meyers Konversations-Lexikon
- **Multilingual Wikipedia presence**: Article available in 28 different language versions
- **Multiple authority identifiers**: Listed in major international authority files including VIAF (125208467), GND, GeoNames (3082319), Freebase (/m/0288bwj), and MusicBrainz
- **Administrative function**: Serves as seat of Gmina Wieleń
- **Precise geocoding**: Has documented coordinates and GNS unique feature ID (-534946)

## Body

### History and Foundation

Wieleń was founded in 1108, establishing its place among the older settlements in the Greater Poland region. Throughout its history, the city was known as Filehne under German administration, part of the German Reich from 1871 until 1919. Following World War I and the Treaty of Versailles, the region was transferred to Polish administration, and the city adopted its current Polish name, Wieleń. This transition is documented in the GND (Gemeinsame Normdatei) authority files, which maintain separate identifiers for the historical German entity (600449-0, valid until 1945) and the current Polish entity (4346089-6).

The city's historical significance is further attested by its inclusion in major historical encyclopedic works, including the Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron and Meyers Konversations-Lexikon (4th edition, 1885–1890), both of which provide historical documentation of the settlement during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

### Geography and Administration

Wieleń is located in western Poland, specifically in the Greater Poland Voivodeship (Wielkopolskie). The city sits at coordinates 52.892222222222° N latitude and 16.173611111111° E longitude, covering an area of 4.32 square kilometres (432 hectares). It serves as the administrative seat of Gmina Wieleń, though it is administratively distinct from the municipality—it is designated as "different from: Gmina Wieleń" in official documentation.

The city has the TERC municipality code 3002084 and the SIMC place ID 0967334, both used in Polish administrative systems. The postal code for Wieleń is 64-730.

### Demographics

As of the Polish census of March 31, 2021, Wieleń has a total population of 5,878 residents. The population breakdown shows 2,855 males and 3,023 females, indicating a slight female majority. The population data was collected through the Polish census of 2021 and is available through the Polish statistical system (BDL/GUS).

### Time and Location

Wieleń follows Central European Time (CET), which is UTC+01:00 during standard time. During daylight saving time, the city observes Central European Summer Time (CEST), which is UTC+02:00. This timezone arrangement is standard for Poland and aligns with other Central European countries.

### Cultural and Institutional Assets

The city maintains an official website at http://www.wielen.pl/, providing municipal information and services to residents and visitors. Wieleń has several visual symbols, including a flag (POL_Wieleń_flag.svg) and a coat of arms (POL_Wieleń_COA.svg), both hosted on Wikimedia Commons. An image of the city is also available (Wieleń_269-50.jpg).

The city is categorized under "Wieleń" on Wikimedia Commons, the media repository maintained by the Wikimedia Foundation. The commons category serves as a collection point for all media files related to the city.

### International Recognition and Authority Files

Wieleń is listed in numerous international authority and identification systems, demonstrating its recognition within global knowledge infrastructure:

- **VIAF (Virtual International Authority File)**: 125208467
- **GND (Gemeinsame Normdatei)**: Two identifiers—600449-0 (historical Filehne, valid until 1945) and 4346089-6 (current Wieleń)
- **GeoNames**: 3082319
- **Freebase**: /m/0288bwj
- **MusicBrainz Area ID**: 3355da60-d5ec-4835-bf0e-4f59df822cc6
- **GNS Unique Feature ID**: -534946
- **Museum Digital Place ID**: 12105
- **RKD Thesaurus ID**: 96131
- **Who's On First ID**: 101819035

Additionally, the city has a FactGrid item ID (Betty Ann Bjerkreim Nilsen) and a Münzkabinett ID (location/1928), indicating its inclusion in specialized historical and numismatic databases.

### Wikipedia and Digital Presence

Wieleń has a significant digital presence across Wikipedia, with articles available in 28 language versions: Belarusian, Cebuano, Czech, Danish, German, Greek, English, Esperanto, Estonian, French, Javanese, Lithuanian, Latvian, Malay, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Slovak, Serbian, Swedish, Silesian, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, and Chinese. The total sitelink count across all Wikipedia projects is 29, reflecting substantial international coverage.

The Polish Wikipedia article serves as the primary article, with the title "Wieleń." The English Wikipedia article also uses the title "Wieleń."

### Related Entities and Distinctions

Wieleń is administratively distinct from Gmina Wieleń, the surrounding municipality of which it serves as the seat. This distinction is explicitly noted in the source material under "different_from: Gmina Wieleń." The city is part of the continent of Europe and is located in the historical region of Greater Poland (Wielkopolska).

The city has been referenced in relation to various projects and collections, including Museum Digital (a German museum digitization project) with place ID 12105, and the RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History with thesaurus ID 96131.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.worlddata.info/europe/poland/timezones.php)
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. MusicBrainz
4. [Source](https://bdl.stat.gov.pl/api/v1/data/localities/by-unit/023016002084-0967334?var-id=1639616&format=jsonapi)
5. [Source](https://bdl.stat.gov.pl/api/v1/data/localities/by-unit/023016002084-0967334?var-id=1639618&format=jsonapi)
6. [Source](https://bdl.stat.gov.pl/api/v1/data/localities/by-unit/023016002084-0967334?var-id=1639617&format=jsonapi)
7. GeoNames
8. museum-digital