Chełm

Chełm is a city in southeastern Poland with 63,949 inhabitants. It is located to the south-east of Lublin, north of Zamość and south of Biała Podlaska, some 25 kilometres from the border with Ukraine. Chełm used to be the capital of the Chełm Voivodeship until it became part of the Lublin Voivodeship in 1999.

The city is of mostly industrial character, though it also features numerous notable historical monuments and tourist attractions in the Old Town. Chełm is a multiple bishopric. Its name comes from the Proto-Slavic or Celtic word "cholm", a hill, in reference to the Wysoka Górka fortified settlement. Chełm was once a vibrant multicultural and religious centre populated by Roman Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Lutherans and Jews. The population was homogenized after World War II.