{{Short description|Town in Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland}} {{other places|Mikołajki (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Mikołajki | image_skyline = Mikołajki miasto.jpg | image_caption = Aerial view of Mikołajki | image_flag = POL Mikołajki flag.svg | image_shield = POL Mikołajki COA.svg | pushpin_map = Poland | pushpin_label_position = bottom | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{POL}} | subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship | subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship|name=Warmian-Masurian}} | subdivision_type2 = County | subdivision_name2 = Mrągowo | subdivision_type3 = Gmina | subdivision_name3 = Mikołajki | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Piotr Jakubowski | established_title = Established | established_date = 15th century | established_title3 = Town rights | established_date3 = 1726 | elevation_min_m = 116 | elevation_max_m = 150 | area_total_km2 = 9.32 | population_as_of = 2025 | population_total = 3338 | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone = CET | utc_offset = +1 | timezone_DST = CEST | utc_offset_DST = +2 | coordinates = {{coord|53|48|N|21|35|E|region:PL|display=title,inline}} | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 11-730 | area_code = +48 87 | blank_name = Car plates | blank_info = NMR | website = http://www.mikolajki.pl }} '''Mikołajki''' {{IPAc-pl|m|J|i|k|o|'|ł|a|I|k|J|i}} ({{langx|de|{{audio|De-Nikolaiken.oga|Nikolaiken}}}}) is a resort town in Mrągowo County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship in north-eastern Poland,{{TERYT}} with 3,338 inhabitants as of 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=GUS |title=Powierzchnia i ludność w przekroju terytorialnym w 2025 r. |url=https://stat.gov.pl/obszary-tematyczne/ludnosc/ludnosc/powierzchnia-i-ludnosc-w-przekroju-terytorialnym-w-2025-r-,7,22.html |access-date=2025-07-26 |website=stat.gov.pl |language=pl}}</ref> The town is located near the Śniardwy, the largest lake of both the Masurian Lake District and Poland.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jezioro Śniardwy – największy słodkowodny akwen w Polsce pełen niespodzianek {{!}} National Geographic |url=https://www.national-geographic.pl/traveler/kierunki/jezioro-sniardwy-najwiekszy-slodkowodny-akwen-w-polsce-pelen-niespodzianek/ |access-date=2025-07-26 |website=www.national-geographic.pl |language=pl-PL}}</ref> It is located in the center of the ethnocultural region of Masuria.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mikołajki - informacje, atrakcje, pogoda |url=https://meteor-turystyka.pl/miasto/mikolajki |access-date=2025-07-26 |website=meteor-turystyka.pl |language=pl-PL}}</ref>
== History == thumb|left|Preparing whitefish in the 1920s Mikołajki is an old Masurian church town first documented as Nickelsdorf (Sankt Niklas) in 1444 and Niklasdorf in 1493. The name refers to Saint Nicholas (''Mikołaj'' in Polish).<ref name=Czopek>{{cite web|url=http://ou.unideb.hu/onomural/kotetek/ou8/12czopek.pdf|title=Geographical Names Deriving from Saints' Names (Patrocinia) in Poland |first=Barbara| last= Czopek-Kopciuch |page=231}}</ref><ref name=Bednarz>{{cite book |title=Fernes nahes Land |first=Klaus | last=Bednarz|author-link=Klaus Bednarz|publisher =Hoffmann und Campe |year=1996|isbn=3-455-11059-2|page=30 |language=de}}</ref> Early on, it was part of the State of the Teutonic Order. In 1454 Polish King Casimir IV Jagiellon incorporated the region to the Kingdom of Poland upon the request of the anti-Teutonic Prussian Confederation,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Górski|first=Karol|title=Związek Pruski i poddanie się Prus Polsce: zbiór tekstów źródłowych|year=1949 |publisher=Instytut Zachodni|location=Poznań|language=pl|page=54}}</ref> and the Thirteen Years' War broke out. After the war ended in 1466 it was part of Poland, as a fiefdom held by the Teutonic Knights<ref>Górski, p. 96-97, 214-215</ref> and, from 1525 on, the Duchy of Prussia, founded as a vassal state of Poland. Similar to all of Masuria, it was mainly inhabited by Poles, hailing from nearby Masovia. In 1539 the inhabitants of the settlement were almost entirely Poles,<ref name=sgk>{{cite book|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich|volume=VI|year=1885|language=pl|location=Warszawa|page=400}}</ref> who called it by its Polish name ''Mikołajki''. First Protestant pastors were mentioned in 1552.<ref name=sgk/> The settlement, now within the Kingdom of Prussia, grew during the 18th century, receiving its town privileges as Nikolaiken in 1726. Because of its location on Śniardwy, the fishery of Nikolaiken ensured continued prosperity; the whitefish of the region were especially popular throughout the province of East Prussia.
From 1871 it was part of the German Empire, located within the Sensburg district (''Landkreis Sensburg'') within the province of East Prussia. However, in 1877, the population was still predominantly Polish, mostly of Protestant confession.<ref name=sgk/> In the 1898 German federal election, the Polish candidate of the Masurian People's Party, Zenon Eugeniusz Lewandowski, who originated from Poznań and was supported by the German Free-minded People's Party, received 50% of votes in Mikolajki.<ref>Mrągowo. Z dziejów miasta i powiatu. Andrzej Wakar Pojezierze, 1975, page 101</ref><ref>Andreas Kossert: ''"Wilhelminische Ostmarkenpolitik als infrastrukturelle Durchdringung? Masuren und der deutsch-polnische Antagonismus"'' in: Comparativ vol. 2 (2005), page 56 {{in lang|de}}</ref> As a result of the treaty of Versailles the 1920 East Prussian plebiscite was organized on 11 July 1920 under the control of the League of Nations, which resulted in 1,800 votes to remain in Germany and none for Poland.<ref>{{cite book |title=Selbstbestimmung für Ostdeutschland – Eine Dokumentation zum 50 Jahrestag der ost- und westpreussischen Volksabstimmung am 11. Juli 1920|first1=Herbert| last1=Marzian|first2=Csaba|last2=Kenez|year=1970|page=114 |language=de}}</ref> During World War II it was one of the few Masurian towns not destroyed from the fighting, following the war it became again part of Poland under its historic Polish name ''Mikołajki''.<ref name=Czopek/> The German-speaking population was evacuated and expelled by Polish and Soviet soldiers in accordance to the Potsdam Agreement.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}
The town was a growing tourist center before the war and is now one of the largest tourist sites in Masuria. The ice sailing in winter is an especially popular tourist attraction. The town's location on attractive lakes has also created the sailing capital of Poland here.
==Climate== Mikołajki has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification: ''Cfb'') using the {{convert|-3|C|F|0}} isotherm or a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification: ''Dfb'') using the {{convert|0|C|F|0}} isotherm.<ref name="kottek2006">{{cite journal|last1=Kottek|first1=Markus|last2=Grieser|first2=Jürgen|last3=Beck|first3=Christoph|last4=Rudolf|first4=Bruno |last5=Rubel|first5=Franz|title=World Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated|journal=Meteorologische Zeitschrift|date=2006|volume=15|issue=3|pages=259–263|doi=10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0130|bibcode=2006MetZe..15..259K|url=https://opus.bibliothek.uni-augsburg.de/opus4/files/40083/metz_Vol_15_No_3_p259-263_World_Map_of_the_Koppen_Geiger_climate_classification_updated_55034.pdf}}</ref><ref name=Peel>{{cite journal |author1=Peel, M. C. |author2=Finlayson B. L. |author3=McMahon, T. A. |name-list-style=amp |year=2007 |title=Updated world map of the Köppen–Geiger climate classification |journal=Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. |volume=11 |issue=5 |pages=1633–1644 |doi=10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007 |bibcode=2007HESS...11.1633P |issn=1027-5606|url=https://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/11/1633/2007/hess-11-1633-2007.pdf |doi-access=free }}</ref>
{{Weather box | location = Mikołajki (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1952–present) | metric first = y | single line = y | width = auto | Jan record high C = 11.9 | Feb record high C = 15.9 | Mar record high C = 22.1 | Apr record high C = 30.0 | May record high C = 31.1 | Jun record high C = 32.8 | Jul record high C = 34.9 | Aug record high C = 34.4 | Sep record high C = 33.9 | Oct record high C = 24.2 | Nov record high C = 16.6 | Dec record high C = 12.5 | year record high C = 34.9 | Jan high C = -0.1 | Feb high C = 1.2 | Mar high C = 5.8 | Apr high C = 12.9 | May high C = 18.4 | Jun high C = 21.6 | Jul high C = 23.8 | Aug high C = 23.3 | Sep high C = 18.1 | Oct high C = 11.7 | Nov high C = 5.6 | Dec high C = 1.4 | year high C = 12.0 | Jan mean C = -2.4 | Feb mean C = -1.6 | Mar mean C = 1.8 | Apr mean C = 7.8 | May mean C = 13.0 | Jun mean C = 16.5 | Jul mean C = 18.8 | Aug mean C = 18.3 | Sep mean C = 13.7 | Oct mean C = 8.2 | Nov mean C = 3.5 | Dec mean C = -0.6 | year mean C = 8.1 | Jan low C = -4.7 | Feb low C = -4.3 | Mar low C = -1.6 | Apr low C = 3.2 | May low C = 8.2 | Jun low C = 12.1 | Jul low C = 14.4 | Aug low C = 14.0 | Sep low C = 10.0 | Oct low C = 5.4 | Nov low C = 1.5 | Dec low C = -2.6 | year low C = 4.6 | Jan record low C = -31.6 | Feb record low C = -30.9 | Mar record low C = -25.9 | Apr record low C = -9.1 | May record low C = -3.3 | Jun record low C = 2.3 | Jul record low C = 6.5 | Aug record low C = 5.2 | Sep record low C = -0.6 | Oct record low C = -9.8 | Nov record low C = -18.2 | Dec record low C = -25.2 | year record low C = -31.6 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 33.5 | Feb precipitation mm = 29.6 | Mar precipitation mm = 35.2 | Apr precipitation mm = 36.2 | May precipitation mm = 59.3 | Jun precipitation mm = 72.8 | Jul precipitation mm = 81.9 | Aug precipitation mm = 79.8 | Sep precipitation mm = 53.6 | Oct precipitation mm = 54.7 | Nov precipitation mm = 41.3 | Dec precipitation mm = 36.4 | year precipitation mm = 614.2 | Jan snow depth cm = 9.1 | Feb snow depth cm = 10.1 | Mar snow depth cm = 6.6 | Apr snow depth cm = 1.9 | May snow depth cm = 0.1 | Jun snow depth cm = 0.0 | Jul snow depth cm = 0.0 | Aug snow depth cm = 0.0 | Sep snow depth cm = 0.0 | Oct snow depth cm = 0.6 | Nov snow depth cm = 2.6 | Dec snow depth cm = 6.1 | year snow depth cm = | unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm | Jan precipitation days = 16.83 | Feb precipitation days = 15.10 | Mar precipitation days = 13.59 | Apr precipitation days = 11.69 | May precipitation days = 13.14 | Jun precipitation days = 14.36 | Jul precipitation days = 14.32 | Aug precipitation days = 12.71 | Sep precipitation days = 12.71 | Oct precipitation days = 13.68 | Nov precipitation days = 15.57 | Dec precipitation days = 16.39 | year precipitation days = 170.10 | unit snow days = 0 cm | Jan snow days = 18.6 | Feb snow days = 17.3 | Mar snow days = 8.9 | Apr snow days = 1.2 | May snow days = 0.0 | Jun snow days = 0.0 | Jul snow days = 0.0 | Aug snow days = 0.0 | Sep snow days = 0.0 | Oct snow days = 0.4 | Nov snow days = 3.6 | Dec snow days = 12.7 | year snow days = 62.7 | Jan humidity = 89.4 | Feb humidity = 86.5 | Mar humidity = 79.6 | Apr humidity = 71.8 | May humidity = 71.8 | Jun humidity = 73.3 | Jul humidity = 75.3 | Aug humidity = 75.7 | Sep humidity = 80.9 | Oct humidity = 85.3 | Nov humidity = 90.6 | Dec humidity = 90.3 | year humidity = 80.8 | Jan sun = 39.2 | Feb sun = 63.3 | Mar sun = 126.5 | Apr sun = 197.8 | May sun = 256.7 | Jun sun = 254.5 | Jul sun = 264.3 | Aug sun = 247.3 | Sep sun = 168.2 | Oct sun = 105.7 | Nov sun = 37.9 | Dec sun = 28.4 | year sun = 1789.8 | source 1 = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management<ref name=IMGWtavg> {{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211203115527/https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/TSR_AVE | archive-date = 3 December 2021 | url = https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/TSR_AVE | title = Średnia dobowa temperatura powietrza | work = Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 | publisher = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management | language = pl | access-date = 14 February 2022}}</ref><ref name=IMGWtmin> {{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220115043924/https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/TMIN_AVE | archive-date = 15 January 2022 | url = https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/TMIN_AVE | title = Średnia minimalna temperatura powietrza | work = Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 | publisher = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management | language = pl | access-date = 14 February 2022}}</ref><ref name=IMGWtmax> {{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220115044916/https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/TMAX_AVE | archive-date = 15 January 2022 | url = https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/TMAX_AVE | title = Średnia maksymalna temperatura powietrza | work = Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 | publisher = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management | language = pl | access-date = 14 February 2022}}</ref><ref name=IMGWprecip> {{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220109045820/https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/OPAD_SUMA | archive-date = 9 January 2022 | url = https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/OPAD_SUMA | title = Miesięczna suma opadu | work = Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 | publisher = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management | language = pl | access-date = 14 February 2022}}</ref><ref name=IMGWprecipdays> {{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220115051112/https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/OPAD_01 | archive-date = 15 January 2022 | url = https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/OPAD_01 | title = Liczba dni z opadem >= 0,1 mm | work = Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 | publisher = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management | language = pl | access-date = 14 February 2022}}</ref><ref name=IMGWsnowdepth> {{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220115054936/https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/SNIEG_SR_GRUB | archive-date = 15 January 2022 | url = https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/SNIEG_SR_GRUB | title = Średnia grubość pokrywy śnieżnej | work = Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 | publisher = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management | language = pl | access-date = 14 February 2022}}</ref><ref name=IMGWsnowdays> {{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220121044246/https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/SNIEG_0 | archive-date = 21 January 2022 | url = https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/SNIEG_0 | title = Liczba dni z pokrywą śnieżna > 0 cm | work = Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 | publisher = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management | language = pl | access-date = 14 February 2022}}</ref><ref name=IMGWsun> {{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220115055331/https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/USL | archive-date = 15 January 2022 | url = https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/USL | title = Średnia suma usłonecznienia (h) | work = Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 | publisher = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management | language = pl | access-date = 14 February 2022}}</ref> |source 2 = Meteomodel.pl (records, relative humidity 1991–2020)<ref name=recordhigh> {{cite web | url = https://meteomodel.pl/dane/srednie-miesieczne/?imgwid=353210280&par=tmax&max_empty=3 | title = Mikołajki Absolutna temperatura maksymalna | date = 6 April 2018 | publisher = Meteomodel.pl | language = pl | access-date = 14 February 2022}}</ref><ref name=recordlow> {{cite web | url = https://meteomodel.pl/dane/srednie-miesieczne/?imgwid=353210280&par=tmin&max_empty=3 | title = Mikołajki Absolutna temperatura minimalna | date = 6 April 2018 | publisher = Meteomodel.pl | language = pl | access-date = 14 February 2022}}</ref><ref name=relativehumidity> {{cite web | url = https://meteomodel.pl/dane/srednie-miesieczne/?imgwid=353210280&par=rh&max_empty=3 | title = Mikołajki Średnia wilgotność | date = 6 April 2018 | publisher = Meteomodel.pl | language = pl | access-date = 14 February 2022}}</ref> }}
==Sports== Since 2005, the Rally of Poland has been based in Mikołajki.
The local football team is Kłobuk Mikołajki.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://klobukmikolajki.futbolowo.pl|title=MKS Kłobuk Mikołajki|access-date=24 October 2020|language=pl}}</ref> It competes in the lower leagues.
==Gallery== <gallery widths="155" perrow="3"> File:Mikołajki 02.jpg|The view of Mikołajki from Mikołajskie Lake (Jezioro Mikołajskie) File:Mikolajki jezioro mikolajskie.jpg|The view of Mikołajskie Lake (Jezioro Mikołajskie) File:POL Mikolajki 13.jpg|The view of Mikołajki from the marina. File:Mikołajki, Poland - panoramio (3).jpg|Skyline of Mikołajki File:POL Mikolajki 02.jpg|Lutheran Holy Trinity church<ref name=Bednarz/> File:Mikołajki - pl. Wolności 6 (02).jpg|Freedom Square (''Plac Wolności'') </gallery>
==International relations== {{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Poland}}
===Twin towns — Sister cities=== Mikołajki is twinned with: * {{flagicon|FRA}} Villard-de-Lans, France * {{flagicon|LTU}} Varėna, Lithuania
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080919184145/http://mikolajkidzisiaj.phorum.pl/ Mikołajki], at Phorum website *{{Official website|http://www.e-mikolajki.pl}} {{in lang|pl}}
{{Gmina Mikołajki}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Cities and towns in Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship Category:Mrągowo County Category:Masuria Category:Populated lakeshore places in Poland