Chełm - a Modern Gate to the East

Chełm is a city with a unique atmosphere created by a melting-pot mixture of a rich past, attractive present and promising future.

Past Heritage
Chełm in Old Polish meant "hill". The city was originally located on a hill, called Góra Chełmska, and on an ancient trade route leading from Warsaw via Lublin to Kovel and Kiev. The town was founded in the early 13th c; however traces of the first settlements in the area date back to the Paleolithic. It served as a capital for the Hali-cko-Włodzimierskie duchy and an orthodox bishopric. Since its very origins, due to its location and ties to the history of several nations, Chełm has been a city of three cultures: Polish, Jewish and Ukrainian.
 In the post-war era, an important date in the history of Chełm was 1975, when the city became the capital of a province. This event resulted in a number of investments being made in the communal infrastructure and housing construction.
 The rich history of the city is reflected in its historic sights, such as a unique limestone basement, which bears numerous legends and fairy tales. Today, it is a major tourist attraction, and a 2-km. long fragment of a dog heading has been converted into a tourist trail. The heading is a remnant of centuries of excavation of limestone, deposits of which have been found under the city. Moreover, it is also possible to meet a ghost called Bieluch there.

 One of the most interesting historic sights in Chełm is the Zespół na Górce (a Complex on a Hill) with the remnants of a settlement from the 10th c, a castle from the 13th c and an old keep. In addition, a basilica to the Holy Virgin Mary that is a major sanctuary in the region, a bishop's palace from the early 18th c., a Basilian Convent from the mid-17th c, and the Uściługska Gate are all part of the complex.
 In Chełm, tourists can also visit historic Catholic and Orthodox churches and a Museum that is situated in a former Orthodox Church.

Attractive Present Times
Approx. 5,700 companies operate in Chełm, where the mineral industry dominates the economic landscape. It is connected with the "Chełm" Cement Plant, which is a public company with foreign capital. Products from ESCOTT (shoes) and MEBLOTAP (furniture), Marta 2 Glassworks, and BIOMLEK (dairy products) are popular both domestically and abroad.
 The local government in Chełm is creating favorable conditions for the development of new economic initiatives. Consequently, new foreign investors are coming to Chełm, such as the co-founders of Frutimex, a fruit and vegetable processing plant, and Sungboo, a glove manufacturer. In addition, trade, construction and transport companies are rapidly expanding in the region.

 Another attractive feature for investors is the good transportation network. The Warsaw-Kiev route, which runs through Chełm, and a border point in Dorohusk, which is located 29-km.  from Chełm, have become an express way and are included in the international European "E" network. Moreover, Chełm has a rail link with Kiev via so-called "wide tracks" that are compatible with CIS trains, which have wider wheel-base than European trains. In Chełm, the track has special access roads to loading platforms, enabling efficient loading and unloading of goods traded with Ukraine and other Eastern countries.

The Future Dynamics
On March 31, 2000, the City Council in Chełm adopted a Development Strategy, which has been consistently implemented.
 In 2000 alone, 80 communal houses were built and put to use, the Old Town was renovated, and a promenade was built in the city center. In addition, historic buildings housing the Town Hall and the Register Office were renovated.
 This year, the construction of an entertainment and sports hall for 1,200 spectators will be completed. Moreover, the construction of a waste treatment plant, which is an investment with regional significance, has commenced.
 The city is making numerous investments in order to furnish the sites offered to prospective investors with a full and modern technical infrastructure. In the city's spatial development plan, one area has been earmarked for economic revitalization. The area will be equipped with a full infrastructure financed by the city.
Chełm is a city that is open to new investors. It offers not only attractive and attractively priced areas, but also a young and professional employee pool.