The history of Szczecin starts in the 7th century when Germanic tribes migrated from the island of Bornholm(hist. ''Burgundarholm'', "Burgundians Island"), and other regions of Scandinavia. In the late 8th century Slavic tribes forced the Germanic peoples westward. In approximately 1080 its area was incorporated into Poland, but within eight years, the town was controlled by the Dukedom of Pomerania, and five years later, Denmark. Its name was first recorded in 1133 as "Stetin". It continued to be exchanged among European powers, including Germany, Prussia, Sweden, and, for a brief period, due to Napoleon's conquests, the Empire of France. Beginning in the 18th century, the city constituted as a part of Germany and served as the "port of Berlin". After the Soviet forces invaded Nazi Germany in 1945, Poland annexed all lands up to the Oder river, expelling the native German population and ultimately extending that border to include Stettin. Poland thus gained control of the city.In more recent history, the city was (together with Tricity) one of the birthplaces of Solidarity movement.An unusual feature of Szczecin is its urban planning - many roundabouts and wide avenues. Stettin was rebuilt in 1880's using designs by Georges-Eugene Haussmann, who also did the urban planning for Paris. His design style is still being used for newly-built (or modified) city areas.The maritime industry is still strong with a busy port and shipyard, as well as being a center of service industries in Poland. Situated near the border between Germany and Poland, Szczecin is sometimes considered one of most liberal Polish cities. http://wikitravel.org/en/Szczecin