Wodzisław Śląski
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| Wodzisław Śląski | |||
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  Wodzisław Śląski
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country |  Poland |
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| Voivodeship | Silesian | ||
| County | Wodzisław | ||
| Gmina | Wodzisław Śląski (urban gmina) | ||
| Town rights | 1257 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Mieczysław Kieca | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 49.62 km² (19.2 sq mi) | ||
| Highest elevation | 290 m (951 ft) | ||
| Lowest elevation | 210 m (689 ft) | ||
| Population (2007) | |||
| - Total | 50,493 | ||
| - Density | 1,017.6/km² (2,635.6/sq mi) | ||
| Postal code | 44-286 to 44-373 | ||
| Website: http://www.wodzislaw-slaski.com.pl/ | |||
Wodzisław Śląski [vɔˈd͡ʑiswaf ˈɕlɔ̃ski] (German: Loslau) is a town in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland with 49,242 inhabitants (2007). It is the seat of Wodzisław County.
It was previously in Katowice Voivodeship (1975-1998); close to the border with the Czech Republic, about 290 km south of Warsaw and about 100 km west of Kraków, on the southern outskirts of the metropolitan area known as the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (Polish: Górnośląskie Zagłębie Węglowe, GZW).
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[edit] Geography
[edit] Location
In administrative terms, Wodzisław is an urban in the south-eastern part of Upper Silesia, now in Silesian Voivodeship in south Poland, within the south portion of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. It borders the towns of Pszów, Radlin and villages Marklowice, Mszana, Godów, Gorzyce and Lubomia. In geographical terms, it lies between the Vistula and Oder rivers, near Czech border. Several rivers flow through the city, the major two being the Leśnica and "Zawadka" rivers. Within 600 kilometres of Wodzisław are the capital cities of six countries: Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Bratislava, Budapest and Warsaw.
[edit] Climate
The climate of the area is continental humid. The average temperature is 8 degrees Celsius (average -1.7°C in January and up to average 17.7°C in July). Yearly rainfall averages at 786 mm, the most rainy month being July. The area's characterisitc weak and medium winds blow at about 4 m/s from from the south-west (Moravian Gate).
[edit] Districts
- Jedłownik Osiedle
- Jedłownik-Turzyczka-Karkoszka
- Kokoszyce
- Nowe Miasto (New city)
- Osiedla XXX-lecia - Piastów - Dąbrówki
- Radlin II
- Stare Miasto (Old city)
- Wilchwy
- Zawada
[edit] History
[edit] Late Middle Ages
The city's name derives from the Polish prince Władysław Opolski. He located city and funded in Wodzisław monastery in 1257 year.
The city's origins can be traced back into the 10th and 11th century, when three Slavic settlements existed on Wodzisław's present-day territory which eventually merged to form one town. In the course of the medieval eastward migration of German settlers (Ostsiedlung), Wodzisław, as many other Polish settlements, was incorporated (granted city status and right) according to the so-called Magdeburg Law at some point before 1257 (the exact date remains unknown). This, however, is not to be confused with a change in national affiliation; Wodzisław continued to be part of the Kingdom of Poland, until Silesia as a whole became a fiefdom of the Bohemian crown in 1327. The city continued to grow and developed into a regional trade centre. In the 15th century, the Hussites devastated the city. From 1526, Bohemia, including the fiefdom of Silesia, which Wodzisław was a part of, came under the authority of the Habsburg crown.
[edit] Early Modern Age
In century XVI and XVII also time Thirty Years' War Wodzisław been part of Habsburg Empire. After the end of the Thirty Years' War Wodzisław was desroyed. Never back to Midle Ages' "golden time". At the beginning of the War of the Austrian Succession between Frederick II of Prussia (the Great) and the Habsburg empress Maria Theresa of Austria, the greatest part of Silesia, including Wodzisław, was annexed by Prussia in 1740, which Austria eventually recognized in 1763. Coal mining gained importance for Wodzisław's economy as early as the 19th century.
[edit] 20th century
After the end of World War I in 1918, Polish statehood was finally restored. Amidst an atmosphere of ethnic unrest, a referendum was organized to determine the future national affiliation of Upper Silesia. Although an overall majority had opted for Germany, the area was finally divided in an attempt to satisfy both parties. Although both parties considered the territory they were assigned insufficient, the division was justified insofar as in the German and Polish parts a majority had voted in favour of the respective nation.
The lowest amount of pro-German votes was registered in the districts of Rybnik and Pszczyna (Pless). The city and the largest part of the district of Rybnik were attached to Poland; Wodzisław thus became part of a Polish state for the first time since 1526. The referendum and eventual division of Upper Silesia were accompanied by three Silesian Uprisings.
Within the Second Polish Republic of the interwar period, Wodzisław was part of the Silesian Voivodeship, which enjoyed far-reaching political and financial autonomy.
With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the border city Wodzisław returned under the rule of Germany, being in the part of Poland that was directly incorporated into the German state. The population was ethnically categorized and either "re-Germanized" or disfranchised and partially deported into the General Government as Poles.
In January 1945, when the Soviet army advanced on Poland. Nine days before the Soviets arrived at the death camp at Auschwitz, the SS marched 60,000 prisoners out of the camp toward Wodzisław Śląski, thirty-five miles away, where they were put on freight trains to other camps. Approximately 15,000 prisoners died on the way.
After the eventual German defeat which ended World War II in the European theatre of war in 1945, Wodzisław was once more integrated into Poland.
[edit] Transport
Wodzisław is situated at the junction of several major lines of road, railway and air communication. The town is crossed by one national road ( "DK78" ) and tree regional roads running from Gliwice to Ostrava and regional roads from Żory and Jastrzębie Zdrój to Racibórz ( "DW932", "DW933", "DW935" ). The railway junction at "Wodzisław Śląski" is a major transshipment point. Thanks to its proximity to the A1 motorway, the town will be very well connected to three the international airport at Katowice - Pyrzowice (about 70 km from Wodzisław), Kraków - Balice ( about 100 km from Wodzisław) and Ostrava - Mosnov (about 40 km from Wodzisław).
[edit] Economy
[edit] Coal centre
Wodzisław is a medium coal and industrial centre. Near Wodzisław is fews coal mines (Wodzisław - 1 Maja Coal Mine, Radlin - Marcel Coal Mine, Pszów - Rydułtowy-Anna Coal Mine, Jastrzębie - Jas-Mos Coal Mine and one coconut in Radlin.
[edit] Trade and markets
- Kaufland
- Tesco
- Albert
- Billa
- Spar
- Plus discount
- Biedronka discount (3x)
[edit] Tourism
In contrast to the central part of the Upper Silesian Industry Area a short distance to the north, Wodzisław enjoys the reputation of a "green" city having a relatively clean environment. While the city is no centre of tourism, it does have various interesting sights and opportunities for recreation. The Beskidy Mountains, a popular recreational area, also for skiing, are within a 1 hours drive.
Sights worth visiting:
- the building of gothic church of "Sante Trinity" from XV century (Kościół św. Trójcy), errected in 1257 year;
- thebuilding of Monastery from XVII century ( "Klasztor franciszkański" ), errected in 1257 year;
- the neo-gothic church of "Assumption of St. Mary" (Kościół WNMP),
- the building of the former district authority (XIX century),
- the neo-classical Wall tower ("Baszta rycerska"),
- the Classicism Palace oldest in Poland from 1745 year. (Today Museum),
- the old town squere (Rynek) ,
- the Palace in Kokoszyce (Pałac w Kokoszycach) 1823 year,
- the Synagogue (Synagoga) from 1826 year ( today "Rosmann")
[edit] Hotels
- Amadeus ul. Jastrzębska 9
- Leśniczówka ul. Marklowicka 21
- Odra ul. Czyżowicka 29
[edit] Education
In Wodzisław there are:
- 19 kindergartens
- 13 primary schools
- 4 gimnasia
- 5 high schools
- 2 colleges
[edit] Sport
- Odra Wodzisław - football team (1st in league in season 2003/2004)
[edit] Sister towns
[edit] Famous People
- Claudia Ciesla
- Wojtek Czyz
- Bolesław Kominek
- Stanisław Oślizło
- Henryk Siedlaczek
- Tomasz Sikora
- Ryszard Wieczorek
[edit] Gallery
 Church "Sante Trinity" from XV century |
 Church "Assumption of St. Mary" |
 New Castle in Wodzisław from 1745 year |
 "Piastów" new housing estate |
[edit] External links
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