Piechowice

See also: Piechowice, Pomeranian Voivodeship
Piechowice
Baroque palace
Baroque palace
Flag of Piechowice
Flag
Coat of arms of Piechowice
Coat of arms
Piechowice is located in Poland
Piechowice
Piechowice
Coordinates: 50°51′20″N 15°37′08″E / 50.85556°N 15.61889°E / 50.85556; 15.61889
Country Poland
VoivodeshipLower Silesian
CountyKarkonosze
GminaPiechowice (urban gmina)
First mentioned1305
Area
 • Total
43.22 km2 (16.69 sq mi)
Highest elevation
480 m (1,570 ft)
Lowest elevation
360 m (1,180 ft)
Population
 (2019-06-30[1])
 • Total
6,194
 • Density140/km2 (370/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Vehicle registrationDJE
National road
Websitehttp://www.piechowice.pl

Piechowice [pʲɛxɔˈvʲit͡sɛ] is a town in Karkonosze County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland.

It lies approximately 10 kilometres (6 mi) south-west of Jelenia Góra, and 104 kilometres (65 mi) west of the regional capital Wrocław.

As of 2019, the town has a population of 6,194.

History

Saint Anthony church

The area became part of the emerging Polish state in the 10th century. Initially it was administratively part of the Wleń castellany.[2] It was first mentioned in a document of the Wrocław cathedral chapter from 1305, when it was part of fragmented Piast-ruled Poland.[3]

During the Thirty Years' War, Czech Protestant refugees founded the present-day district of Michałowice.[4]

In 1891, a rail connection with Jelenia Góra was opened, and in 1902 a rail connection to Szklarska Poręba and Harrachov was opened.[5]

During World War II, the Germans operated three forced labour camps in the town. The first camp was established in the winter of 1941–1942 and held Polish, French and Ukrainian prisoners, both men and women, the second was established in 1943 and held Italian POWs, and the third was founded in 1944 and held Polish women and children.[6][7] Conditions of all three camps were poor, the prisoners were subjected to mistreatment and abuse and several died, also by executions.[6] Some Polish women and children were eventually relocated to forced labour camps in Jelenia Góra.[7]

Transport

There are two railway stations in Piechowice, the main Piechowice station and the Górzyniec station in the Górzyniec district.

Sights

Cultural heritage sights of Piechowice include the Baroque Pakoszów Palace, the Gothic-Baroque Corpus Christi church and the Romanesque Revival Saint Anthony of Padua church.

Natural sights within the town limits include the Szklarka Waterfall and the Wielki Szyszak mountain, the fourth highest peak of the Giant Mountains and the entire Sudetes. The Kochanówka mountain hut of the Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society is located near the waterfall.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Poland

Piechowice is twinned with:[8]

References

  1. ^ "Population. Size and structure and vital statistics in Poland by territorial division in 2019. As of 30th June". stat.gov.pl. Statistics Poland. 2019-10-15. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  2. ^ Staffa, Marek (2001). Karkonosze (in Polish). Wrocław: Wydawnictwo Dolnośląskie. p. 40. ISBN 83-7023-560-3.
  3. ^ Staffa, p. 56
  4. ^ Staffa, p. 70
  5. ^ Staffa, p. 219
  6. ^ a b Bartkowski, Zbigniew (1972). "Obozy pracy przymusowej i obozy jenieckie na Ziemi Jeleniogróskiej w latach 1939–1945". Rocznik Jeleniogórski (in Polish). Vol. X. Wrocław: Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich. pp. 98–99.
  7. ^ a b Łaborewicz, Ivo (2004). "Ludność stolicy po Powstaniu Warszawskim 1944 roku w obozie w Piechowicach". Rocznik Jeleniogórski (in Polish). Vol. XXXVI. Jelenia Góra. p. 162. ISSN 0080-3480.
  8. ^ "Linki". piechowice.pl (in Polish). Piechowice. Retrieved 2020-02-28.