Żyrardów
Żyrardów [ʐɨˈrarduf] (listen) is a city and former industrial hub in central Poland with approximately 41,400 inhabitants (2006). It is the capital of Żyrardów County situated in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999); previously, it was in Skierniewice Voivodeship (1975–1998) 45 kilometres (28 miles) west of Warsaw. Żyrardów, initially a textile settlement, was named after French engineer and inventor Philippe de Girard, who worked in the area.
Żyrardów | |
|---|---|
Historical pension lodge | |
Flag Coat of arms | |
Żyrardów Żyrardów | |
| Coordinates: 52°3′N 20°26′E / 52.050°N 20.433°ECoordinates: 52°3′N 20°26′E / 52.050°N 20.433°E | |
| Country | Poland |
| Voivodeship | Masovian |
| County | Żyrardów County |
| Gmina | Żyrardów (urban gmina) |
| Established | 1830 |
| City rights | 1916 |
| Government | |
| • City mayor | Lucjan Krzysztof Chrzanowski |
| Area | |
| • Total | 14.35 km2 (5.54 sq mi) |
| Population (2006) | |
| • Total | 41,161 |
| • Density | 2,900/km2 (7,400/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 96-300 |
| Area code | +48 046 |
| Car plates | WZY |
| Website | www |
History
Founded by the Łubieński brothers as a textile factory in 1833. One of the directors of the factory was French inventor Philippe de Girard (from Lourmarin). The city developed during the 19th century into a significant textile mill town in Poland. In honour of Girard, Ruda Guzowska was renamed Żyrardów, a toponym derived of the polonised spelling of Girard's name.
With the onset of dawn on September 12, 1939, the army of units of the 8th German army launched an attack on Żyrardów. After several hours of fierce defense of the city, the Polish army had to leave their positions and start delaying actions towards Wiskitki, Guzów, Szymanów and Paprotnia.[1] In 1941 they transported local Jews into the Warsaw ghetto. The town museum is nowadays located in the former palace of owner of factory K. Dittrich. A sign near the entrance to the city states that it was the only city in Europe, entirely set up for a factory. The city was named one of Poland's official national Historic Monuments (Pomnik historii), as designated January 17, 2012. Its listing is maintained by the National Heritage Board of Poland.
Monuments
Most of Żyrardów's monuments are located in the manufacturing area which dates from the 19th and early 20th centuries. It is widely believed that Żyrardów's textile settlement is the only complete 19th-century urban industrial complex to be preserved in Europe.
Education
- Szkoła Mistrzostwa Sportowego w Kolarstwie
- Wyższa Szkoła Rozwoju Lokalnego
- Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Stefana Żeromskiego
- Zespół Szkół Publicznych nr. 7 im. Henryka Sienkiewicza w Żyrardowie
Sport
Since 1923 Żyrardów has a football club named Żyrardowianka Żyrardów (formerly Włókniarz Żyrardów), which in 2015/2016 played in the Polish IV League.
Notable people
- Feliks Łubieński (1758–1848), landowner who gave the estate and his blessing to his sons to build the very first textile factory
- Henryk Łubieński (1793–1883), banker and industrialist, son of Felix
- Feliks Sobański (1833–1913), philanthropist who donated land for the church
- Paweł Hulka-Laskowski (1881–1946), a writer, translator and social activist
- Leszek Miller (born 1946), former Prime Minister of Poland, started his professional life as electrician in a local textile factory
- Piotr Nowakowski (born 1987), volleyball player, double World Champion
- Gosia Rdest (born 1993), a racing driver who competed in the W Series
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Żyrardów is twinned with:
References
- ^ "Muzeum Mazowsza Zachodniego w Żyrardowie".
External links
- Official Site of Żyrardów
- A web page of the history of Żyrardów (in Polish)
- Current Population
- Memorial Book of Zyrardow, Amshinov and Viskit
- Jewish Community in Żyrardów on Virtual Shtetl