Żyrardów

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gothic revival church in Żyrardów

Żyrardów ([ʐɨ'rarduf] (help·info)) is a town in central Poland with 51,400 inhabitants (2006). Situated in the Masovian Voivodship (since 1999), previously in Skierniewice Voivodship (1975–1998). It is the capital of Żyrardów County. Żyrardów is located on the Pisia Gągolina river.

1 Education
2 History
3 Monuments
4 Famous people
5 External links

[edit] Education

Szkoła Mistrzostwa Sportowego w Kolarstwie
Wyższa Szkoła Rozwoju Lokalnego
Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Stefana Żeromskiego

[edit] History

Founded by the Łubienski brothers as a textile factory in 1833. One of directors of the factory was French inventor Philippe de Girard (from Lourmarin). The town developed during the 19th century into a significant textile mill city in Poland. In honour of Girard, Ruda Guzowska was renamed to Żyrardów, a toponym derived of the polonised spelling of Girard's name. On September 13, 1939 Nazis captured the town. In 1941 they transported Jews into Warsaw ghetto. The town museum is nowadays located in the former palace of owner of factory K. Dittrich.

[edit] Monuments

Most of Żyrardów's monuments are placed in manufacturing's settlement which is from 19th and 20th's century beginning. It's widely believed that Żyrardów's settlement is single saved in Europe as a whole urbanist complex from 19th c. industrial town.

[edit] Famous people

Paweł Hulka-Laskowski, a writer, translator and social activist
A known son of the city is former Prime Minister Leszek Miller (born in Żyrardów on July 3, 1946), who started his professional life as electrician in a local textile factory.