Łęczyca

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Łęczyca
Coat of arms of Łęczyca
Coat of arms
Łęczyca (Poland)
Łęczyca
Łęczyca
Coordinates: 52°3′N 19°12′E / 52.05, 19.2
Country Flag of Poland Poland
Voivodeship Łódź
County Łęczyca County
Gmina Łęczyca (urban gmina)
Government
 - Mayor Andrzej Olszewski
Area
 - Total 9.0 km² (3.5 sq mi)
Population (2006)
 - Total 15,423
 - Density 1,713.7/km² (4,438.4/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 99-100
Car plates ELE
Website: http://www.leczyca.info.pl
For other places with the same name, see Łęczyca (disambiguation).

Łęczyca [wɛnˈt​͡ʂɨt​͡sa] (in full The Royal Town of Łęczyca, Polish: Królewskie Miasto Łęczyca; other names: Lenczyk, Lentschütz, Luntschitz (Hebrew: לונטשיץ‎)) is a town of 16,594 inhabitants (as of 2004) in central Poland. Situated in the Łódź Voivodeship, it is the county seat of the Łęczyca County.

Contents

[edit] History

Łęczyca is one of the oldest Polish cities, mentioned in the 12th century. It was the place of the first recorded meeting of Sejm, the Polish parliament in 1182. It was the capital of the Łęczyca Duchy in the 13th century, and next it became the capital of Łęczyca Voivodeship since 14th till 18th century.

In 1331 the Teutonic Knights sacked the city during one of their repeated incursions into central Europe. A considerable number of buildings were burned down, including two churches. A few decades later, on the initiative of Kazimierz the Great, the city was walled and a castle built to the southeast of the city. [1]

The city's prominence came to and end with the Swedish invasion of Poland when the castle was overrun and most of the city once again destroyed, and it remained in a state of crisis until the Partitions.[1]

[edit] Notable locations

Because of its royal history Łęczyca is probably more tourist-worthy than its current size might suggest. Some of the more interesting sights include:

  • The Royal Castle - dating from the 14th Century.
  • The Church of St Andrew the Apostle -- the current church dates was consecrated in 1425.
  • The former Dominican monastery in Ul. Pocztowa (now used as a prison). Former political internees include Władysław Gomułka and Władysław Frasyniuk.
  • The Cistercian church and monastery in ul. Poznańska, built between 1636-1643.
  • The city walls, some of which are still extant. The original walls enclosed an area of approximately 9 hectares, amounted to 1150 metres in length and 7 metres in height.[1] The town plan is still recognisably that of a medieval town.

A couple of kilometres away are the Collegiate church and the earthworks at the site of the medieval settlement of Tum.

[edit] Dukes of Sieradz-Łęczyca

after 1305 parts of the united Kingdom of Poland initially as two vassal duchies, later incorporated as Łęczyca Voivodeship and Sieradz Voivodeship.

[edit] Dukes of Łęczyca

After 1305 part of the united Kingdom of Poland as a vassal duchy, later after 1343 incorporated by the king Casimir III the Great as the Łęczyca Voivodeship.

[edit] People

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Łęczyca, Poland (official tourist guide). Łęczyca, Poland: Urząd Miasta Łęczyca (Municipal Office of Łęczyca). 

[edit] External links


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Gminas of Łęczyca County

Seat: Łęczyca (urban gmina)

Rural gminas: Gmina Daszyna • Gmina Góra Świętej Małgorzaty • Gmina Grabów • Gmina Łęczyca • Gmina Piątek • Gmina Świnice Warckie • Gmina Witonia
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Coordinates: 52°03′N, 19°12′E