Krzeszów, Lower Silesian Voivodeship

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Krzeszów
Krzeszów (Poland)
Krzeszów
Krzeszów
Coordinates: 50°44′03″N 16°03′51″E / 50.73417, 16.06417
Country Flag of Poland Poland
Voivodeship Lower Silesian
County Kamienna Góra
Gmina Gmina Kamienna Góra
Population
 - Total 1,400

Krzeszów (German: Grüssau) is a village in the Middle Sudetes in south-western Poland. It is part of the administrative district of Gmina Kamienna Góra, within Kamienna Góra County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship (formerly in Jelenia Góra Voivodeship, and prior to 1945 in Germany).

The village lies approximately 10 kilometres (6 mi) south of Kamienna Góra, and 82 kilometres (51 mi) south-west of the regional capital Wrocław. It has a population of 1,400.

Krzeszów boasts one of the most valuable relics of Baroque architecture in Europe, namely the complex of the former Cistercian Abbey: the Church of the Graceful Blessed Virgin, the Mausoleum of the Świdnica-Jawor Piasts, the Church of St. Joseph, the abbey buildings, the Guest House called the House of the Abbott, numerous chapels of the Calvary and household buildings.

[edit] History

The beginnings of the Abbey date from the 13th century. In 1292, the Prince of Świdnica and Jawor, Bolko I, a grandson of Henry the Pious, brought the Cistercians from nearby Henryków and endowed them with suitable estates.

The 14th century was marked as a period of impressive development and vast influence of the Abbey in Krzeszów, while the time of Świdnica's and the Jawor Piast line's extinction started its decline. During the Czech Hussite invasions and later during the 30 Years War, the abbey was totally destroyed and plundered. With the end of the war, a new prosperous period for the Abbey began.

The Church of the Graceful BVM in Krzeszów
The Church of the Graceful BVM in Krzeszów

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 50°44′03″N 16°03′51″E / 50.73417, 16.06417

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