Żyrardów

Żyrardów
Gothic revival church in Żyrardów

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Coat of arms
Żyrardów
Coordinates:
Country  Poland
Voivodeship Masovian
County Żyrardów County
Gmina Żyrardów (urban gmina)
Established 1830
Town rights 1916
Government
 • Mayor Andrzej Wilk
Area
 • Total 14.35 km2 (5.5 sq mi)
Population (2006)
 • Total 41,161
 • Density 2,868.4/km2 (7,429/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 96-300
Area code(s) +48 046
Car plates WZY
Website http://www.zyrardow.pl

Żyrardów [ʐɨˈrarduf] ( listen) is a town in central Poland with 41,400 inhabitants (2006). It is situated in the Masovian Voivodship (since 1999); previously, it was in Skierniewice Voivodship (1975–1998) 45 km West of Warsaw. It is the capital of Żyrardów County. Żyrardów is located on the Pisia Gągolina river.

Contents

Education

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.

The web page of history of Żyrardów (in Polish) is here http://www.zyrardow.pl/index.php?strona=175 When you drive into Żyrardów you may see an old town map, and a statement it was the only city in Europe, entierely set up for a factory (jedyna w Europie osada fabryczna).

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.

Famous people

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Żyrardów is twinned with:

External links