Żyrardów

Żyrardów

Gothic revival church in Żyrardów

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Żyrardów
Coordinates: 52°3′N 20°26′E / 52.050°N 20.433°E / 52.050; 20.433Coordinates: 52°3′N 20°26′E / 52.050°N 20.433°E / 52.050; 20.433
Country  Poland
Voivodeship Masovian
County Żyrardów County
Gmina Żyrardów (urban gmina)
Established 1830
Town rights 1916
Government
 • Mayor Wojciech Jasiński
Area
 • Total 14.35 km2 (5.54 sq mi)
Population (2006)
 • Total 41,161
 • Density 2,900/km2 (7,400/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 www.zyrardow.pl

Żyrardów [ʐɨˈrarduf] 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 kilometres (28 miles) west of Warsaw. It is the capital of Żyrardów County. Żyrardów is located on the Pisia Gągolina river.

Education

History

Founded by the Łubieński 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 town 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 Germany 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.

A sign near the entrance to the town states that it was the only city in Europe, entirely set up for a factory (jedyna w Europie osada fabryczna).

The town 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

Winter panorama of main square

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 whole urban industrial 19th-century complex to be preserved in Europe.

Famous people

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Żyrardów is twinned with:

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