BIECZ

'Biecz' - town and municipality in south-eastern Poland, in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in powiat gorlicki, in the Carpathian Mountains, on the Ropa River.

Contents

History

Monuments

Transport, education and economy

Famous people

History

The first settlement appeared in the Neolithic Age. The first mentions of the town are from the 11th century, when the town was about 500 metres away from the present location. In the 12th century the town was a castellany. In about 1257 the settlement was granted town rights. In 1363 Kazimierz III the Great granted rights based on Magdeburg Law to the town. Biecz was favourite town of Jadwiga of Poland. In the 14th century Biecz was one of the largest cities in Poland. By the 15th century the town had a mill, scales and water-supply system. By the mid-15th century in town had about 3000 inhabitants. From the 17th century the town suffered many floods, fires and plagues and, as a result its importance in Poland declined. In 1721 was the great plague which killed almost everyone - only 30 inhabitants survived. The 19th century brought some change for the better, but in 1903 a great fire destroyed over 50 houses. In World War II the town suffered heavy losses of population. In 1942, Germans murdered 200 local Jews on the market square. After the war much conservation was done.

Monuments

There is a beautiful Gothic parish church, built in the 14th century. Not far from the church there is the preserved part of the town with a 15th century bell tower and old rectory. In the center of the town is the town hall. The tower was collapsed in 1569 and it was rebuilt in the years 1569-1580. In the eastern part of Biecz there is a Gothic hospital, the first hospital in this part of Poland. Biecz also has a church of Reformed Franciscans, which was built in 17th century.
There were three castles in Biecz:

★ about 500 meters from the town (now there is a hill called ''Góra Zamkowa'')

★ the second castle was there, where now is the church of Franciscans,

★ the third castle was near the hospital.

Transport, education and economy

There are 3 bus stops and one railway station. There are 4 schools. The main industries are trade, services and tourism. There is one cinema.

Famous people

★ Wacław Potocki

★ Marcin Kromer

★ Witold Fusek

★ Tadeusz Ślawski