Mońki

Mońki [ˈmɔɲkʲi] is a town in the Podlaskie Voivodeship, in northeastern Poland.^[1] It is the capital of Mońki County.

Country

Poland

Established16th century

Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)

Postal code

19-100, 19-101

Quick facts Country, Voivodeship ...

Mońki
The parish church
Flag Coat of arms
Mońki
Coordinates: 53°24′N 22°48′E
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Podlaskie
County	Mońki
Gmina	Mońki
Established	16th century
Town rights	1965
Government
• Mayor	Zbigniew Karwowski
Area
• Total	7.66 km² (2.96 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	10 460
• Density	1.3/km² (3.4/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	19-100, 19-101
Area code	+48 85
Car plates	BMN
Website	http://um-monki.pl

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History

In the 16th century, Mońki was a village owned by the Mońko family. In the 19th century, when building railroad from Grodno was in progress, in the neighborhood of Mońki a train station was built. After World War I, a Catholic church was built.

Following the German-Soviet invasion of Poland, which started World War II in September 1939, the town was initially occupied by the Soviet Union until 1941, and then by Germany until 1944. In the late World War II Germans destroyed the church. Afterwards, Mońki was restored to Poland, although with a Soviet-installed communist regime, which stayed in power until the Fall of Communism in the 1980s. The Polish anti-communist resistance was active in Mońki, and in 1945 it raided a local communist police station.^[2]

In 1954, the village was adopted as capital of the Mońki County. That increased development of the village and in 1965 Mońki became a city. In 1975 the county was abolished, and then reestablished in 1999 (1998). From 1975 to 1998 it was part of the Białystok Voivodeship (1975–1998).

Symbols

Mońki's coat of arms presents a lady with potatoes. It is connected with an old type of farming in Mońki village and it neighbourhood. In city (also in 2012) was organised a day of potato.

Many of Mońki's inhabitants have moved abroad, particularly to the US, so they can send remittances to their families.

Economy

In Mońki existed especially food enterprises. The largest is Moniecka Spółdzielnia Mleczarska (dairy).

Education

In Mońki existed two primary school (one connected with first grade music school), gymnasium. general liceum, technikum and szkoła zawodowa.

Transport

Through Mońki goes droga krajowa 65 (road), connecting city with Białystok and Grajewo.

Export

Several tech companies have risen during the last 10 years.

Tourism

Near Mońki there are some of the greatest swamps in Europe, the Biebrza River Swamps, and in 1993 the government created the Biebrza National Park (BNP) to recognise and protect their unique nature. The Biebrza River Swamps are an important habitat for rare birds such as the ruff (pol. batalion), which is a symbol of the BNP.