Piechowice
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Piechowice | |
|---|---|
 Baroque palace | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Piechowice | |
| Coordinates: 50°51′20″N 15°37′08″E / 50.85556°N 15.61889°E | |
| Country |  Poland |
| Voivodeship |  Lower Silesian |
| County | Karkonosze |
| Gmina | Piechowice (urban gmina) |
| First mentioned | 1305 |
| Area | |
• Total | 43.22 km2 (16.69 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 480 m (1,570 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 360 m (1,180 ft) |
| Population (2024-12-31[1]) | |
• Total | 5,725 |
| • Density | 132.5/km2 (343.1/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Vehicle registration | DJE |
| National road |  |
| Website | http://www.piechowice.pl |
Piechowice ([pʲɛxɔˈvʲit͡sɛ]; German: Petersdorf) is a town in Karkonosze County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland.[2]
As of 2024[update], the town has a population of 5,725. It is 54th largest city in voivedeship.
Places adjacent to Piechowice | |
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History
The area became part of the emerging Polish state in the 10th century. Initially it was administratively part of the Wleń castellany.[3] It was first mentioned in a document of the Wrocław cathedral chapter from 1305, when it was part of fragmented Piast-ruled Poland.[4]
During the Thirty Years' War, Czech Protestant refugees founded the present-day district of Michałowice.[5]
In 1891, a rail connection with Jelenia Góra was opened, and in 1902 a rail connection to Szklarska Poręba and Harrachov was opened.[6]
During World War II, the German administration operated three forced labour camps in the town. The first camp was established in the winter of 1941–1942 and held Polish, French and Ukrainian prisoners, both men and women, the second was established in 1943 and held Italian prisoners-of-war, and the third was founded in 1944 and held Polish women and children.[7][8] Conditions of all three camps were poor, the prisoners were subjected to mistreatment and abuse and several died, also by executions.[7] Some Polish women and children were eventually relocated to forced labour camps in Jelenia Góra.[8]
In 1961, town limits were expanded by including Górzyniec and Michałowice as new neighbourhoods.[9]
Transport
There are two railway stations in Piechowice, the main Piechowice station and the Górzyniec station in the Górzyniec district.
