Świdnica

Świdnica
	Świdnica
	Old town
	; Coat of arms
	; Coat of arms
	; Świdnica
	Coordinates: 50°50′39″N 16°25′27″E / 50.84417°N 16.42417°E
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Lower Silesian
County	Świdnica County
Gmina	Świdnica (urban gmina)
Established	990
City rights	1267
	Government
- Mayor	Wojciech Murdzek
	Area
- Total	22 km2 (8.5 sq mi)
Elevation	250 m (820 ft)
	Population (2006)
- Total	60,354
- Density	2,743.4/km2 (7,105.3/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	58-100 to 58-106
Area code(s)	+48 74
Car plates	DSW
Website	http://www.um.swidnica.pl

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For the village of the same name, see Świdnica, Lubusz Voivodeship.

Świdnica [ɕfidˈnit͡sa] (German: Schweidnitz; Czech: Svídnice) is a town in south-western Poland. It has a population of 60,317 according to 2006 figures. It lies in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, being the seventh largest town in that voivodeship. From 1975–98 it was in the former Wałbrzych Voivodeship. It is now the seat of Świdnica County, and also of the smaller district of Gmina Świdnica (although it is not part of the territory of the latter, as the town forms a separate urban gmina).

[edit] History

Cathedral of St. Stanislav and St. Vaclav

Old Town

Świdnica became a town in 1250, although no founding document has survived that would confirm this fact. In the beginning, the town belonged to the Duchy of Wrocław (Breslau) and experienced two important privileges conducive to its development.^{[citation needed]} By 1290, Świdnica had city walls and six gates, crafts and trade were blossoming, and it had become the capital of the Duchy of Świdnica. City was in 1291 - 1392 capital of Duchy of Świdnica.

At the end of the 14th century the city was under rule of the Kingdom of Bohemia, and a long period of growth began. The last Piast duke was Bolko II of Świdnica, and after his death in 1368 land was held by his wife until 1392; after her death they were incorporated into the lands of Bohemia by Wenceslaus, King of the Romans. In 1493, the town is recorded by Hartmann Schedel in his Nuremberg Chronicle as Schwednitz^[1] along with Neyß, Oppel, Liegnitz, Teschen, Frankenstein etc. all in Silesia.

In 1471, there were 47 trade guilds in operation, nearly 300 homes had the rights to brew beer, and large cattle and hops fairs were organized. The beer was distributed in many European cities, including Breslau, Prague, Heidelberg, Kraków, and Pisa. The beer was offered in pubs.

In 1526, all of Silesia, including Schweidnitz, came under the rule of the Habsburg Monarchy. The city of Schweidnitz was in the surrounding Duchy of Schweidnitz. The Thirty Years' War (1618–48) ravaged the Duchy. The town was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia during the First Silesian War. It was subsequently turned into a fortress. Schweidnitz became part of the Prussian-led German Empire in 1871 during the unification of Germany.

The town was placed under Polish administration according to the post-war Potsdam Conference in 1945 and renamed Świdnica. The German population who had not fled during the war were subsequently expelled westward and replaced with Poles, many of whom had been expelled themselves from Polish areas annexed by the Soviet Union.

[edit] Sights

Church of Peace

The Gothic Church of Ss. Stanislav and Vaclav from the 14th century has the highest tower in Silesia, standing 103 meters tall. The Evangelical Church of Peace, a UNESCO Heritage site, was built from 1656–57. The 16th century town hall has been renovated numerous times and combines Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architectural elements. The Baroque Church of St. Joseph and the Church of St. Christopher are from the same era. One remaining element of the former defensive works is the Chapel of St. Barbara. Other sights include the old town and the Stary rynek square.

[edit] Notable residents

Town hall

Thomas Stoltzer (ca. 1480-1526), composer
Hieronymus Treutler (1565–1607), doctor of law, professor of rhetoric, Imperial Councillor
Maria Cunitz (1604-64), astronomer, daughter of Schweidnitz Dr. Heinrich Kunitz
Benjamin Schmolk (1672-1737), composer, poet
Johann Christoph Glaubitz (c. 1700 - 1767 in Vilnius) architect
Johann Gottlieb Janitsch (1708-63), composer
Paul von Kulmiz (1836-1895), industrialist, politician
Georg Beer (1865-1946), theologian, teacher Deutschen Christen
Emil Krebs (1867-1930), sinologist
Ferdinand Friedensburg (1886–1972), politician
Manfred von Richthofen (1892–1918), World War I ace known as "The Red Baron"
Peter Adolf Thiessen (1899-1990), physical chemist
Heinz Starke (1911–2001), politician, Bundesfinanzminister 1961-1962
Georg Gärtner (born 1920), known as "Hitler´s last Soldier in America"
Armin Müller (1928–2005) artist, author
Gunther Gebel-Williams (1934–2001), animal trainer
Hans-Jürgen Otto (* 1935), forrester
Manfred Kanther (born 1939), politician
Marek Michalak (born 1971), Chancellor of the International Capital of the Order of Smile
Katarzyna Glinka (born 1977), actress
Bartosz Huzarski (* 1980), byciclist

[edit] Education

Świdnica is home to a College of Data Communications Technology (Wyższa Szkoła Technologii Teleinformatycznych).

In 2003 Świdnica hosted a session of the Warsaw-based International Chapter of the Order of Smile, when a Child Friendship Centre was established. Świdnica was officially titled the "Capital of Children's Dreams".