Biecz

Infobox Settlement
name = Biecz


imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Town view
image_shield = POL Biecz COA.svg
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = bottom
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = POL
subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship
subdivision_name1 = Lesser Poland
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Gorlice
subdivision_type3 = Gmina
subdivision_name3 = Biecz
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Kazimierz Grzesiak
established_title = Established
established_date = 10th century
established_title3 = Town rights
established_date3 = 1257
area_total_km2 = 17.8
population_as_of = 2006
population_total = 4585
population_density_km2 = auto
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd = 49 | latm = 43 | lats = 55 | latNS = N | longd = 21 | longm = 15 | longs = 45 | longEW = E
elevation_m = 281
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 38-340
area_code = +48 13
blank_name = Car plates
blank_info = KGR
website = http://www.biecz.pl Biecz [IPA-pl|b|j|e|cz] - town and municipality in south-eastern Poland, in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in Gorlice Countydrobne, in the Carpathian Mountains. It is located in the heartland of the Doły (Pits), and its average altitude is 400 metres above sea level, although there are some hills located within the confines of the city, on the Ropa River.

The etymology of the town's name is very interesting - still considered obscure, but possibly traces back to as early as the beginning of the first millennium or the first centuries thereof.

The historic sources as early as Ptolemaeus mentioned about the tribe (of unknown origin) called Biessi (sing. Biessus) which could be traced back to the "subcarpathian" territory. "...Below the Venedae are the Gythones, then the Finni, then the Sulones; below whom are the Phrungundiones; then the Avarini near the source of the Vistula river; below these are the Ombrones, then the Anartophracti, then the Burgiones, then the Arsietae, then the Saboci, then the Piengitae and the Biessi near the Carpathian mountains..."

Scholars assoctiate the name of the Biessi to the Thracian tribe of Bessi or to the Beskidy Mountains. However, this last toponym appears to derive probably from the dialects of the Romanian ("Wallachian") shepherds who spread their culture in all of the northern Carpathian Mountains (see Gorals).

There is also a theory linking the name to the West Slavic/Croatian dialectal word meaning "town, borough". It might be also of some interest that the same root is used in naming the city of Vienna in South Slavic languages, in Hungarian and in Romany dialects (Beč - Беч in Serbo-Croatian, Bech or Vidnya (Romani), Bécs (in Hungarian, pronounced like "betch" or "beach". Hence, this is plausible to be a part of Sarmatian substratum in Croatian and Lesser Poland's dialects/Galician-Polish).

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

References

[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Periods/Roman/_Texts/Ptolemy/3/5*.html]