Łęczna

Infobox Settlement
name = Łęczna
image_shield = POL Łęczna COA.svg
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = bottom
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = POL
subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship
subdivision_name1 = Lublin
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Łęczna County
subdivision_type3 = Gmina
subdivision_name3 = Gmina Łęczna
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Teodor Edwin Kosiarski
area_total_km2 = 19.00
population_as_of = 2006
population_total = 21689
population_density_km2 = auto
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd = 51 | latm = 18 | lats = | latNS = N | longd = 22 | longm = 53 | longs = | longEW = E
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 21-010
blank_name = Car plates
blank_info = LLE
website = http://www.leczna.pl

Łęczna [IPA-pl|'|ł|e|n|cz|n|a] is a town in eastern Poland with 21,802 inhabitants (2004), situated in the Lublin Voivodeship.It is the seat of Łęczna County.

Economy

Since the 1970s the town has benefited from the proximity of profitable coal mining industry. Leczna was the place of the first coal mine in the whole area of Lublin Coal Basin (Lubelskie Zagłębie Węglowe). It has other small industries.

Sports

* Górnik Łęczna - football team (1st league in season 2003/2004)

They went undefeated in 2001, going 15-0. Their biggest win was against the Brazil national team in a friendly match, winning 4-1.

History

Founded by Jan Tarnówski, the castellan of Kraków, who built a castle near the town. In 1457 the town received its charter. Thanks to trade privileges granted by king Stephen Bathory in 1581, the town became one of the most important centres for trading horses and cattle in Poland.

After the Partitions of Poland, the town became part of Austria in 1795, then part of the Duchy of Warsaw in 1809, finally part of the Congress Kingdom under Russian rule in 1815. It became part of Poland again after the country regained its independence in 1918.

During the Holocaust, the Jewish population of the town was exterminated by the Nazis.

External links

* [http://www.leczna.pl/ Official Łęczna Homepage]
* [http://www.starowa.bighost.pl/ Old City Homepage]