Brańsk

Infobox Settlement
name = Brańsk
image_shield = POL Brańsk COA.svg


map_caption = Location within Bielsk County
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = bottom
pushpin_map_caption = Location within Poland
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = POL
subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship
subdivision_name1 = Podlaskie
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Bielsk
subdivision_type3 = Gmina
subdivision_name3 = Brańsk (urban gmina)
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Daniel Antoni Bańkowski
established_title3 = Town rights
established_date3 = 18 January 1493
area_total_km2 = 32.43
population_as_of = 2007
population_total = 3822
population_density_km2 = auto
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd = 52 | latm = 45 | lats = | latNS = N | longd = 22 | longm = 50 | longs = | longEW = E
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 17-120
area_code = +48 085
blank_name = Car plates
blank_info = BBI
website = http://www.bransk.podlaskie.pl

Brańsk [IPA-pl|b|r|a|ń|s|k] is an Urban Gmina (Polish: "gmina miejska") (Town) in Bielsk County, Podlaskie Voivodeship. It is located north-eastern Poland.

Etymology

The name of the town comes from the river Bronka, a nearby tributary of the Nurzec River.

Geography

Climate chart|Brańsk
21|29|0
21|31|0
28|40|0
35|52|0
45|63|0
50|68|0
54|70|0
52|70|0
46|61|0
39|51|0
32|39|0
25|33|0
float=right
clear=both
units=imperial
source=Weatherbasecite web
url =http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=57321&refer= |title =Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Brańsk, Poland | accessmonthday = July |accessyear =2008 ]

Location

Brańsk is located in the geographical region of Europe known as the "Wysoczyzny Podlasko – Bialoruskie" (English: Podlaskie and Belarus Plateau) and the mezoregion known as the Bielsk Plain (Polish: "Równinę Bielską"). The Nurzec River, a tributary of the Western Bug River, passes through Brańsk. The town covers an area of convert|32.43|km2|sqmi|1.

It is located approximately:
* northeast of Warsaw, the capital of Poland
* southwest of Białystok, the capital of the Podlaskie Voivodeship
* west of Bielsk Podlaski, the seat of Bielsk County

Climate

The region has a continental climate which is characterized by high temperatures during summer and long and frosty winters . The average amount of rainfall during the year exceeds convert|550|mm|in|1.

History

15^th Century

On 18 January 1493, Brańsk received a city charter based on Magdeburg rights from the Grand Duke of Lithuania, Alexander Jagiellon. It was the first city in Podlaskie to receive such a charter.

16^th Century

On 1 July 1569, the Union of Lublin was signed between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland forming the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. One of the terms of the treaty transferred the Podlaskie Voivodeship from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania to the Polish Crown.

18^th Century

On 24 October 1795, the Third Partition of Poland assigned Brańsk and most of Podlasia to Prussia

19^th Century

On 7-9 July 1807, the Treaties of Tilsit were signed between Imperial Russia, the First French Empire and Prussia. The treaties repartitioned former Polish territory and assigned assigned Brańsk and most of eastern Podlasia from Prussia to Imperial Russia.

20^th Century

On 15 August 1915, the Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive by the German forces on the Eastern Front of World War I caused Brańsk and the surrounding area to come under the control of the German Empire.

On 5 November 1916, the Act of November 5, a declaration by the German Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, promised the creation of the Kingdom of Poland in the areas of Poland controlled by the German Empire, including Brańsk and its surrounding area .

On 3 March 1918, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed between the Russian SFSR and the Central Powers. Brańsk was assigned to the Kingdom of Poland

On 28 June 1919, the Treaty of Versailles and the Little Treaty of Versailles were signed establishing the Second Polish Republic. Brańsk was assigned to Poland.

Demographics

Population

Detailed data as of 31 December 2007 cite web |url=http://www.stat.gov.pl/gus/45_655_PLK_HTML.htm |title=Central Statistical Office (GUS) "Population: Size and Structure by Administrative Division" |date=2007-12-31 |language=Polish] :

Income

Income data from 2005cite web |url=http://www.regioset.pl/entry.php |title=Edytor Serwis Sp. z o.o. "REGIOset Portal" |date=2005-12-31 |language=Polish] :

Average per capita income: 1961.03 zł

Compared to the average per capita income:
* In the Podlaskie Voivodeship: 120.40%
* In Poland: 112.20%

Municipal Government

It is the seat of Gmina Brańsk, but is not part of Gmina Brańsk.

Executive Branch

The chief executive of the government is the Mayor (Polish: "Burmistrz").

Legislative Branch

The legislative portion of the government is the Council (Polish: "Rada") composed of the President (Polish: "Przewodniczšcy"), the Vice President (Polish: "Wiceprzewodniczšcy") and thirteen councilors.

Neighbouring Political Subdivisions

Brańsk is bordered by Gminy Rudka and Brańsk.

Transport

Roads and Highways

Brańsk is at the intersection of a National Road and a Voivodeship Road:

* National Road AS-droga|K|66 - Zambrów - Brańsk - Bielsk Podlaski - Kleszczele - Czeremcha - Połowce Border Crossing (Belarus)
*Voivodeship Road AS-droga|W|681 - Roszki-Wodźki - Łapy - Brańsk - Ciechanowiec

treets

The major streets (Polish: "Ulica") in Brańsk:
* Rynek
* Armii Krajowej (National Road AS-droga|K|66)
* Bielska
* Binduga
* Boćkowska
* Błonie
* Jagiellońska
* Jana Pawła II (Voivodeship Road AS-droga|W|681)
* Kapicy Milewskiego
* Kasztanowa
* Klonowa
* Konopnickiej
* Kościelna
* Kościuszki (Voivodeship Road AS-droga|W|681)
* Mickiewicza
* Piłsudskiego
* Poniatowskiego
* Senatorska
* Sienkiewicza
* Skłodowskiej-Curie
* Szkolna
* Słowackiego
* Witosa
* Wyszyńskiego
* Ściegiennego

Public Transport

Bus Service

Regular bus service is provided by Państwowa Komunikacja Samochodowa ("State Car Communication", PKS) via PKS Bielsk Podlaskie, [http://www.pks.bialystok.pl PKS Białystok] and [http://www.ppks-siemiatycze.pl/ PKS Siemiatycze]

Rail Service

The closest passenger train service is provided by Polskie Koleje Państwowe ("Polish State Railways", PKP) SA from the following stations:
* Szepietowo - express & local service to Warsaw and Białystok - convert|28|km|mi|1 northwest
* Bielsk Podlaski - express & local service to Siedlce and Białystok - convert|25|km|mi|1 east

Economy

The land-use is as followscite web |url=http://www.bransk.podlaskie.pl |title=Strona Urzędu Miasta Brańsk - Brańsk Government Website |date=2008-06-25 |language=Polish] :

* Agricultural use: 66%
* Forest land: 27%
* City: 2.34%

Major Business

* Financial:Banking - [http://www.bsbransk.pl/ Bank Spóldzielczy w Brańsku] , ul.Kosciuszki 2A, 17-120 Brańsk, Poland
* Manufacturing:Plastics - [http://www.waldgold.pl/ Wald-Gold] , ul.M.Konopnickiej 20, 17-120 Brańsk, Poland

Local Attractions

Places of Worship

=Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Roman Catholic=

*Parish serving Brańsk, Bronka, Brzeźnica, Glinnik, Jarmarkowszczyzna, Kalnica, Kiersnówek, Majerowizna, Oleksin, Otapy, Patoki, Popławy, Świrydy, Załuskie Koronne, Załuskie Kościelne cite web |url=http://www.drohiczyn.opoka.org.pl/7/dekanaty/bransk/1.htm |title=PARAFIA WNIEBOWZIĘCIA NMP W BRAŃSKU |date=2008-08-16 |language=Polish]
*Part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Drohiczyn

=St. Simeon Stylites - Polish Orthodox=

* Mission church of "Church of the Apostles St. Peter and Paul" in Malesze cite web |url=http://www.orthodox.pl/Administracja/die-war-biel/biels.htm |title=Dekanat Bielsk Podlaski |date=2008-08-16 |language=Polish]
* Part of the Polish Orthodox Diocese of Warsaw-Bielsk

Nearby Attractions

* Sanktuarium Matki Bożej Pojedniania w Hodyszewie (Our Lady of Hodyszewo Sanctuary) in Hodyzewo - convert|12|km|mi|1 northwest
* Ossoliński Palace in Rudka - convert|7|km|mi|1 west

Notable People

* Jan Klemens Branicki - Polish Nobelman
* Cezary Kosiński - Polish Actor
* Ignatius Kapitsa-Milewski - Archivist and Author
* Shimon Shkop - Jewish Scholar and Rabbi (1906 - 1920)
* Zofia Drzewiecka - Recipient of the Righteous among the Nations Medal
* Waclawa and Pawel Sobolewski - Posthumous recipients of the Righteous among the Nations Medal
* Antoni Sobolewski - Posthumous recipient of the Righteous among the Nations Medal
* Aleksander Sobolewski - Posthumous recipient of the Righteous among the Nations Medal

Miscellanea

* The Righteous among the Nations Medal has been granted to 14 current and former residents of Brańsk by Yad Vashemcite web |url=http://www.polskieradio.pl/thenews/foreign-affairs/?id=85408 |title="Another Pole added to Righteous among the Nations" - Polskie Radio |date=2008-06-23 ]

External links

* [http://www.kirkuty.xip.pl/bransk.htm Jewish cemetery in Brańsk] (in Polish - [http://www.kirkuty.xip.pl/branskang.htm English Text] )
* [http://www.savingjews.org/ Polish Righteous: Those Who Risked Their Lives]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9bwOYeAces Video tour of Brańsk on YouTube]

References