Skoczów

Infobox Settlement
name = Skoczów

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image_caption =

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image_shield = POL Skoczów COA.svg
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = bottom
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = POL
subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship
subdivision_name1 = Silesian
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Cieszyn
subdivision_type3 = Gmina
subdivision_name3 = Skoczów
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Janina Żagan
established_title = Founded
established_date = 14th century
established_title2 = City rights
established_date2 = 1676
area_total_km2 = 9.79
population_as_of = 2006
population_total = 14641
population_density_km2 = auto
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd = 49 | latm = 48 | lats = 2.35 | latNS = N | longd = 18 | longm = 47 | longs = 18.16 | longEW = E
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 43-430
blank_name = Car plates
blank_info = SCI
website = http://www.um.skoczow.pl

Skoczów Audio-IPA-pl|Skoczow.ogg|'|s|k|o|cz|u|f ( _de. Skotschau, _cs. Skočov) is a town and the seat of Gmina Skoczów in Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland with 14,783 inhabitants (2004). It lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia.

Situated in the Silesian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship (1975-1998).

History

Skoczów is the oldest town in the area of the upper Vistula river. The very first settlement had been established in a place called "grodzisko" about 2 km south-east of the town centre. "Grodzisko" was set up around the 5th century, and was inhabited until the 9th century. Settlement was situated at first on a naturally defensive hill over the valley of the river Bładnica. Later on the settlement was surrounded by an earth bank and moat. The settlement was destroyed in the end of the 9th century by Prince Świętopełek II and wasn't rebuilt again.

The current location of the town was set during the reign of Mieszko (1290-1315) because of his effort in the newly established Duchy of Cieszyn. The first written record of the town's name dates back to 1327 when prince of Cieszyn became a vassal of Czech king. At that time the wooden castle had been built. In the beginning Skoczów had been mainly an agricultural, craft and trade settlement. In 1470 Skoczów had been destroyed by the fire, which destroyed all chartered privileges and other documents. The same year prince of Cieszyn renewed and extended all civic privileges. There was a school and hospital with a chapel recorded in a document from 1482.

According to the Austrian census of 1910 the town had 3,744 inhabitants, 3,705 of whom had permanent residence there. Census asked people for their native language, 1,803 (48.6%) were German-speaking and 1,794 (48.4%) were Polish-speaking. Jews were not allowed to declare Yiddish, most of them thus declared the German language as their native. Most populous religious groups were Roman Catholics with 2,443 (65.2%), followed by Protestants with 1,042 (27.8%) and the Jews with 247 (6.6%). [Ludwig Patryn (ed): " [http://www.kc-cieszyn.pl/biblioteka/strony/ramka.php?autor=Patryn&licz=1 Die Ergebnisse der Volkszählung vom 31. Dezember 1910 in Schlesien] ", Troppau 1912.]

The hill that overlooks the town is dominated by a chapel and a large cross. The Pope John Paul II visited Skoczów in 1995, holding a mass on said hill and generating a great deal of excitement.

The town has a market on Thursdays, situated next to the Vistula river.

Polish saint Jan Sarkander was born in Skoczów.

Twin towns

* Békéscsaba, Hungary
* Kapelle, Netherlands
* Karwina, Czech Republic
* Martin, Slovakia

References

External links

* [http://www.um.skoczow.pl Official gmina website]
*en iconcs iconde icon [http://www.skoczow.pl Official town website]