Łęczyca

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

pushpin_label_position = bottom
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = POL
subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship
subdivision_name1 = Łódź
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Łęczyca County
subdivision_type3 = Gmina
subdivision_name3 = Łęczyca (urban gmina)
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Andrzej Olszewski
area_total_km2 = 9.0
population_as_of = 2006
population_total = 15423
population_density_km2 = auto
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd = 52 | latm = 3 | lats = | latNS = N | longd = 19 | longm = 12 | longs = | longEW = E
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 99-100
blank_name = Car plates
blank_info = ELE
website = http://www.leczyca.info.pl

Łęczyca [IPA-pl|ł|e|n|'|cz|y|c|a] (in full The Royal Town of Łęczyca, Polish: "Królewskie Miasto Łęczyca"; other names: "Lenczyk", "Lentschütz", "Luntschitz" ( _he. לונטשיץ)) is a town of 16,594 inhabitants (as of 2004) in central Poland. Situated in the Łódź Voivodeship, it is the county seat of the Łęczyca County.

History

Łęczyca is one of the oldest Polish cities, mentioned in the 12th century. It was the place of the first recorded meeting of Sejm, the Polish parliament in 1182. It was the capital of the Łęczyca Duchy in the 13th century, and next it became the capital of Łęczyca Voivodeship since 14th till 18th century.

In 1331 the Teutonic Knights sacked the city during one of their repeated incursions into central Europe. A considerable number of buildings were burned down, including two churches. A few decades later, on the initiative of Kazimierz the Great, the city was walled and a castle built to the southeast of the city. cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Łęczyca, Poland (official tourist guide) |year= |publisher=Urząd Miasta Łęczyca (Municipal Office of Łęczyca) |location=Łęczyca, Poland |id= ]

The city's prominence came to and end with the Swedish invasion of Poland when the castle was overrun and most of the city once again destroyed, and it remained in a state of crisis until the Partitions.

Notable locations

Because of its royal history Łęczyca is probably more tourist-worthy than its current size might suggest. Some of the more interesting sights include:

* The Royal Castle - dating from the 14th Century.
* The Church of St Andrew the Apostle -- the current church dates was consecrated in 1425.
* The former Dominican monastery in Ul. Pocztowa (now used as a prison). Former political internees include Władysław Gomułka and Władysław Frasyniuk.
* The Cistercian church and monastery in ul. Poznańska, built between 1636-1643.
* The city walls, some of which are still extant. The original walls enclosed an area of approximately 9 hectares, amounted to 1150 metres in length and 7 metres in height. The town plan is still recognisably that of a medieval town.

A couple of kilometres away are the Collegiate church and the earthworks at the site of the medieval settlement of Tum.

Dukes of Sieradz-Łęczyca

* 1228-1232 Henry I the Bearded (Henryk I Brodaty)
* 1232-1233 Konrad of Masovia (Konrad Mazowiecki)
* 1234-1247 Konrad of Masovia (Konrad Mazowiecki)
* 1247-1260 Casimir I of Mazovia (Kazimierz I Mazowiecki)
* 1260-1275 Leszek the Black (Leszek Czarny)
* 1275-1294 divided into two duchies of Sieradz and Łęczyca (below)
* 1294-1297 Ladislaus III the Short (Władysław Łokietek)
* 1297-1305 Wenceslaus II of Bohemia (Wacław II Czeski)after 1305 parts of the united Kingdom of Poland initially as two vassal duchies, later incorporated as Łęczyca Voivodeship and Sieradz Voivodeship.

Dukes of Łęczyca

* 1233-1234 Konrad of Masovia (Konrad Mazowiecki)
* 1275-1294 Casimir II of Łęczyca (Kazimierz II)
* 1329-1343 Ladislaus of Dobrzyn (Władysław Dobrzyński)

After 1305 part of the united Kingdom of Poland as a vassal duchy, later after 1343 incorporated by the king Casimir III the Great as the Łęczyca Voivodeship.

People

* Jerzy I of Halicz
* Kazimierz II
* Janisław I
* Władysław I the Elbow-high
* Władysław II Jagiełło
* Władysław III of Poland
* Vytenis
* Zygmunt II August

* Agnieszka Baranowska
* Kazimierz Franciszek Czarnkowski
* Zygmunt Grudziński (1870-1929)
* Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz (Lenczyk)
* Rabbi Meïr Löb ben Jehiel Michel Weiser "Malbi"m"
* Wacław Przeździecki
* Jakub Świnka
* Stanisław Warszycki
* Marek Wojtera
* Józef Szczepański

See also

* Dukes of Sieradz-Łęczyca
* Jan Matejko's Gallery
* History of the Jews in Poland (966-1572)

* Same named villages, Łęczyca (disambiguation)
* Łęczyce
* Łęcze
* Łęczno
* Łęczeszcze
* Łuczyna

References

External links

* http://leczyca.info.pl/ Królewskie Miasto Łęczyca, official site (mainly in Polish).