Częstochowa - a city with poviat rights in southern Poland, in the
Silesian Voivodeship, the seat of the Częstochowa poviat. In the years
1975–1998, the capital and seat of the authorities of the Częstochowa
Voivodeship. Częstochowa, despite being located within the Silesian
Voivodeship, historically and culturally belongs to Lesser Poland.
Academic center (5 universities), including the two largest public
universities in the region with the rank of University of Technology and
University. Constantly expanding its educational offer, and the creation
of a medical faculty at the University of Humanities and Life Sciences
in 2022 is not without significance for the rank of the region. Jan
Długosz in Częstochowa.
Częstochowa is the central city of the
Częstochowa agglomeration, as well as the largest economic, cultural and
administrative center in the northern subregion of the Silesian
Voivodeship.
Częstochowa is located in the northern part of the
Silesian Voivodeship, on the Warta River, in three physico-geographical
mesoregions belonging to the Krakow-Częstochowa Upland and the
Woźnicko-Wieluńska Upland. According to Central Statistical Office data
from December 31, 2020, the city was inhabited by 217,530 people. It is
the 13th city in Poland in terms of area and population.
Old
Częstochowa, now part of Częstochowa, was incorporated between 1370 and
1377. Modern Częstochowa was created from the merger of Old Częstochowa
and Częstochówka on August 19, 1826.
In the city there is the
Jasna Góra Basilica and the Jasna Góra Monastery with the image of Our
Lady of Czestochowa, venerated as a miraculous image and national relic,
which is surrounded by a special cult in Poland. It is the main Polish
center of Marian worship and pilgrimages
Częstochowa is a city founded in the Middle Ages. Over the centuries, numerous buildings have been built in the city, which are now monuments and tourist attractions. The most important are the historic tenement houses and the urban layout of the historic centers of Old and New Częstochowa and the Aleja Najświętszej Maryi Panny connecting them. The largest and most visited of Częstochowa's monuments is the monastery complex at Jasna Góra, and tourism related to the monastery is mainly pilgrimage.
Avenue of the Blessed Virgin Mary — a complex of historic tenement
houses
Viewing terraces on the Jasna Góra tower
Jasna Góra parks
and the exhibitions of the Częstochowa Museum - Iron Ore Mining Museum
and others
7 Tenement Street with 19th-century buildings
Wieluńska
Street with 18th and 19th century buildings
Town Hall in Częstochowa
— 19th-century classicist
Stary Rynek — the Old Town square with
tenement houses
Museum of Match Production in Częstochowa — a
historic match factory
Hantke's Palace in Częstochowa - a neo-baroque
villa of the founder of Huta Częstochowa, Bernard Hantke
The Brass
Palace in Częstochowa — the 19th-century palace of the Austrian
entrepreneur Wilhelm Brass
Motte's Palace - the villa of the director
of the Elanex worsted spinning mill from 1909
urban layout of
Częstochowa (ul. Wieluńska, Rynek Wieluński, ul. św. Barbara)
Railway
History Museum (Dworzec Stradom)
Halina Poświatowska Museum
House
of Władysław Biegański
Museum of the Pontificate of John Paul II
Municipal Art Gallery
Golden Mountain
Gorge of the Warta and Start
of the canoeing trip "Mirowski Gorge of the Warta"
Fountain Girl with
Pigeons
Monumental benches in al. Blessed Virgin Mary: Halina
Poświatowska, Marek Perepeczka, Władysław Biegański and Piotr Machalica
Archaeological reserve of the Lusatian culture
Historic locomotive at
the main railway station
Jasna Góra — the monastery complex of the Pauline Order, the largest
and most famous monument of Częstochowa
the neo-gothic cathedral of
the Holy Family - built in the years 1901-1927
Church of St. Jakuba —
located on Biegański Square, which was originally an Orthodox church
church of st. Zygmunt - the oldest in Częstochowa, on Daszyński Square
Cathedral of Our Lady Queen of the Apostles - Polish Catholic church at
ul. Jasna Góra
Orthodox Church of the Częstochowa Icon of the Mother
of God at ul. Copernicus
the Evangelical-Augsburg Church of the
Ascension of the Lord in Śródmieście at Kopernika Street
church of
st. Barbara in the Podjasna Góra district
sanctuary of st. Józefa in
Raków at ul. Okrzei
Church of the Holy Name of Mary in the Avenue of
the Blessed Virgin Mary
the church of the Agonizing Lord Jesus and
the church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Częstochówka
Chapel
of the Transfiguration in the central part of the Kule cemetery
Church of Saints Roch and Sebastian in the cemetery of St. Roch
bishop's palace
A religious monument is the Jewish cemetery in the
Zawodzie district.
Tours around Częstochowa are often combined with visiting the
Krakow-Częstochowa Upland. The following hiking trails start in the
city:
red tourist trail Trail of the Eagles' Nests
red tourist
trail Trail of Jura Wieluńska
green tourist trail The Battle Trail of
the 7th Infantry Division
yellow tourist trail Częstochowa - Olsztyn
im. Z. Łęski
Częstochowa is the cultural center of the region, and is also an
important cultural center on a national and international scale. Many
local, national and international events take place in the city.
Cultural institutions
There are many municipal and independent
cultural institutions in Częstochowa, whose committed activities create
a diverse cultural offer of the city.
In addition to the monastery of Jasna Góra, museum and exhibition
activities are also conducted by other institutions.
Czestochowa
Museum
The oldest museum institution. Its exhibition facilities
include:
City Hall — a historic complex of buildings of the former
city hall, currently the main seat of the Museum
The archaeological
reserve of the Lusatian culture in the Raków district — a unique
archaeological reserve
Good Art Gallery in Częstochowa
Iron Ore
Mining Museum
Museum of Halina Poświatowska, a poet from Częstochowa
Other
Other exhibition institutions in the city:
Municipal Art
Gallery - exhibits paintings, sculptures, prints and photographs - with
a particular emphasis on contemporary works. Particularly famous is the
exhibition of works by Zdzisław Beksiński, which in 2006 was transformed
into the permanent Museum of Zdzisław Beksiński
Museum of Matchmaking
- a closed factory using technology from the third decade of the 20th
century (private)
Railway History Museum at Częstochowa Stradom
station (temporarily closed, private)
Museum of the Częstochowa
Archdiocese
Zdzislaw Beksinski Museum
Museum of Imagination -
gallery and studio of Tomasz Sętowski (private)
Museum of the
Pontificate of John Paul II (private)
Gallery of the Conductor House
Lonta Petra Gallery (private)
archaeological reserve in the Old
Market
Kresy Museum
Czestochowa Philharmonic Bronisław
Huberman
The philharmonic orchestra inaugurated its activity in 1945,
giving a concert in the city theater. In 1955, on the site of the New
Synagogue destroyed by the Germans occupying Częstochowa, the
construction of the philharmonic building began. Construction ended in
1965. In January 1976, the State Symphony Orchestra in Częstochowa
received the name of the Philharmonic. On October 3, 2012, she received
the name of Bronisław Huberman.
Theatre. Adam Mickiewicz
The
theater in Częstochowa began operating in 1927. In the 1920s, the
current seat of the theater was built - a building built especially for
its needs at Kilińskiego Street. In 1949, the theater was nationalized,
and six years later it was named after Adam Mickiewicz.
Center
for the Promotion of Culture Gaude Mater
A municipal cultural
institution, which is the main organizer of the International Festival
of Sacred Music "Gaude Mater" and the Festival of Kalina Jędrusik
"Kalina Nights, Kalina Days".
In Częstochowa, there are two multiplex cinemas belonging to the Cinema City chain: Cinema City Wolność, opened in 2004, and the multiplex located in Galeria Jurajska, opened in 2009. Since 1991, the studio cinema of the Film Culture Center has also been operating in the city.
Numerous women's, men's and mixed choirs operate in Częstochowa. The
oldest is the Men's Choir "Pochodnia" (dir. Jarosław Łyczba). Others
include: Choir of the Częstochowa Philharmonic "Collegium Cantorum"
(cond. J. Siadlak), Jasna Góra Boys and Men Choir "Pueri Claromontani"
(cond. Maria Bujalska PDDM) and the Choir of the Cathedral of St.
"Basilica Cantans" families (director Włodzimierz Krawczyński, currently
Zygmunt Nitkiewicz). These choirs have won numerous awards at national
and international festivals.
Music festivals in Częstochowa
International Sacred Music Festival "Gaude Mater"
Jazz Spring
Czestochowa
Chip OFF
ReggaeON
But here's what's going on
HIP
HOP Elements
summer chill
Jasna Góra Violin Competition
In Częstochowa, there is a Complex of Art Schools named after Jacek
Malczewski, Jasna Góra Music School, Complex of Music Schools. Marcin
Żebrowski. There are also several music centers for children and
teenagers and a Community Ballet School in the city.
The activity
is run by the Youth Cultural Center and the Regional Cultural Centre,
which organizes many cyclical events, e.g. National Poetry Competition
named after Halina Poświatowska. This poet was born and raised in
Częstochowa. A modest museum is organized in her family home, which
collects exhibits related to the life of Poświatowska.
The first mention of Częstochowa comes from 1220, in a document of
the bishop of Kraków, Iwo Odrowąż, in which the town is mentioned as
Czanstochowa. The name was later also recorded in the forms Chastochowa
(1250), Czanstochowa, Antiquo Czanstochowa, Noua Czanstochowa (1382),
Czestochowa (1542), Czenstochow (1558), Częstochowa (1564), w
Częstochowa (1658), w Częstochowey (1670), Częstochowa (1680),
Częstochowa (1787), Częstochowa (1827), Częstochowa (1880).
The
name Częstochowa is a possessive name formed from the personal name
Częstoch with the possessive suffix -owa, -ow. It originally meant
'property of Częstochowa'. The name Częstoch, which in the form of
Chestoch appears already in the Gniezno bull of protection of Pope
Innocent II dated July 7, 1136 and issued in Pisa, is a shortening of
Old Polish compound names like Częstobor, Częstomir, containing the
Proto-Slavic root *čęstъ 'frequent'. Folk etymology derives the name of
the city from the expression often (to) hide. The name Częstochowa would
arise due to the frequent hiding of the view of the city among the
surrounding hills from the pilgrims approaching the city. In the
dialectal pronunciation of the local rural population, the sound
cy̨stoxova with a visible mazurka phenomenon (č > c) and a slanted
pronunciation ę, which turns into a nasal y - y̨, was noted.
Historical records show that until around the middle of the 16th century
the name of the city had no fixed gender and appeared in two forms:
Częstochowa and Częstochowa, therefore the modern form of the locative
in Częstochowa can be explained as a result of mixing two paradigms of
the inflection, and not only as a relic of the inflection uncompound
(noun).
The Jewish population living in the city used the Yiddish
name Czenstochow (Yiddish: טשענסטאָכאָוו). During the period of
partitions, the forms Czenstochowa, Czenstochow, and rarely Czenstochowo
(Russian: Ченстохова, Ченстохов, Ченстохово) appeared in Russian
sources. In German, there is a form Tschenstochau, which was used e.g.
during the Nazi occupation during the Second World War.
Częstochowa lies at the junction of three geographical mesoregions - the Częstochowa Upland, commonly known as Jura, the Upper Warta Depression and the Wieluń Upland. These mesoregions belong to a common sub-province — the Śląsko-Krakowska Upland.
The area of Częstochowa after the creation of the city at the beginning of the 19th century was 33.06 km² and did not change until the interwar period, when in 1928 and 1930 areas of 14.13 km² were incorporated into the city. At that time, the area of the city was 47.16 km². The borders were extended again in 1952, when areas with a total area of 45.88 km² were added, which gave an area of 93.04 km². Since 1977, the area of the city is 160 km².
Within the city, absolute heights of 250–270 m above sea level prevail. There are several hills in the city with heights ranging from 280 to 300 meters. The highest hill is Góra Ossona, which is 316.7 m above sea level. Other hills located within the city limits include Jasna Góra, Błeszno, Prędziszów, Liszka, Góry Kawie, Parkitka. The lowest point is the place on the Warta River east of Mirów - 236 m above sea level.
The territory of the city is part of the Silesian-Cracow monocline, located at its south-eastern end, near the border with the Nida Basin. The area of the city is geologically diverse, the upper part consists of post-glacial sediments: gravels, sands, clays, and the deeper part consists of limestones from the Upper Jurassic period.
Częstochowa is located in the temperate climate zone. On average,
there are 4 hours of direct sunlight per day. In the course of the year,
the greatest insolation is observed in June, due to the greatest length
of the day.
There are few windless days in Częstochowa. Quiet
periods per year account for an average of 9.2%. The prevailing winds
are west - 18% and south-west - 18.2%. At the same time, they reach the
highest speeds from these directions — 2.2 m/s. The least frequent are
northern winds - 7.7% and north-eastern ones - 7.4%.
The total area of forests within the boundaries of Częstochowa is
648.8 ha, and the area of parks and squares is 155 ha.
Parks and
squares with an area of over 1 ha by size:
Angel Forest Park
(North) — 69 ha
Lisiniec Park (Lisiniec) — 36 ha
Podjasnogórska
parks - (Podjasnogórska) - 11.6 ha
Czesław Niemen Promenade (North) -
7.8 ha
Tysiąclecia Park (North, Tysiąclecie) - 5.6 ha
Narutowicza
Park (Zawodzie-Dąbie) - 3.8 ha
park at ul. Fieldorfa (North) — 3.5 ha
Piastów Park (Old Town) - 3.3 ha
square at ul. Zagłoby (Sabinów) - 2
ha
Parkitka Park (Częstochówka-Parkitka) - 1.8 ha
Śródmieście
Promenade (Three Bards) - 1.5 ha
square between al. Niepodległości
and al. WP (Ostatni Grosz) - 1.4 ha
square between al. AK and ul.
Kiedrzyńska (Millennium) - 1.4 ha
Solidarity Square (Śródmieście) —
1.3 ha
Kaliny Jędrusik Square (Tysiąclecie) - 1.2 ha
St. Patrick's
Park Barbara (Podjasnogórska) - 1.2 ha
Sokołów Square at ul. General
Casimir Pulaski (Three Bards) - no information about the area
Aviators' Square at ul. Wojciecha Korfantego (Zawodzie-Dąbie) - no
information about the area
Planning:
park at ul. Gajowa
(Wrzosowiak) - 1.7 ha
The tallest buildings in Częstochowa:
the tower of the Jasna Góra
monastery - 106.3 m
chimney at ul. Mirowska - 90 m
towers of the
Holy Family Cathedral - 80 m
TON radio mast Błeszno Częstochowa in
the Wrzosowiak district (formerly Błeszno) - 71 m
tower of the church
of St. Antoniego Padewskiego in the Last Grosz district - 50 m
"Centrum" office building at ul. Decembrists - 40 m (tallest office
building)
apartment block "Mrówkowiec" - 33 m
building at ul. POW
(the so-called first skyscraper) - 26.34 m
Częstochowa is located in the former Krakow land of historical Lesser
Poland, in the 15th century it was located in the Lelów district in the
Krakow voivodship. As a result of the administrative reform of 1999,
Częstochowa was incorporated into the Silesian Voivodeship. Before World
War II, Częstochowa belonged to the Kielce Voivodeship, hence some local
politicians applied (together with Kielce and Radom) for the creation of
the Staropolskie Voivodeship.
Częstochowa, wanting to emphasize
its historical and cultural ties with the Małopolska region, joined the
Association of Małopolska Communes and Poviats in April 2007, bringing
together areas historically belonging to Małopolska, and as a result of
administrative reforms attached to other voivodeships. In the same year,
the city received the title of Lesser Poland Leader for the
revalorization of Aleja Najświętszej Maryi Panny. On August 23, 2006,
the coat of arms of Częstochowa was hung in Krakow's Sukiennice. In
2008, once again, Częstochowa was awarded the title of the Leader of
Lesser Poland, this time for the revalorization of parks near Jasna
Góra.
According to legend, the name Częstochowa means a settlement founded
by a person named Częstoch, but the first mention of it dates back to
1220, in a document of the bishop of Kraków, Iwo Odrowąż. In the bull of
Pope Innocent IV dated 1250, it was mentioned among the villages paying
tithes to the canons from Wrocław. At that time, there was another
village near Częstochowa, Częstochówka. Once again, Częstochowa was
mentioned in 1325 in the records of the Holy Pietra collection as one of
the least populated towns in the region. In 1356, the village was
founded under the Średzki law. The issue of the date of granting city
rights to the settlement is ambiguous, but this event is defined for the
period between 1370 and 1377. From 1393 Częstochowa was a royal city.
In the years 1370–1393 Częstochowa was a fief of Władysław Opolczyk.
During this period, the name of the city of Częstochowa was established
as Stara Częstochowa, and the village on the hill of Częstochówka
belonging to the Jasna Góra monastery founded in 1382. In the Old Polish
period, the city of Stara Częstochowa sued the monastery of Jasna Góra
many times over the violation of city rights by the Order and the
seizing of profits from trade with pilgrims.
Częstochowa
experienced a dynamic development in the 14th century, which was
facilitated by its location on the route connecting Lesser Poland with
Greater Poland. In addition, information about the existence of an
ironworks dates back to 1377, and at the end of the 14th century
Częstochowa's ironworks and iron ore mines were known throughout the
country. In 1430, robbers from Bohemia and Moravia attacked the town. In
the 14th and 15th centuries, Częstochowa was poorly developed and
populated. Another period of development took place in the 16th century
in connection with the activities of the starost Mikołaj Szydłowiecki
and the generosity of the Polish king Zygmunt I, who granted the town
numerous privileges, including a copy of the location (1502), the
privilege of collecting the bridge toll on the Warta River (1504, 1512),
the privilege of organizing fairs (1508) and exemption from duties and
market taxes for the townspeople for 12 years. In 1531, defensive walls
were built. In the years 1625–1630 the region was affected by the
plague.
In 1587, the army of the pretender to the royal crown,
Maximilian III Habsburg, plundered the town. In 1620, due to the
peripheral location of the Jasna Góra monastery, the kings of the Vasa
dynasty decided to fortify the nearby monastery with modern Dutch-type
fortifications with bastions.
The number of inhabitants grew from
approx. 1.5 thousand. in the 16th century, for about 2,000 at the
beginning of the 17th century to approx. 2.5 thousand. in the middle of
the 17th century
After the beginning of the Swedish Deluge, the Jasna Góra Pauline
monks paid homage to the king of Sweden, and at the same time began
preparations to defend the monastery in the event of an attack on the
monastery.
On November 18, 1655, the Swedish army came to Jasna
Góra and began the siege of the monastery, which consisted mainly of
minor skirmishes and exchanges of artillery fire. Chaotic military
operations were also interrupted several times due to negotiations, and
the Polish garrison tried several times to force prior Augustyn Kordecki
to surrender the fortress to the enemy. On the night of 26/27 December,
the Swedish army finally withdrew from the fortress.
During the
Deluge, the city was largely destroyed and was rebuilt long and slowly.
In 1665, the battle of Częstochowa took place here, part of Lubomirski's
rebellion. On February 27, 1670, the wedding of the Polish king Michael
and Archduchess Eleonora took place in the Jasna Góra monastery.
On February 29, 1768, the Bar Confederation was established. The
Confederates occupied the Jasna Góra fortress, led by Casimir Pulaski.
The period after the Deluge was successful for Częstochówka, which
dynamically developed and expanded. The monastery, which was the owner
of the village, made intensive efforts to develop the settlement. In
1717, the monastery received a privilege granting Częstochówka city
rights as Nowa Częstochowa. However, the new town was ruined during the
Bar Confederation.
After the adoption of the Constitution on May
3, the place of the sejmik for the Lelów and Książ districts was
designated as Old Częstochowa.
After the Second Partition of
Poland, both towns found themselves in Prussia, after 1807 within the
Duchy of Warsaw, and from 1815 within the Kingdom of Poland.
The plan to connect the towns was undertaken in 1823, and its
development was carried out by the provincial engineer Jan Bernhard, who
in 1819 marked out Aleja Panny Maryi (now Aleja Najświętszej Maryi
Panny). Formally, both cities were merged into one on August 19, 1826.
After the merger of the two cities, Częstochowa in terms of population
ranked fourth in the Kingdom of Poland, after Warsaw, Lublin and Kalisz.
During the January Uprising, there were numerous skirmishes between
insurgent units and Russian troops in the vicinity of the city.
Industry began to develop in Częstochowa in the early 1870s. The first
major entrepreneur in Częstochowa was Berek Kohn, who in 1869, together
with Adolf Oderfeld, launched a printing house and a lithographic
workshop. In 1897, in Raków near Częstochowa, Bernard Hantke launched
the present Huta Częstochowa.
In 1904, a revolutionary movement
began to form in Częstochowa. After the revolution broke out in January
1905, Częstochowa workers announced a general strike in February. In
1909, the Great Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition was held in the
city.
Shortly after the outbreak of World War I, Częstochowa was
occupied without fighting (August 3, 1914) by the German army. During
the occupation, the situation of the city's population deteriorated
rapidly, with over 20,000 workers leaving the city. As early as August
7, 1914, murders were carried out in the Podjasna Góra district. Unlike
the town of Jasna Góra, from April 1915, it was occupied by the Catholic
Austro-Hungarian Empire.
On November 10, 1918, the disarmament of the German troops stationed
in the city began. On November 12, 1918, three companies of the Polish
Army under the command of Capt. Ludwikowski.
On May 27, 1919,
pogroms against Jews took place in the city, as a result of which 7
people were killed.
During the Silesian Uprisings, Częstochowa
was the main center of aid for the insurgents. Collections of money and
medicines as well as volunteer recruitment points were organized in the
city. After the collapse of the Polish offensive on Kiev in 1920,
Czestochowa had to house and feed the Ukrainian government of Semen
Petliura together with two thousand refugees for several months. During
the Polish-Bolshevik war, several hundred volunteers from Częstochowa
fought in defense of Warsaw.
In the interwar period, the city
continued to develop, but the local industry declined and developed at a
much slower pace, which was the result of war damage and the economic
downturn. At that time, the city was equipped with a sewage system,
public transport was launched and many public buildings were erected
(including a theater, post office, numerous schools). In 1939
Częstochowa already had 138,000 inhabitants. inhabitants, which placed
it in 8th place in terms of the largest cities in Poland.
From
1925, Częstochowa was the seat of the bishopric (since 1992, the
archbishopric).
In June 1937, anti-Jewish riots took place in the
town. Jewish shops were plundered for a week.
After the outbreak of World War II, the Germans entered the city on
September 3, 1939, and the very next day they committed murders that
went down in history as Bloody Monday. During the occupation,
repressions against the social elite and the Jewish population took
place. In 1942, a separate district was created for the increasingly
numerous German community.
In 1941, a Jewish district was
established in Częstochowa, which began to be liquidated in 1942 by
transporting the population to the extermination camp in Treblinka. The
population remaining after this action was terrorized and murdered in
several subsequent actions, e.g. June 25, 1943, when the Jewish
population put up armed resistance.
During the war and
immediately after it, strong partisan units of the pro-independence
underground operated in the Częstochowa area. After the fall of the
Warsaw Uprising, Częstochowa was the capital of the Polish Underground
State. On January 16, 1945, after all-day fighting, the German garrison
left Częstochowa, and the city was occupied by the Soviet troops of
Major Semyon Chochriakow.
In the period of People's Poland, the rapid expansion of the
steelworks, which was named after Bolesław Bierut, resulted in the
dynamic development of the city. In addition, Zakłady Przemysłu
Bawełnianego im. Zygmunt Modzelewski, Linen Industry Plant "Warta",
metal, glass and chemical industries have also developed. On the
initiative of prof. Jerzy Kołakowski, the Higher School of Engineering
in Częstochowa was established, now the Częstochowa University of
Technology.
John Paul II visited Częstochowa six times: in 1979,
1983, 1987, 1991, 1997 and 1999. On August 15, 1991, a holy mass was
celebrated with his participation. (ending the 6th World Youth Day)
gathered 1.5 million faithful, and the pope received the key to its
gates and the title of honorary citizen from the city authorities.
Częstochowa became the first city in the world to receive such a
distinction.
On November 15, 2009, a referendum was held in the city on the dismissal of Mayor Tadeusz Wrona. The president was dismissed by 39,284 votes. Currently (2022), the mayor of the city is Krzysztof Matyjaszczyk, a representative of the SLD.
Częstochowa is the second largest city in the Silesian Voivodeship
both in terms of population and occupied area. It is a supra-regional
center of companies from the automotive industry, metallurgy and metal
processing, glass processing and IT. The city thrives in world giants
such as ZF Group, Guardian Glass, Stoelze, Liberty Steel, TS Tech and
Brembo.
In 2008, the Częstochowa Industrial and Technological
Park was completed, which has modernized and modernly arranged offices,
warehouses and production halls. In 2023, the budget of Częstochowa will
amount to PLN 1 billion 855.3 million, of which PLN 516.7 million for
investments (almost 28% of total expenditure).
Currently, it is
of particular importance for the city to attract investors interested in
running service centers for business facilities (so-called BPO -
Business Process Outsourcing) and logistics services, as evidenced by
large Hillwood investments (two locations: Hillwood Częstochowa - Zachód
with an area of over 24,000 m2 and Hillwood Częstochowa - City with an
area of over 64,000 m2) and Panattoni - Panattoni Park Częstochowa with
an area of over 30,000 m2. In addition, near Częstochowa, in the town of
Libidza, the Polomarket chain has its logistics center (with an area of
over 40,000 m2). Stoelze Glass Group (more than 20,000 m2) has a
significant distribution center in Częstochowa.
Częstochowa,
thanks to its excellent location and large-scale investments in road
infrastructure, attracts investors from industries so far absent from
the city, e.g. from the medical devices industry, the best example of
which is the construction of a modern plant for the production of
technologically advanced wound treatment products by Hartmann
Manufacturing Polska near the "Jasna Góra" motorway junction, which is
part of the Częstochowa ring road.
The city gives you the
opportunity to reach an area inhabited by 8.5 million people within 90
minutes by car. Such a huge market of human resources means that the
Protective Equipment Company MASKPOL S.A. also locates its investments
here. being part of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa SA.
There are
branches of the most recognizable companies in the IT industry, such as
X-KOM, Comarch, Assecco, ZF IT Center, SII Polska, K Dystrybucja
(Kaspersky Lab), Computer Center and many others.
An important
and well-known global investor in Poland is the Klimas Wkręt - Met
company, which in 4 locations concentrated around Częstochowa conducts
production activities in the field of manufacturing construction
fasteners on over 80,000 m2.
According to the latest data, the
total number of companies in Częstochowa is 20,121 business entities,
represented by the Regional Chamber of Industry and Commerce in
Częstochowa.
The main initiator of activities related to
development and investments in the economy is the Regional Development
Agency in Częstochowa. In 2011, three industrial clusters were
established in Częstochowa - the Plastosphere Polymer Processing
Cluster, the Częstochowa Municipal Cluster Agglomeration and the
Regional Częstochowa Construction and Infrastructure Cluster
"Budosfera".
Several dozen manufacturers of prams still operate
in Częstochowa.
As a result of the creation of the Polish Investment Zone in 2018,
the city found itself in the zone of influence of KSEZ S.A. The offer of
investment areas in Częstochowa currently includes three subzones:
KSEZ "Kusięcka" with a total area of 13.2 ha, where there is already a
CGR POLAND Sp. z o.o..
KSSE "Korfantego" with a total area of 34.4
ha.
Skorki II - 17.5 ha at the existing Economic Street - area in
preparation.
KSSE "Skorki I" the youngest and fastest growing subzone
in Częstochowa with a total area of 23.3 ha. Its activities include ZF
Electronics Plant and European Shared Services Center (the third newest
ZF production plant in the city producing car cameras).
Częstochowa's "Investor Assistance Center" cooperates with the Katowice
Special Economic Zone as an institution supporting the economy, which
initiates organizational changes to improve service for entrepreneurs
and investors in Częstochowa.
Since 2014, in Częstochowa, in
areas included in economic zones, the minimum investment outlays have
amounted to PLN 1 billion 700 million.
The city of Częstochowa also offers its own attractive plots for
investors looking for a place to start their business in cities with
more than 200,000 inhabitants. The most important of them are:
Rząsawa - 0.37 ha
Elanex - with an area of 8.9 ha on the site of the
former Elanex industrial plant.
The Prince's House - with an area of
6,670 m2
Barbara - with an area of 2.21 ha in the vicinity of the
national road No. 46.
Częstochowa is the main center of the Częstochowa Industrial
District, the third largest in the Silesian Voivodeship. Since the
Middle Ages, the metal industry developed here, thanks to the abundance
of iron ores. The largest and most famous industrial plants in the city
include:
X-KOM - the seat of a network of computer shops and the main
sponsor of the Raków Częstochowa football club.
ISD Huta Częstochowa
— one of the largest steel mills in Poland
ZF Automotive Systems
Poland (formerly TRW) — manufacturer of car safety systems
TS Tech
Poland - the activity of the concern focuses mainly on the design and
production of seats and other elements of car interiors.
Protective
Equipment Company "Maskpol" SA - manufacturer of military equipment.
DTR VMS Poland Sp. z o. o. - manufacturer of rubber-metal elements for
the automotive sector.
Wiko Klebetechnik - is part of the
international GLUETEC GROUP, originating from Germany, dealing in the
production and distribution of industrial chemicals.
CSF Poland
(Cooper Standard group; former Polymer Systems Barre Thomas Poland) —
producer of, among others cables, anti-vibration systems and seals for
cars
Brembo Poland - manufacturer of brake system components
CGR
Polska - manufacturer of automotive components for companies such as
TRW, Faurecja.
Sila Poland - manufacturer of integrated gear shifting
systems.
Koksownia Częstochowa Nowa — a leading producer of coke in
the country, separated from the structure of Huta Częstochowa
Guardian Czestochowa — glassworks
Stoelzle Częstochowa - artistic and
utility glassworks
Iron Foundry Wulkan — iron foundry, the oldest
factory operating in the city. It was founded in 1894.
Metalplast-Częstochowa — a leading manufacturer of locks and
construction fittings. Established in 1899.
ViperPrint — one of the
largest online printing houses in Poland. Established in 2002.
Dospel
— manufacturer of ventilation systems
Bud-Trans — the scope of the
company mainly includes works related to the transport of construction
waste, demolition and cleaning works,
Polontex — a manufacturer of
mainly decorated fabrics, the plant is located in the building of the
former "Ceba".
There are shopping malls, shopping centers, hypermarkets and a large
number of supermarkets in the city. The most important of them are:
Jurajska Gallery, al. Polish Army 207
Gallery Al. NMP 49, al. Blessed
Virgin Mary 49.
M1 shopping center, ul. Kisielewskiego 8/16
Kwadraty Shopping Center, al. Freedom 4
DL Center Point Częstochowa,
ul. Jagiellońska 1
Aniolów Park retail park, ul. Roadworkers 43
Jagiellonian Shopping Center, ul. Brzozowa 2/8,
Shopping Center
Centrum, al. Freedom 4
commercial and service area - DK1/DK46
junction (e.g. Castorama),
VENDO PARK shopping center (2020),
Makro Cash&Carry, ul. Jagiellońska 38/40
OBI, ul. Generała Leopolda
Okulickiego 16/18 and OBI at ul. Kisielewskiego 8/16
Leroy Merlin,
ul. Krakowska 7, Poczesna /k. Czestochowa
Auchan Poczesna Shopping
Centre, ul. Krakowska 10 Poczesna /k. Czestochowa
Carrefour
hypermarket, ul. Roadworkers 43
Agata Meble, ul. Roadworkers 39
The "Market na Czerwony" shopping center and many smaller markets and
shops.
Initially, only 87 stores selling alcohol were allowed to
operate in the city. In 2001, the limit was increased to 245, in 2009 to
440, in 2010 to 500, and in 2015 to 550.
Częstochowa is intersected by a network of national roads and
motorways that allows car transport with the largest Polish cities:
A1 motorway - part of the European route E75: Gdańsk - Grudziądz - Toruń
- Włocławek - Łódź - Częstochowa - Pyrzowice - Gliwice - Żory -
Gorzyczki - running through the northern and western outskirts of the
city, forming the western motorway bypass.
national road No. 43:
Wieluń - Rudniki - Kłobuck - Częstochowa
national road No. 46:
Klodzko - Nysa - Pakoslawice - Jaczowice - Niemodlin - Karczow - Opole -
Ozimek - Lubliniec - Blachownia - Czestochowa - Janów - Szczekociny
national road No. 91: Gdańsk - Tczew - Toruń - Włocławek - Kutno - Łódź
- Piotrków Trybunalski - Kamieńsk - Radomsko - Kłomnice - Częstochowa -
Podwarpie
The network is complemented by provincial roads:
provincial road No. 483: Łask - Szczerców - Nowa Brzeźnica - Częstochowa
provincial road No. 491: Działoszyn (Road 42) - Łobodno - Częstochowa
provincial road No. 494: Bierdzany - Olesno - Wręczyca Wielka -
Częstochowa
provincial road No. 786: Częstochowa - Św. Anna -
Koniecpol - Włoszczowa - Łopuszno - Ruda Strawczyńska - Kielce
provincial road No. 908: Częstochowa - Tarnowskie Góry (Road 78)
Railway lines No. 61 Lubliniec-Kielce run through the city (launched
gradually in the years 1903-1911) and No. 1 Warszawa Centralna-Katowice,
along with a branch line (line No. 146) to the Chorzew Siemkowice
station, which connects the city with the coal main.
On November
17, 1846, Częstochowa gained a railway connection with Warsaw (the
Warsaw-Vienna Railway), in 1903 with Herby, and in 1911 with Kielce (the
Herbsko-Kielecka Railway). The Częstochowa railway junction acquired its
present shape during World War II.
Passenger rail transport is
served by the Częstochowa Gnaszyn, Częstochowa Raków, Częstochowa
Stradom, Rząsawa and Częstochowa Aniołów stations, and to the greatest
extent by the modern - opened after reconstruction in 1996 - Częstochowa
Osobowa (formerly Częstochowa Główna) station located in the very center
of the city, at Council of Europe Square.
Częstochowa has one of the two youngest tram communication systems in
Poland, which was launched in 1959. The trams run on tracks with a gauge
of 1435 mm and a network of 14.7 km. It is de facto one route running
through the city from north to south with two branches at its southern
end.
The organizer of public collective transport in the city of
Częstochowa and some of the neighboring communes is the Municipal Road
and Transport Authority in Częstochowa. At the request of MZDiT,
transport is carried out exclusively by the city-owned company Miejskie
Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacyjne w Częstochowie. Public transport includes
3 tram lines, 24 city buses and 8 suburban lines in the communes of
Blachownia, Konopiska, Mstów, Poczesna and Olsztyn. Night public
transport is provided by the daily bus line No. 80, running along the
tram network. On July 13, 2007, MPK Częstochowa introduced a universal
electronic ticket.
The Bus Express company offers transport of
people on the route from the city center to Blachownia.
Free
transport to the Auchan hypermarket is provided by BK Bursiak, while to
the Tesco hypermarket is provided by Kris-Tour. Transport within the
city is also offered by PKS Częstochowa, which operates lines from the
bus station to Kłobuck, Blachownia and other nearby towns, and the PKP -
5 stops in Częstochowa offers passenger transport.
Communication
with the commune of Rędziny is provided by GZK in Rędziny by lines R, Rm
and Rk to the Main Railway Station.
From September 1, 2021,
Częstochowa is connected with the communes of the land poviat by bus
transport organized by the Częstochowa Poviat.
The nearest international airport is the regional port of the
Silesian Voivodeship - Katowice Airport in Pyrzowice. It is located
about 40 km south of the center of Częstochowa.
The nearest
active airstrip is the Częstochowa-Rudniki Airport, 10 km from the city
centre. It is a post-military building currently in private ownership.
It has sports functions - the Częstochowa Aeroclub operates on part of
its area, and is also a place for organizing many outdoor events. The
airport is not adapted to handle large aircraft, it is possible to land
only small passenger aircraft. It has a neglected concrete runway (2000
× 60 m). The long-term intentions of the city authorities to transform
the airport into a passenger or cargo airport have not yet resulted in
financial support from any source, or even legal regulation of its
status according to the intentions of local government officials. The
last time the airport was used by airlines was in 1983 - LOT Polish
Airlines offered connections from it for one season.
The following newspapers are published in Częstochowa:
"Gazeta
Wyborcza" - since 1991 published with a local supplement
"Dziennik
Zachodni" - there is a local branch of this newspaper
"Życie
Częstochowy i Powiatu" - a continuation of "Życie Częstochowy", a
newspaper published since 1947, the prototype of which was "Życie
Warszawy"
Weeklies:
"7 days"
"Gazeta Częstochowska" — since
1956
'Niedziela' — a nationwide Catholic weekly
Several other
magazines are also published, including the cultural quarterly Aleje 3,
Bulion, the monthly Puls Regionu and the yearly Land of Częstochowa.
Local radio stations:
Radio Jasna Góra - a radio station operating
at the monastery in Jasna Góra
Radio Fiat — a Catholic radio station
belonging to the Archdiocese of Częstochowa
Radio Jura - a local
radio station launched by Radio 90 FM, which on July 14, 2010 received a
broadcasting license in Częstochowa
Your Polish Station - a local
radio station, presenting Polish music and knowledge about this music.
The owner is Radio Park Advertising Agency, which received the
broadcasting license on July 13, 2017, and on September 7, 2018, it
began broadcasting
Local studies in Częstochowa have:
Polish
Radio Katowice
Golden Hits Radio
RMF Classic
RMF Maxxx -
broadcasting in the so-called splitting local news from Częstochowa, in
2006 it replaced the local Radio Fon existing since 1995.
In the
years 1995–2001, RMF FM radio had a local editorial office in the city.
TV
Residents of the Tysiąclecie and Północ districts have access
to the municipal TV Orion. There are also local editorial offices of
TVP3 Katowice, NTL and TVSilesia in the city.
Internet
"Częstochowski Sports Portal" - a portal informing about sports events
from Częstochowa and the surrounding area
"wczestochowie.pl" — a
portal informing about events from Częstochowa and the surrounding area
"CzestochowaForum.pl" - independent and non-commercial, the largest
forum with current information about Częstochowa
There are several
local portals in the city. Several online newspaper journalists also
work here.
The history of the first hospital in Częstochowa dates back to 1834,
when the City Council allocated land for its construction. Soon after,
the hospital of St. Benedict, in 1854 renamed the Hospital of the
Blessed Virgin Mary. For years, only one doctor was employed there, the
first one was Walenty Józef Siekaczyński. It was only Dr. Władysław
Biegański who brought specialists in various fields of medicine to him,
starting in 1883 with the arrival of a surgeon, Dr. Władysław
Wrześniowski.
At the beginning of the 20th century, an Israeli
hospital was established in Częstochowa at ul. Mirowska (buildings used
until the 21st century). During World War I, at ul. Wieluńska, a
venereal hospital was established, and an infectious diseases hospital
was established at Washington (later moved to Dąbrowskiego Street).
During the Second Polish Republic, a modern Kasa Chorych hospital was
opened at ul. Mickiewicz (buildings used until the 21st century). During
World War II, the buildings at ul. Kordeckiego and at ul. Vouchers. The
hospital in Aleje was liquidated in the late 1950s, and in 1966 or 1969
the building was demolished and the construction of a department store
began in this place. In 1961, a hospital was built in the Tysiąclecie
district (later a provincial hospital), and in 1988 a hospital was
opened in the Parkitka district (also a provincial hospital).
In
2000, hospitals at ul. Bona, Mirowska and Mickiewicz merged into the
Municipal Hospital Complex, and in 2004 they were transformed into the
Municipal Integrated Hospital. In 2009, the hospital in Tysiąclecie was
incorporated into the hospital in Parkitka.
Public hospitals
Provincial Specialist Hospital named after of the Blessed Virgin Mary in
Częstochowa (ul. Nowobialska, ul. PCK, al. Pokoju)
Municipal Hospital
in Częstochowa (ul. Bony, ul. Mickiewicza, ul. Mirowska)
Hospital R.
Weigl in Blachownia near Częstochowa
There are 45 kindergartens in Częstochowa, including 6 private and 2
integrated kindergartens. There are also 50 primary schools, including 3
non-public schools, 5 special schools and 3 with integrated classes.
Some of the primary education institutions are run by the Catholic
clergy.
There are 36 upper secondary schools, including 12
post-secondary schools, 10 general secondary schools and over a dozen
school complexes with various profiles, including the Central School of
the State Fire Service.
Among the universities with 8 operating
in the city, the largest are: Częstochowa University of Technology,
University of Humanities and Life Sciences. Jan Długosz, the Polonia
University and the University of Management.
After the establishment of Częstochowa in the early 19th century,
education in the city was at a low level. In the existing towns of Old
and New Częstochowa, there was one elementary school each, and each of
them was run by one teacher. Immediately after the fall of the November
Uprising, apart from these two schools, three private schools operated.
In 1835, a Sunday crafts school was founded, but it attracted little
interest. In 1861, there were already four elementary schools in the
town, one male four-grade school and one female boarding school. Schools
were located in private homes, teachers were supported by contributions
and a small municipal subsidy.
Secondary education was
established in the city only in 1862, when a special poviat school was
established, later transformed into a five-grade junior high school, and
from 1867 operating as a four-grade philological gymnasium. The seat of
the school was a post-monastery building in III Aleja, currently it
houses a secondary school named after Sienkiewicz. The first private
secondary schools were established in 1871 and 1891.
In 1906, a
Polish gymnasium was opened. The following year, there were 7 secondary
schools and 13 elementary schools, as well as vocational and Jewish
schools.
In 1918, there was not a single school building in the
city, and elementary schools were located in rented premises that did
not meet the standards. In order to improve the situation in education,
in the years 1924–1936, the City Council built six buildings in the city
at the cost of PLN 2.5 million (at Chłopickiego, Narutowicza,
Olsztyńska, and Washington Streets, in the Narutowicza Park, on Last
Groszu and Stradom), and in 1937 –1939 two more at the cost of almost
PLN 0.5 million. Due to lack of time and then the outbreak of war, the
next six were not realized.
In 1919, about 7,000 students
attended 14 elementary schools, which constituted half of those of
school age. In 1936, there were 34 elementary schools in the city,
including 21 public schools, which were attended by about 15,000
students, i.e. about 87% of children. There were 303 classes in public
schools, which held classes in 193 rooms. Despite the shortage of
classrooms, some of the classes had to be held in other buildings, often
far from each other.
At that time, there were 8 elementary
secondary schools, 3 of which were public, and 16 vocational schools.
Moreover, in the years 1935–1936, the Common University with 160
students functioned in the city.
During the Nazi occupation,
secondary education was liquidated and public education was
significantly limited. In addition, some school buildings were occupied
for the needs of barracks. In the later period of the occupation, some
teachers were arrested and placed in concentration camps, and the
equipment of most schools was destroyed.
After the city was
liberated from the occupation, the reconstruction of the school system
began. In 1945, 17 state primary schools and 3 religious schools were
opened; the latter were dismantled in 1949 and 1953. Of these 17
schools, only 10 had school buildings. In 1947, there were already 24
primary schools, in 1948/49 - 30, in 1956/57 - 33, and in 1960/61 - 36.
In 1952, the first school building after the war was built. In 1956/57,
a total of 99.3% of children complied with compulsory schooling.
The most famous sports clubs operating (currently or in the past) in
Częstochowa are: the volleyball club AZS Częstochowa (six-time Polish
champion), the speedway club Włókniarz Częstochowa (four-time Polish
champion) and the football club Raków Częstochowa (Polish champion,
two-time Polish vice-champion, winner of the Polish Cup and Polish Super
Cup). Other clubs operating in the city include: Budowlani Częstochowa
(athletics), Norwid Częstochowa, Eco-Team AZS Stoelzle Częstochowa (both
men's volleyball), Częstochowianka Częstochowa (women's volleyball),
Skra Częstochowa (men's and women's football), Gol Częstochowa ( women's
soccer). AZS UJD Częstochowa and AZS Politechnika Częstochowska clubs
operate at universities.
The main sports facilities in
Częstochowa are:
Arena Częstochowa - a speedway stadium in the
Zawodzie-Dąbie district with stands for 16,850 people.
Hala Sportowa
Częstochowa — a sports and entertainment hall opened in 2012. The stands
have 7,100 seats, of which about 5,900 seats are in permanent stands.
The facility hosted, among others, matches of the 2015 Volleyball World
League and the final tournament of the 2018 Volleyball Club World
Championship.
Hala Polonia — a sports and entertainment hall located
in the Tysiąclecie district with 1,165 stationary seats and 440 seats on
fold-out stands.
Municipal Football Stadium "Raków" - municipal
football stadium with stands for 5,500 people.
Municipal Athletics
Stadium in Częstochowa - an athletics stadium with a roofed stand with
894 seats.
Częstochowa is a city with poviat rights. The inhabitants of
Częstochowa elect 28 councilors to their city council. The president of
the city is the executive body of the authorities. The seat of the city
authorities is the Częstochowa City Hall at ul. Śląska 11/13. The city
is home to many offices and institutions of regional importance. There
is, among others, the starosty of the land district of Częstochowa.
The inhabitants of Częstochowa elect deputies in the 28th district,
and senators in the 69th district.
Administrative division of the
city
The area of Częstochowa is divided into 20 auxiliary units of
the city called districts. The inhabitants of each auxiliary unit elect
the district council, which is its legislative body. The executive body
of the district is the management board, headed by a chairman who
represents the district outside.
Roman Catholic Church: the cathedral, the Jasna Góra monastery,
numerous monasteries and parishes
Polish Autocephalous Orthodox
Church: Church of the Częstochowa Icon of the Mother of God (parish)
Old Catholic Churches:
Polish Catholic Church in Poland: Cathedral of
Our Lady Queen of the Apostles (diocesan and parish church)
The Old
Catholic Mariavite Church, the faithful belong to the parish of Our Lady
of Perpetual Help in Starcza
Protestant churches:
Seventh-day
Adventist Church: the church in Częstochowa
Church of God in Poland:
Church of the Full Gospel in Częstochowa, Church of God "Eden" in
Częstochowa
Baptist Church: Well Church
Church of Christians of
Evangelical Faith: Community of Christians in Częstochowa
Christian
Church "Word of Faith": the church in Częstochowa
Church of Glory:
Church of Glory in Czestochowa
Christian Church in Częstochowa
Evangelical-Augsburg Church in Poland: parish in Częstochowa
Church
of Free Christians: the church in Częstochowa
The Pentecostal Church
in Poland: the "Shoreline" congregation, the OdNowa congregation
Messianic Assemblies of God (Seventh Day): mission point in Częstochowa
(subordinate to the church in Bytom)
Jehovah's Witnesses: 7
congregations (including Ukrainian-speaking and Russian-speaking
groups), 2 Kingdom Halls
Buddhist Associations:
Diamond Way
Buddhist Association of the Karma Kagyu Lineage: center in Częstochowa
Jewish community