Dzierżoniów
| Dzierżoniów | |||
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Town Hall
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 Dzierżoniów
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| Coordinates: 50°43′41″N 16°39′04″E / 50.72806°N 16.65111°E | |||
| Country |
 Poland
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| Voivodeship | Lower Silesian | ||
| County | Dzierżoniów County | ||
| Gmina | Dzierżoniów (urban gmina) | ||
| Established | 12th century | ||
| Town rights | before 1290 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Dariusz Kucharski | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 20.07 km2 (7.75 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 261 m (856 ft) | ||
| Population (2008) | |||
| • Total | 34,396 | ||
| • Density | 1,700/km2 (4,400/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Postal code | 58-200 to 58-205 | ||
| Area code(s) | +48 74 | ||
| Car plates | DDZ | ||
| Website | Dzierżoniów.pl | ||
Dzierżoniów [d͡ʑerˈʐɔɲuf] (German: Reichenbach [ˈʁaɪ̯çn̩bax] or Reichenbach im Eulengebirge; from 1945-1946 Polish: Rychbach, Drobniszew) is a Lower Silesian town since at least 1290 located in southwestern Poland in Lower Silesian Voivodeship (from 1975–1998 in the former Wałbrzych Voivodeship). It is the seat of Dzierżoniów County, and of Gmina Dzierżoniów (although it is not part of the territory of the latter, since the town forms a separate urban gmina).
Dzierżoniów covers an area of 20.1 square kilometres (7.8 sq mi), and according to official figures for 2008 has a population of 34,396. It is named after Polish priest and scientist Jan Dzierżon.
In its early history, the town was known as Reichenbach; composed of the German words reich (rich, strong) and Bach (stream), it refers to the current of the Piława River. The name was rendered in Polish as Rychbach. To differentiate between other places named Reichenbach, the Lower Silesian town became known in German as Reichenbach im Eulengebirge, or "Reichenbach in the Owl Mountains".
Reichenbach was first mentioned in a document dating to 13 February 1258. The parish Church of St. George was also noted early on. The coat of arms, depicting Saint George slaying a dragon, was used by 1290 at the latest. The town passed successively from the Bishopric of Wrocław (Breslau), to the Duchy of Ziębice (Münsterberg), and to the Duchy of Świdnica-Jawor (Schweidnitz-Jauer). Reichenbach became part of the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1325 and the Knights Hospitaller built a school and hospital in the town in 1338. It was plundered by the Hussites during the 15th-century Hussite Wars.
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Wikipedia