Jędrzejów | ||
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Main square
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Coordinates: 50°38′N 20°18′E / 50.633°N 20.300°ECoordinates: 50°38′N 20°18′E / 50.633°N 20.300°E | ||
Country | Poland | |
Voivodeship | Świętokrzyskie | |
County | Jędrzejów County | |
Gmina | Gmina Jędrzejów | |
Area | ||
• Total | 11.37 km2 (4.39 sq mi) | |
Population (2011) | ||
• Total | 16,139 | |
• Density | 1,400/km2 (3,700/sq mi) | |
Postal code | 28-300 | |
Area code(s) | +48 41 | |
Car plates | TJE | |
Website | http://www.umjedrzejow.pl/ |
Jędrzejów [jɛnˈdʐɛjuf] is a town in Poland, located in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, about 35 kilometres (22 miles) southwest of Kielce. It is the capital of Jędrzejów County. It has 16,139 inhabitants (2011). The origin of the name of the town is unknown. Probably it was named after a man named Andrzej (Jędrzej), a member of the noble Lis family, which resided in this area.
The town lies in historic province of Lesser Poland, 38 kilometres (24 miles) from Kielce, and 78 km (48 mi) from Kraków. Jędrzejów is located in Lesser Poland Upland, on two local rivers, the Jasionka and the Brzeznica. The area is hilly, with highest point being a hill called Gaj (301 metres (988 feet) above sea level). On December 31, 2010, the area of the town was 11.37 km2 (4.39 sq mi), and population density 1419 per km2.
Jędrzejów lies along European route E77, as well as National Road nr. 78 (Chałupki – Chmielnik), and two local roads, the 728th and the 768th. The town also lies on an important rail route from Kraków to Lublin and Warsaw. Close to Jędrzejów train station (Dworzec PKP) is a historic narrow-gauge station where a 750mm-gauge line (Świętokrzyska Kolej Dojazdowa) runs to Pińczów (part of a once extensive network of narrow-gauge railways in the region). There used to be an interchange with the standard-gauge line, and there are still remains of a turning triangle in the yards of both stations.
In the early years of the Kingdom of Poland, a settlement of Brzeznica existed in the location of Jędrzejów. It was first mentioned in the year 1153, in a document issued by Archbishop of Gniezno, Janik. In the document, foundation of a Cistercian monastery known today as the Blessed Wincenty Kadlubek Church. The monastery was founded by French Cistercians, who came to Jędrzejów from Morimond Abbey between 1143 and 1153. The location of the monastery, which was the village of Brzeznica, was spelled Brysinch. In the 12th century, the name of the village was changed into Jędrzejów, but one of the local rivers still bears the name Brzeznica.