Wiślica

Village

Basilica

Coat of arms

Wiślica

Coordinates: 50°20′48″N 20°40′25″E / 50.34667°N 20.67361°E

Country

Poland

Population

680

Website

http://www.ug.wislica.pl/

Wiślica [viˈɕlit͡sa] is a village in Busko County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Wiślica. It lies on the Nida River, approximately 14 kilometres (9 mi) south of Busko-Zdrój and 60 km (37 mi) south of the regional capital Kielce. In 2006 the village had a population of 680.

Wiślica, though today only a small village, is one of the most ancient settlements in Poland, and has played an important role in Polish history. The town was founded more than 1000 years ago, close to the important commercial routes, running from Kraków to Sandomierz. At that time it was probably the capital of the famous tribe Vistulans. The land of Vistulans, after coming under temporary rule of Great Moravian and Bohemia, was incorporated into Poland by Mieszko I in 990. The first guarded settlement was probably founded at the end of the 9th century. The remains that survive today are of the settlement which was erected at the end of the 12th century. The city had regular streets, the well was inlaid with stones, and a water cistern and the remains of 47 wooden houses have been found. The area compromised ten sub-settlements, whose inhabitants worked for the needs of the city. It is very likely that the city was burnt down by Tatars during famous invasion of 1241 and it was never again inhabited by settlers.

In the late 1950s, archaeologists discovered the foundations of the St. Nicholas church, dating back to the 10th or 11th century, which is exposed at the museum pavilion. The church was small: 6.65 m long and 3.40 m. wide, with one aisle, and a semicircular apse. It is one of the oldest churches in market settlements of the Małopolska region.

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Wikipedia