Minsk Mazowiecki

This small town is located in the centre of Poland, quite close to Warsaw, hence it is a convenient starting point to sighteeing the capital of Poland. It attracts visitors by its climate. It also gives a chance to admire many historical buildings as well as charming views of the Srebrna River and a vast range of natural monuments. The name „Mińsk” took probably its origin from the Mienia River. At first, the settlement that developed into the town, was called Mieńsk or Mensk regarding its location in the Mienia River basin. The name evolved through the years to the one used today – Mińsk Mazowiecki. This town was a home to many outstanding Polish writers and members of Parliament. Wonderful river views and the town’s scenery makes it unique. Everyone who visits Mińsk is enchanted by its atmosphere.

Minsk Mazowiecki TOURISM

This beautiful town from the 15th century may surely take pride in many monuments from that period. Many of them can be admired until these days. Some of them were reconstructed to bring back their splendour. Apart from all these neo-baroque and classical monuments, Mińsk is also popular with its emphasis on culture. It has its own House of Culture, School of Art, two museums and runs two local magazines.

While visiting Mińsk everyone will notice its specific architecture. There are many wooden and brick buildings that are considered as monuments. These are, for example, old wooden houses, churches (Church of Saint Mary’s Birth and Mariavite Church), memorials and Palace of Doria Dernałowicz Family. The town retains also traces of Jewish culture and the most important is Jewish cemetery.

The town is also famous for the nature reserves located nearby and their natural monuments. The most important reserves to be mentioned are: Jedlina, Bagno Pogorzel, Rudka Sanatoryjna and Florianów. Not only the monuments in Mińsk Mazowiecki are worth seeing, but also the neighbouring places like Okuniew, Halinów and Dębe Wielkie known for their sacral architecture monuments.

GEOGRAPHY

Mińsk Mazowiecki is situated in the area of The Bug River Valley and the Masovian Landscape Park. It has a permanent population of 37,000 with the total area of 1312 ha. It is situated on the bank of the Srebrna River, a tributary of the Mienia River. This town is approximately 39 km away from Warsaw. From 1975 till 1998 it was a part of Siedlce Voivodship. Since the end of 20th century it belongs to Masovian Province.

HISTORY

Mińsk Mazowiecki became town in 1421. Its great development took place during “Polish Culture Golden Age”. At that time a new town, Sendomierz, was founded on the bank of Srebrna River.
In a short time it was included in Mińsk borders. Even nowadays you can easily distinguish former Sendomierz’s area (it is Kilińskiego square, the renaissance part of the town) and the rest of the town.

In the end of the 19th century Mińsk and its surrounding were the area of many battles and Soviet interventions. It was also the time of renaming it to Nowomińsk. In 1870 Minsk became the possession of Doria Dernałowicz Family who were the last landlords of the town. In 1916 the name was changed for the last time. Novomińsk became Mińsk Mazowiecki then and it is called that up till now. On the 11th of November, 1918 Polish army defeated the Germans in Mińsk and two years later, in 1920, the final part of the Warsaw Battle took its place there.

In the interwar period Mińsk has experienced great development. The first electric railway line was linked, streets and roads system has been improved and asphalted. More schools and culture institutions were established.

After the Second World War the town expanded and became a significant administrative and industrial centre. Thanks to the reform from January 1999 Mińsk Mazowiecki became a headquarter of the County Council.