Kielce Poland description, location, history. Poland map.

Kielce Poland description, location, history. Poland map.

Kielce is is a capital of Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (Province) located in southern Poland. The city is situated on the Silnica River (the right tributary of the Bobrza River), at the foot of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, the oldest mountains in Europe. Numerous nature reserves (animate and inanimate nature) are located in the city, among many there are: Kadzielnia, Ślichowice, Wietrznia, Biesak-Białogon.

The first reference to Kielce, as the trade settlement, comes from 1084. At the turn of the 11th and 12th century, the city was the property of Cracow's bishops. Although Kielce received the city rights based on the Magdeburg Law in 1364, it had been mentioned among other cities already in 1186. Further development of Kielce was possible thanks to lead, copper, silver and iron ores. The city was destroyed by the Swedes in 1655; it flourshed again in the 18th century, when in 1789 the city became a part of the Republic of Poland.

The economic growth of the city, whch started in the 15th century, was based on the exploitation and industrial processing of natural resources: iron, copper and lead ores, as well as marbles and sandstones. Today, building and engineering as well as food and processing industries are expanding in Kielce.