Kielce

Kielce is the administrative, commercial, cultural and touristic capital of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodship, inhabited by about 190 thousand residents.

The precise founding date of Kielce is difficult to define. It is probable that as early as XI century the church of Saint Wojciech’s was built. The first known date from Kielce’s history is the year 1171, according to historian Jan Długosz – the year of completing the collegiate church Blessed Virgin Mary Assumption (Wniebowzięcia Najświętszej Maryi Panny) (today’s  cathedral).

For the first time, Kielce was defined as civitas (the city) in 1359. The present city’s crest presents a golden crown (symbol of power) and the letters CK (Civitas Kielcensis – residents, citizens of Kielce) with a red background. The crest was constituted at the end of XV century by cardinal Fryderyk Jagiellończyk.

Famous and distinguished people from Kielce:

• Stefan Żeromski
• Gustaw Herling - Grudziński
• Wiesław Gołas
• Leszek Drogosz
• Tadeusz Sznuk
• Michał Sołowow
• Piotr Liroy-Marzec
• Michał Piróg
• Rafał Zawierucha