Alwernia is a Polish town situated some 36 km west of Kraków in the Chrzanów district of the Lesser Poland Voivodship (before 1999 it formed part of the Kraków Voivodship). The town, as well as possessing a large chemical works, is a centre for recreation and tourism. Motto: none Voivodship Lesser Poland Municipal government Rada miasta Kraków Mayor Jacek Majchrowski Area 326,8 km² Population  - city  - urban  - density 757,500 (2004 est. ... Chrzanów is a town in south Poland with 42,100 inhabitants (1995). ... The Lesser Poland Voivodship or Little Poland Voivodship (in Polish województwo maÅ‚opolskie) is an administrative region or voivodship in the south of Poland that contains core areas of the historical and geographical region of Lesser Poland (Malopolska). ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Kraków Voivodship (1) 1975-1998 (Polish: województwo krakowskie) also Kraków Metropolitan Voivodship (województwo miejskie krakowskie) was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in years 1975-1998, superseded by Lesser Poland Voivodship. ...

History

The name of the town is taken from that of the Franciscan hermitage of La Verna (Latin: Alvernia) in Tuscany, Italy. It was bestowed on the locality in 1616 by the castellan Krzysztof Koryciński. A monastery of the order of St Bernard was built on high ground between 1625 and 1656. The church dates from the period 1630 to 1676. The Order of Friars Minor and other Franciscan movements are disciples of Saint Francis of Assisi. ... Latin is the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Tuscany (Italian Toscana) is a region in central Italy, bordering on Latium to the south, Umbria and Marche to the east, Emilia-Romagna and Liguria to the north, and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west. ... Events October 25 — Dirk Hartog makes the second recorded landfall by a European on Australian soil, at an island off the Western Australian coast Pocahontas arrives in England War between Venice and Austria Collegium Musicum founded in Prague Nicolaus Copernicus De revolutionibus is placed on the Index of Forbidden Books... Buddhist monastery near Tibet A monastery is the habitation of monks. ... St. ... Events March 27 - Prince Charles Stuart becomes King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland. ... // Events Mehmed Köprülü becomes Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire. ... Events February 22 - Native American Quadequine introduces Popcorn to English colonists. ... Events January 29 - Feodor III becomes Tsar of Russia First measurement of the speed of light, by Ole Rømer Bacons Rebellion Russo-Turkish Wars commence. ...

Below the monastery a settlement developed which in 1776 received the right to hold a market. In 1796 Alwernia is mentioned as being a (small) commercial and administrative centre. This article is about the year 1776. ... Street markets such as this one in Rue Mouffetard, Paris are still common in France. ... 1796 was a leap year starting on Friday. ...

In 1926 a chemical works was established in the southern part of the town; today it is Alwernia's biggest employer. Its attractive setting and proximity to Kraków led to the town's growth and in 1993 Alwernia was granted full civic status. 1926 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1993 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ...

External link

• Official website (in Polish)