Legnica (pronounce: [lεg'niʦa], formerly Lignica, German Liegnitz) is a town in south-western Poland, with 108,000 inhabitants (1995). Situated in the Lower Silesian Voivodship (since 1999) on the Kaczawa (former German name Katzbach) river. Previously capital of Legnica Voivodship (1975-1998).

Legnica
(Flag) (Coat of Arms)
Motto: none
Voivodship	Lower Silesian
Municipal government	Rada Miasta Legnica
Mayor	Tadeusz Krzakowski
Area	56,29 km²
Population  - city  - urban  - density	106 895 (2002) none 1899/km²
Founded City rights	7th century 1264
Latitude Longitude	51°21' N 16°16' E
Area code	+48 76
Car plates	DL
Twin towns	Blansko, Drohobycz, Orenburg, Wuppertal
Municipal Website (http://www.legnica.um.gov.pl/)

History

First mentioned in 1004, Legnica is famous for a battle that took place at Legnickie Pole near the city on April 9, 1241 between the Mongols of the Golden Horde and the combined Poles and Germans under Duke Henry II the Pious, supported by the feudal nobility including the Knights Templar. The battle is known as Battle of Legnica or the Battle of Wahlstatt. Although the Mongols killed Henry and annihilated his forces, they stopped their advance into Europe and turned back to attend to the election of a new Grand Khan.

Legnica became the residence of the dukes of Lower Silesia in 1163 and was the seat of a principality ruled by a branch of the Piast dynasty from 1248-1675, when it passed into the domain of Austria after the death of the last Piast duke, Georg Wilhelm. The protestant reformation was introduced in the duchy as early as 1522.

Until 1742 the town was known as Lignica, but the name was changed to Liegnitz with the incorporation of Silesia into Prussia, following Prussia's defeat of Austria. In 1813, the Prussians, under Field Marshall Blücher, defeated the French in the battle of Katzbach.

Poland regained the town in 1945 and changed its spelling to Legnica in 1948. In the 1950's and 1960's local copper and nickel industry became a major factor in area development.

Economy

Industry: copper mining and processing (KGHM Polska Miedź company).

Education

• Wyższa Szkoła Menedżerska

Sports

• Miedź Legnica - men football team (Polish Cup winner 1992; 3rd league in seasons 2003/2004 and 2004/2005)

Politics

Legnica-Jelenia Gora constituency

Members of Parliament (Sejm) elected from Legnica-Jelenia Gora constituency

• Ryszard Bonda, Samoobrona
• Bronisława Kowalska, SLD-UP
• Adam Lipiński, PiS
• Tadeusz Maćkała, PO
• Ryszard Maraszek, SLD-UP
• Olgierd Poniźnik, SLD-UP
• Władysław Rak, SLD-UP
• Tadeusz Samborski, PSL
• Jerzy Szmajdziński, SLD-UP
• Halina Szustak, LPR
• Michał Turkiewicz, SLD-UP
• Ryszard Zbrzyzny, SLD-UP

Train station in Legnica, 1915

External link:

• The web page of Legnica (http://www.legnica.net.pl)