Mińsk Mazowiecki [ˈmʲiɲsk mazɔˈvʲɛt͡skʲi] "Masovian Minsk" is a town in central Poland with 40,211 inhabitants (2015). It is situated in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Siedlce Voivodeship (1975–1998). It is the capital of Mińsk County.
Map of Minsk Mazowiecki, Poland
The source of the name Mińsk is the River Mienia, whose name in turn derives from mienić, which means 'shine'. The postnominal adjective Mazowiecki shows the historical connection to Mazovia and distinguishes Mińsk Mazowiecki from the Belarusian capital of Minsk.
Mińsk Mazowiecki is located geographically in South Podlasie, historically in East Mazovia and administratively in East Masovian Voivodeship, the city lies 40 kilometres (25 miles) east from Warsaw's Center.
14th century – first mentions of a settlement with commercial function
1421, 29 May – Mińsk was granted town privileges
1422 – first wooden church was built (not preserved)
1549 – a second town Sendomierz, later merged with Mińsk
1629 – the present church opened
1695 – Sendomierz joined to Mińsk
18th century – gradual decline of Mińsk connected with gradual decline of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
1795–1809 – under Austrian rule as a result of the Third Partition of Poland
1809–1815 – in the Duchy of Warsaw
1815–1916 – in the Congress Poland
1866 – first train arrived in the town on the newly built Warsaw–Terespol Railway
1867 – name of the town changed to Novominsk
1870 – Dernałowicz Family became last owners of city (up to the Second World War)
1886 – first bookstore in east Mazovia
19th – found of famous manufacture
1912 (or 1910) – start of Maria Grochowska's School, today this is Polska Macierz Szkolna's High School
1914 – old church opened after reconstruction
1915 – present hospital opened
1915 to 1918, 11 November – German occupation during World War I
1916 – name's change (Novominsk > Mińsk Mazowiecki)
1920 – briefly occupied by Russians before the Battle of Warsaw during the Polish-Bolshevik War
1920–1939 – great development
1937 – first electric train arrived
1939–1944 – second German occupation (World War II
1939, 12 September – German entry
1939, 13 September – battle for Mińsk Mazowiecki (led by gen. Władysław Anders)
1942, 21 July – liquidation of Mińsk Mazowiecki ghetto. Most of the Jewish residents were sent to the Treblinka death camp (one of first episodes of Holocaust)
1944, 30 July – liberation by Armia Krajowa (prelude to Warsaw Uprising)
1944, 30–31 July – Soviet liberation
1945, 2–3 march – Soviet killed Mińsk's elite (with Mayor Hipolit Konopka)
1952 – trains manufacture
1957 – military garrison
1979 – new train station
1985 – Solidarity events
1990 – first Mayor elected in free elections (since elections before Second World War): Zbigniew Grzesiak
1999 – Mińsk County established
In 1768 the restrictions on permanent residence for Jewish people in Mińsk had been lifted. From the 19th century to the 1930s it became very popular. Before the Second World War, there were thousands of Jews living in Mińsk and they had a general synagogue and smaller temples.
Soon after the war began, the Germans created the Mińsk Ghetto. It was liquidated on 21 July 1942. Most of the Jews were killed in Treblinka extermination camp sent in Holocaust trains by the thousands. The remaining Jewish population were killed in Mińsk on 10 January 1943 (500 people) and 5 June (the last 150 people).
layout of medieval settlement and later city
Palace of Doria Dernałowicz Family – built probably in the 17th century (in place of 16th century residence), converted to classicism
park
Church of the Nativity of The Blessed Virgin Mary – built in the 17th century, converted to neo-baroque in the early 20th century
internal furnishing
cemetery
county hall (former), 19th century, classicism
county hall, 19th century
post office, 19th century, empire
church of Mariavite Church, 1911
residential areas, 19th and early 20th century
Jewish cemetery
some school buildings (early 20th century)
Trade:
hypermarket Carrefour
supermarkets (about 10)
many other shops
market
developers
Service:
10 banks
fast-foods, pubs and restaurants
3 hotels
construction indystry
car service
satellite communication
Industry:
ZNTK "Mińsk Mazowiecki" (since 2008 a subsidiary PESA SA) — maintenance and repair of railway rolling stock
Fabryka Urządzeń Dźwigowych – production of cranes and other heavy machinery
cotton products
yachts
shoes
foil
Józef Majka College of Social Science (catholic)
Stanisław Staszic Lifelong Learning Center
University of Third Age
Polska Macierz Szkolna Gymnasium and High School
Salesian Elementary, Gymnasium and High School (catholic)
Kazimierz Wielki Professional High School
Powstańcy Warszawy Professional High School
High School of Economy
Maria Skłodowska-Curie High School
3 public gymnasiums
4 public elementary schools
over 10 preschools (6 public)
special school (for kids with problems)
clinic of psychological and pedagogical help
regional bureau of Environmental Protection Inspection
point of conscription
above forester bureau (Nadleśnictwo Mińsk)
county, city and commune bureaus
Police Departament of Mińsk County – 2 building in Mińsk, dozens of cars (including sport cars and off-road cars)
Fire Departament of Mińsk County – quite new fire engines (well equipped after big fire in industry area a few years ago)
Public Hospital of Mińsk County
Culture and sports
Culture:
House of Culture
School of Art
2 libraries
2 museums
cinema
magazines (2 public and 3 commercial are published in Mińsk)
Sport:
Miejski Ośrodek Sportu i Rekreacji (public sport and recreation departament)
2 stadiums
ice rink
other
Mazovia-ZNTK
football team in local amateur league
other sports
other clubs
Roman Catholic Church (4 parishes and other structures)
Mariavite Church (1 parish)
Baptist (1 congregation)
Mennonite (1 congregation)
Train station
regular service (39 trains in one way daily) to Warsaw
direct connections with many cities in Poland, and with Moscow
2 regular bus services to Warsaw
Lands
Overall: 13.12 square kilometres (5.07 sq mi)
residential: 30%
industrial: 6%
communication (roads, railroads etc.): 15%
agricultural: 29%
park: 5%
other: 15%
Cities:
Mińsk – old town
Sendomierz (found 1549, joined 1695)
Estates built as part of Mińsk:
Nowe Miasto – Miasto Ogród – New Town – Garden Town (found 1936)
concrete estates built in socialist realism (about 1945–1990) without names
modern estates without names
Villages:
over railroad part of city (all existed in 1839 and earlier)
Kędzierak (joined partly in 1954 and fully in 1984)
Stankowizna (joined in 19th or 20th century)
Anielina (joined in similar time as Kędzierak)
other
Górki (joined in the 18th century)
Goździk (joined during First War War)
Kolonia Stasinów (joined in 1936)
Pohulanka (joined partly in 1936)
Sewerynów (joined in similar time as Kędzierak)
military police
airport with MIG-29 aircraft
Mińsk Mazowiecki is twinned with:
Krnov, Czech Republic
Lacey, US
Borodianka, Ukraine
Cori, Italy
Krnov, Bruntál District, Czech Republic
Orsha, Belarus
Pefki, Greece
Saint-Égrève, France
Telšiai, Lithuania
Julian Grobelny, Righteous Among the Nations
Czesław Mroczek, poseł
Teresa Wargocka, poseł
Stefan Żeromski, writer
Marek Piotrowski, World Champion in Kickboxing
Rafał Jackiewicz, boxer (world title eliminator)
