Area: 643,72 square km
Population: 49.605
DISTRICT AUTHORITY
ul. Żwirki i Wigury 1
62 – 065 Grodzisk Wielkopolski
tel. +48 61 44 52 500
fax: +48 61 44 52 555
www.pgw.pl
e-mail: starostwo@pgw.pl
Charmain of the District Council: Mariusz Zgaiński
District Head: Stanisław Hadka
District Vice-head: Grażyna Willmann
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DISTRICT
The grodziski district is situated in the south-west part of the Wielkopolska region and borders on the Kościan, Nowy Tomyśl, Poznań and Wolsztyn districts. It has an area of 643,72 sqare km. From the point of view of area, the district with its new boundaries lies in 26th place among the Wielkopolska districts, while from the point of view of size of population it occupies the 28th place.
The Grodzisk district acquired its present form as a result of the 1998 administrative reforms. It comprises five gminas: Granowo, Grodzisk Wielkopolski, Kamieniec, Rakoniewice and Wielichowo.
The history of the district goes back, hoever, to the end of 19th century, when it was first created.
The Grodziski district is a completely new administrative unit in its present boundaries, but it had a previous existance. In 1887 the then authorities decided to incrase the number of districts and Grodzisk Wielkopolski thus joined the incrase ranks of district towns. In 1919 within the boundaries of the district lay the towns of Buk, Grodzisk Wielkopolski and Opalenica, and also 53 rural gminas and 25 landed estates.The first district head (starosta) was Stanisław Skoczyński, and he was followed by Stanisław Ziółecki, Marian Korotkieiwcz, Michał Szczytt-Niemorowicz, Czesław Bogacki, Czesław Czochron. In 1926 this office passed to Henryk Kaysiewicz, who held it until 1932, when the Grodzisk district ceased to exist. In 1941 Grodzisk again acquired the status of district town, but lost it in 1945 on the liberation of Poland from the German occupation.
From 1975 Grodzisk was gmina, but in 1990 a Regional Authority was set up there, having under its administration five gminas: Grodzisk itself, Granowo, Kamieniec, Rakoniewice and Wielichowo. These same gminas were incorporated into the Grodzisk district, which arose as a result of the local goverment reforms in 1998.
As a result of the first goverment election for the district authority, Władysław Chwalisz was elected starosta, and Ryszard Górny became chairman of the newly elected District Council. Both were re-elected to these posts in the elections in 2002.
OBJECTS OF INTEREST AND HISTORICAL MONUMENTS
The Grodzisk district lies within the aea of the last, so-called Baltic, glaciation. Through its territory run the „nadobrzański” lowlands, which are part of the original Warta-Odra Valley.
Many interesting plants are to be found in the village and manor parks, of which there are 29 within the borders of the district. There are altogether 207 features under protection, included in the list of monuments of nature. The manor park at Ujazd is discuished by its size: it is the third largest in Wielkpolska.The most interesting of the monuments of nature are the oaks in Kamieniec, the rows of trees in Ruchocice and Ujazd, and such exotic examples as the taxodium distichym in Kotowo and the gingko biloba in Parzęczewo. The thickest tree in the Grodzisk district, however, an oak with a circum – ference of 660 cm., does not frow in a park but on a farm in Czarna Wieś, 4 km. west of Grodzisk.
In the nort-west part of the district lies Lake Kuźnickie, which, together with the woodlands surrounding it, makes an attractive place for recreation, with facilities for cycling and horse-riding. In the summer Kuźnica is a popular destination for excursion for the lokal inhabitants. A second such place is Lake Strykowskie, in the eastern part of the district. In the autumn the environs of Kąkolewo are a traditional and popular haunt for mushroom pickers.
In addition, the nearly airfield is a popular place for such sports as paragliding.
Visitors to the grodzisk district can find accomodation at one of the agro-tourist farms in the Grodzisk Agrotourist Association.
There are a number of attractive tourist routes, linking places and objects of interest. One route, for example, oncludes the 10 wooden churches in the district. These churches, built mainly in the 18th century, look particulary beautiful in summer, sorrounded by greenery. They are be seen in Bukowiec, Granowo, Grodzisk Wielkopolski, Jabłonna, Łęki Wielkie, Parzęczewo, Prochy, Ruchocice, Wielichowo and Zielęcin. A similar route links palaces and manor hauses, built in the 18th and 19th centuries. These buildings, inspired by various types of architecture, often eclectic, and beacause of that all the more interesting stylistically, can be seen in Cykowo, Gnin, Granowo, Granówko, Karczewo, Kotowo, Lasówki, Parzęczewo, Ptaszkowo, Prochy, Rakoniewice, Ujazd, Wilkowo Polskie, Wioska.
In addition to the wooden churches many other interesting sacred buildings of great historical value can be found around the district. They include the unusually picturesque cluster of monastery buildings on the hill Wyrwał in Woźniki. It can be approached through the attractive avenue of chestnuts leading from the Poznań – Zielona Góra road.
The oldest church in the district is that of St. Jadwiga in Wilkowo Polskie, dating from around 1540. The small Gothic church with its defensive tower and adjoining graveyard stands on a hill, surrounded by a fence that is also a historic monument. The most unusual curiosites to be found in this area are without doubt the burial mounds („kurhany”) from the „unietycka” culture, dated at about 1700 – 1450 B.C. These burial mounds, also known as the Wielkopolska pyramids, are to be seen in the environs of Łęki Wielkie there are also fortesses from the early historic period, some of which have be seen investigated by archeologists and found to contain shells, silver coins and animal bones.
Monuments from the begining of the 20th century dedicated to Michał Drzymała can also be seen: a stone at Zdrój near his birthplace, and a boulder at Drzymałowo at the place connected with his gipsy caravan, the symbol of his oposition to Germanisation, known to Poles from their history lessons.
There are two museums in this district, the Museum of Grodzisk Lands, with reminders of the history of the town, and the Wielkopolska Museum of Firefighting in Rakoniewice, which contains more than four thousand unusual exhibits.
CULTURE AND SPORT
The Grodzisk district cherishes traditions, especially those concerned with the agricultural nature of the district. The annual district harvest festival, organised togheter with the gminas after the end of harvest, is an expression of this. In addiction to the traditional harvest ceremony, these events always provide a rich programme of concerts of both folk and pop music.
Traditional also is the annual celebration of the District Fireman’s Day.
Within the district there are as many as ten choirs and folk song groups. In recognition of this, for some years now, with the co-operation of the Town and Gmina Centre of Culture, the District Festival of Singing Groups has been organized. The theme is always related to the folklore of the region or country, whether in song or national dance. The singing groups serve to enhance many local events, as well as performing during large – scale trade fairs.
Other events focusing on the culture and entertaiment are the Grodzisk Days and the Mushroom Festival in Wielichowo. For some years the District Authority in Grodzisk Wielkopolski has been organising International Painting and Sculpture Plein-air Workshop. The organiser of these artistic events is Zdzisław Połącarz, an artist from Oświęcim, the recipient of many distinctions, awards and bursaries, and a friend to this district. During the workshops artists come from all parts of Poland and from abroad and are accomodated by the various secondary schools in Kotowo. The palace in its extensive park provides a perfect location for the artists to work. During the workshops artists may be ecountered on the streets of towns and villages, immortalising the charms of Wielkopolska in their works. Thanks to these summer meetings with artists, scores of splendid creations remain with the local authority, some of which decorate the seat of the district authorithy, while others are sold at auctions for charity or presented as souvenirs on special occasions.
Interesting works of art are also created at the Studio for Artistic Tapestry in Granowo.
A special cultural role in the community is played by two organisations for the handicapped, the association „Heart” („Serce”) and the Polish Association for the Mentally Handicaped.
In mid – 2001 the foundation stone was laid for the building of the Grodzisk Sports Hall. Just over a year later it was ceremonially opened for the use of the residents of the district. The Sports Hall co –organises many sporting events and entertainments, including the District – Gmina Competition for Nursery Schools „Pięciobój Mikołajkowy”, basketball, football and volleyball matches for amateurs of all ages. These events are often held under the patronage of the grodzisk Starosta. Some sports are of an unusual nature, for example, the Local Goverment Football Tournament for Twin Towns, in which teams from the district and from abroad took part, on the occasion of Poland’s entry into the European Union.
The well–known cabaret artiste Marcin Daniec also performed in the Hall to an audience of almost a thousand.
In 1922 the Dyskobolia Sports Club was founded in Grodzisk Wielkopolski. Up to 1993 the team played in matches at the regional level, but when more than ten years ago it started co–operation with the firm Inter Groclin Auto S.A. the sitiuation changed. In 2001/2002 season Groclin Dyskobolia won the title of Polish vice-champion, which guaranted the team participation in UEFA Cup. On its debut in the UEFA Cup Groclin beat Atlantas Kłajpeda in the first round. Victory over the Lithuanian team opened the way to succesive rounds, in which it had sensational wins over Hertha Berlin and Manchester City. Thanks to the fact that district webpage is available also in English, within an hour after lots were drawn the first emails begin to come in from fans the Manchester team. The District Authority decide to create an information base in English with a map of the town, list of accomodation, addresses and important telephone numbers. Although Groclin eliminated Mancheter, many messages were later received from fans of that team, expressing thanks for their warm reception in Grodzisk Wielkopolski and for the friendly attitude of the police, and they also wished our team succes in the further rounds of the Cup. Thanks to the debut of Groclin Dyskobolia, the town and district have become known throughout the european football community.
ECONOMY
The Grodzisk district is an area in which agriculture predominates. Arable land accounts for more than 50% of area of the district, meadows and pasture land for 12-15%, and orchards less than 1%. The main crops are wheat and beetroot, but animal husbandry also plays a significant role, especially cattle and pigs. This area has seen large–scale development of mushroom growing and the services connected with it, as well as the cultivation of asparagus, strawberries and peaches. The speciality of this area remains, however, the production of „champignon” mushrooms, which is carried about by most arable farms with a view to incrasing their income. The business has above all developed in the gmina of Wielichowo and it is here that further growth expected. The cultivation of mushrooms has also led to processing of these aromatic fungi.
tłum. ART STUDIO OLEKSIAK oleksiak@torun.home.pl
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