![Administrative divisions of Congress Poland in 1830 ENG](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Administrative_divisions_of_Congress_Poland_in_1830_ENG.png)
Congress Poland was subdivided several times from its creation in 1815 until its dissolution in 1918.
Congress Poland
Congress Poland, Congress Kingdom of Poland, or Russian Poland, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland, was a polity created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna as a semi-autonomous Polish state, a successor to Napoleon's Duchy of Warsaw. It w ...
("Russian Poland") was divided into
departments,
a relic from the times of the French-dominated
Duchy of Warsaw
The Duchy of Warsaw ( pl, Księstwo Warszawskie, french: Duché de Varsovie, german: Herzogtum Warschau), also known as the Grand Duchy of Warsaw and Napoleonic Poland, was a French client state established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1807, during ...
. In 1816 the administrative divisions were changed to forms that were more traditionally Polish:
voivodeship
A voivodeship is the area administered by a voivode (Governor) in several countries of central and eastern Europe. Voivodeships have existed since medieval times and the area of extent of voivodeship resembles that of a duchy in western medieval ...
s,
obwód Obwód (plural ''obwody'') is a term used in Polish to denote administrative districts in various countries, particularly as a translation of the Russian ''oblast''. As administrative subdivisions of Poland itself, obwody existed as subdivisions of ...
s and
powiat
A ''powiat'' (pronounced ; Polish plural: ''powiaty'') is the second-level unit of local government and administration in Poland, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture ( LAU-1, formerly NUTS-4) in other countries. The term "''powia ...
s. Following the
November Uprising
The November Uprising (1830–31), also known as the Polish–Russian War 1830–31 or the Cadet Revolution,
was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in W ...
, the subdivisions were again changed in 1837 to bring the subdivisions closer to the structure of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
when
guberniyas (
governorate
A governorate is an administrative division of a state. It is headed by a governor. As English-speaking nations tend to call regions administered by governors either State (administrative division), states or province, provinces, the term ''govern ...
s) were introduced. In this way, Congress Poland was gradually transformed into the "
Vistulan Country". Over the next several decades, various smaller reforms were carried out, either changing the smaller administrative units or merging/splitting various guberniyas.
Subdivisions in modern Lithuania
Today, almost all of the subdivisions of Congress Poland may be found, in similar territorial areas, in modern
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
. A few, roughly in the northern panhandle of Congress Poland, are to be found in modern
Lithuania
Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
. They are:
* In
Marijampolė County
Marijampolė County ( lt, Marijampolės apskritis; pl, Okręg mariampolski) is one of the ten counties in Lithuania. It is in the south of the country in the historical Suvalkija region, and its capital is the town Marijampolė
Marijampolė ...
:
Kalvarija Municipality
Kalvarija Municipality is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania.
Elderships
Kalvarija Municipality is divided into 4 elderships:
External links
Municipalities of Marijampolė County
Municipalities of Lithuania
{{lithuania- ...
,
Marijampolė Municipality
Marijampolė Municipality is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania.
Marijampolė has a City Council with 27 members. The members of the City Council represent different Lithuanian political parties.
The Marijampolė Municipality is adjacent to t ...
,
Šakiai District Municipality
Šakiai District Municipality is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania. Under Congress Poland
Congress Poland, Congress Kingdom of Poland, or Russian Poland, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland, was a polity created in 1815 by the Congr ...
(formerly Vladislavov),
Vilkaviškis District Municipality
Vilkaviškis () is a city in southwestern Lithuania, the administrative center of the Vilkaviškis District Municipality. It is located northwest from Marijampolė, at the confluence of of and rivers.
The city got its name from the Vilkau ...
(formerly Volkovyshki), and the town of
Kybartai
Kybartai (; russian: Кибартай) is a city in Marijampolė County, Lithuania. It is located west of Vilkaviškis and is on the border of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia.
History
Kybartai was founded under the reign of Sigismund I the Old by ...
* In
Alytus County
Alytus County ( lt, Alytaus apskritis) is one of ten counties of Lithuania, counties in Lithuania. It is the southernmost county, and its Capital (political), capital is the city of Alytus. Its territory lies within the Regions of Lithuania, et ...
:
Alytus District Municipality (formerly part of Kalvaria district),
Lazdijai District Municipality
Lazdijai District Municipality ( lt, Lazdijų rajono savivaldybė) is a municipality in Alytus County, Lithuania.
Seniūnijos (Elderships or Wards)
The Lazdijai district municipality contains 14 ''seniūnijos'' (in English: elderships or war ...
(formerly part of Seyny district), and
Merkinė
Merkinė is a town in the Dzūkija National Park in Lithuania, located at the confluence of the Merkys, Stangė, and Neman (river), Nemunas rivers. Merkinė is one of the oldest settlements in Lithuania. The first settlers inhabited the confluence ...
(formerly part of Seyny district), a town near the
Dzūkija National Park
__NOTOC__
Dzūkija National Park - a national park in Dzūkija, Lithuania, was established in 1991 in order to preserve the pine forests, the landscape, and the villages of the region. The area encompasses 584.53 square kilometers on the banks of ...
Changes in subdivisions by period
From 1816 to 1837
On January 16, 1816, the areas of administrative jurisdiction were reformed from the departments of the
Duchy of Warsaw
The Duchy of Warsaw ( pl, Księstwo Warszawskie, french: Duché de Varsovie, german: Herzogtum Warschau), also known as the Grand Duchy of Warsaw and Napoleonic Poland, was a French client state established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1807, during ...
into the more traditionally Polish
voivodeship
A voivodeship is the area administered by a voivode (Governor) in several countries of central and eastern Europe. Voivodeships have existed since medieval times and the area of extent of voivodeship resembles that of a duchy in western medieval ...
s,
obwód Obwód (plural ''obwody'') is a term used in Polish to denote administrative districts in various countries, particularly as a translation of the Russian ''oblast''. As administrative subdivisions of Poland itself, obwody existed as subdivisions of ...
s and
powiat
A ''powiat'' (pronounced ; Polish plural: ''powiaty'') is the second-level unit of local government and administration in Poland, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture ( LAU-1, formerly NUTS-4) in other countries. The term "''powia ...
s. Eight voivodeships were created:
*
Augustów Voivodeship
Augustów Voivodeship was created in 1816 from the Łomża Department. Its capital was in Łomża until 1818, when it was transferred to Suwałki. In 1837 it was transformed into Augustów Governorate. Administrative divisions
It was divided into 7 ...
(capital in
Suwałki
Suwałki ( lt, Suvalkai; yi, סואוואַלק) is a city in northeastern Poland with a population of 69,206 (2021). It is the capital of Suwałki County and one of the most important centers of commerce in the Podlaskie Voivodeship. Suwałki i ...
)
*
Kalisz Voivodeship Kalisz Voivodeship may also refer to:
*Kalisz Voivodeship (1314–1793)
*Kalisz Voivodeship (1816–1837)
The Kalisz Voivodeship was a voivodeship of the Congress Poland, that existed from 1816 to 1837. Its capital was Kalisz. It was established o ...
*
Kraków Voivodeship Kraków Voivodeship may also refer to:
*Kraków Voivodeship (14th century – 1795)
* Kraków Voivodeship (1816–1837)
*Kraków Voivodeship (1919–1939)
*Kraków Voivodeship (1945–1975)
*Kraków Voivodeship (1975–1998)
The Kraków Voivodeshi ...
(despite the name of this province, the city of Kraków was not included; Kraków was
a free city until the
Kraków Uprising
The Kraków uprising (Polish: ''powstanie krakowskie'', ''rewolucja krakowska''; German: ''Krakauer Aufstand''; Russian: ''краковское восстание'') of 1846 was an attempt, led by Polish insurgents such as Jan Tyssowski and Edw ...
of 1846, after which it was annexed by
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
; the capital was first
Miechów
Miechów is a town in Poland, in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, about north of Kraków. It is the capital of Miechów County. Population is 11,852 (2004). Miechów lies on the Miechówka river, along European route E77. The area of the town is , ...
, then
Kielce
Kielce (, yi, קעלץ, Keltz) is a city in southern Poland, and the capital of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. In 2021, it had 192,468 inhabitants. The city is in the middle of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains (Holy Cross Mountains), on the bank ...
).
*
Lublin Voivodeship
The Lublin Voivodeship, also known as the Lublin Province (Polish: ''województwo lubelskie'' ), is a voivodeship (province) of Poland, located in southeastern part of the country. It was created on January 1, 1999, out of the former Lublin, Che ...
*
Mazowsze Voivodeship (capital in
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
)
*
Płock Voivodeship
*
Podlasie Voivodeship
Podlaskie Voivodeship or Podlasie Province ( pl, Województwo podlaskie, ) is a voivodeship (province) in northeastern Poland. The name of the province and its territory correspond to the historic region of Podlachia. The capital and largest cit ...
(capital in
Siedlce
Siedlce [] ( yi, שעדליץ ) is a city in eastern Poland with 77,354 inhabitants (). Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously the city was the capital of a separate Siedlce Voivodeship (1975–1998). The city is situated b ...
)
*
Sandomierz Voivodeship
Sandomierz Voivodeship ( pl, Województwo Sandomierskie, la, Palatinatus Sandomirensis) was a unit of administration and local government in Poland from the 14th century to the partitions of Poland in 1772–1795. It was part of the Lesser Poland ...
(capital in
Radom
Radom is a city in east-central Poland, located approximately south of the capital, Warsaw. It is situated on the Mleczna River in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), having previously been the seat of a separate Radom Voivodeship (1975–1 ...
)
From 1837 to 1842
On 7 March 1837 the voivodeships were reorganised as eight
guberniyas (governorates):
*
Augustów Governorate
Augustów Governorate ( pl, Gubernia augustowska, lt, Augustavo gubernija, russian: Августовская губерния) was an administrative unit (governorate) of Congress Poland.
It was created in 1837 from the Augustów Voivodship, and ...
(with capital in
Łomża
Łomża (), in English known as Lomza, is a city in north-eastern Poland, approximately 150 kilometers (90 miles) to the north-east of Warsaw and west of Białystok. It is situated alongside the Narew river as part of the Podlaskie Voivodeship si ...
)
*
Kalish Governorate (with capital in
Kalisz
(The oldest city of Poland)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = ''Top:'' Town Hall, Former "Calisia" Piano Factory''Middle:'' Courthouse, "Gołębnik" tenement''Bottom:'' Aerial view of the Kalisz Old Town
, image_flag = POL Kalisz flag.svg ...
)
*
Krakov Governorate (with capital in
Kielce
Kielce (, yi, קעלץ, Keltz) is a city in southern Poland, and the capital of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. In 2021, it had 192,468 inhabitants. The city is in the middle of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains (Holy Cross Mountains), on the bank ...
)
*
Lublin Governorate
Lublin Governorate (russian: Люблинская губерния, pl, Gubernia lubelska) was an administrative unit (Governorates of the Russian Empire, governorate) of Congress Poland.
History
The Lublin Governorate was created in 1837 fro ...
(with capital in
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the center of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin is the largest Polish city east of t ...
)
*
Masovia Governorate (with capital in
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
)
*
Plotsk Governorate (with capital in
Płock
Płock (pronounced ) is a city in central Poland, on the Vistula river, in the Masovian Voivodeship. According to the data provided by GUS on 31 December 2021, there were 116,962 inhabitants in the city. Its full ceremonial name, according to the ...
)
*
Podlyase Governorate (with capital in
Siedlce
Siedlce [] ( yi, שעדליץ ) is a city in eastern Poland with 77,354 inhabitants (). Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously the city was the capital of a separate Siedlce Voivodeship (1975–1998). The city is situated b ...
)
*
Sandomir Governorate (with capital in
Radom
Radom is a city in east-central Poland, located approximately south of the capital, Warsaw. It is situated on the Mleczna River in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), having previously been the seat of a separate Radom Voivodeship (1975–1 ...
)
From 1842 to 1844
In 1842 the Polish
powiat
A ''powiat'' (pronounced ; Polish plural: ''powiaty'') is the second-level unit of local government and administration in Poland, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture ( LAU-1, formerly NUTS-4) in other countries. The term "''powia ...
s were renamed to
okręg
District is a term used in Poland, to denote regions and jurisdictions of various types, including electoral constituencies. As historical administrative subdivisions of Poland, districts existed in the later part of the Congress Poland
Con ...
s and the Polish
obwód Obwód (plural ''obwody'') is a term used in Polish to denote administrative districts in various countries, particularly as a translation of the Russian ''oblast''. As administrative subdivisions of Poland itself, obwody existed as subdivisions of ...
s were renamed powiats.
From 1844 to 1867
In 1844 several governorates were merged with others, and some others renamed. Five governorates remained:
From 1867 to 1893
The 1867 reform, initiated after the failure of the
January Uprising
The January Uprising ( pl, powstanie styczniowe; lt, 1863 metų sukilimas; ua, Січневе повстання; russian: Польское восстание; ) was an insurrection principally in Russia's Kingdom of Poland that was aimed at ...
, was designed to tie Congress Poland (now ''de facto'' the
Vistulan Country) more tightly to the administration structure of the Russian Empire. It divided larger governorates into smaller ones. A new lower level entity,
gmina
The gmina (Polish: , plural ''gminy'' , from German ''Gemeinde'' meaning ''commune'') is the principal unit of the administrative division of Poland, similar to a municipality. , there were 2,477 gminas throughout the country, encompassing over 4 ...
, was introduced. This time ten governorates were formed:
From 1893 to 1912
A minor reform of 1893 transferred some territory from the Plotsk and Lomzha Governorates to the Warsaw Governorate.
From 1912 to 1919
The 1912 reform created a new governorate –
Kholm Governorate Kholm Governorate may refer to:
* Kholm Governorate (Russian Empire), a region of the Russian Empire in 1912–1915, centered in Kholm (today Chełm in Poland)
* Kholm Governorate (Ukraine) :''You may also be looking for Kholm Governorate of the ...
– from parts of the Sedlets and Lublin Governorates. However this was split off from the
Vistulan Country and made part of the
Southwestern Krai
Southwestern Krai (russian: Юго-западный край, Yugo-zapadny kray), also known as Kiev General Governorate or Kiev, Podolia, and Volhynia General Governorate ( rus, Киевское, Подольское и Волынское г ...
of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
.
External links
What is the history of the gubernias of Poland?* Zygmunt Gloger
{{Administrative division of Congress Poland
Congress Poland
Congress Poland
Congress Poland, Congress Kingdom of Poland, or Russian Poland, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland, was a polity created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna as a semi-autonomous Polish state, a successor to Napoleon's Duchy of Warsaw. It w ...
Former subdivisions of Poland