Żory (; , , ) is a town and city

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

in the

Silesian Voivodeship Silesian Voivodeship ( ) is an administrative province in southern Poland. With over 4.2 million residents and an area of 12,300 square kilometers, it is the second-most populous, and the most-densely populated and most-urbanized region of Poland ...

, located in southern

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

with 62,848 inhabitants (2021). It is located in the historic

Upper Silesia Upper Silesia ( ; ; ; ; Silesian German: ; ) is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia, located today mostly in Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic. The area is predominantly known for its heav ...

region about southwest of

Katowice Katowice (, ) is the capital city of the Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland and the central city of the Katowice urban area. As of 2021, Katowice has an official population of 286,960, and a resident population estimate of around 315,000. K ...

Location

Żory is located in

on the Rybnik Plateau on the . As of 31 December 2012, the city had a population of 62,052 and an area of 64.64 km². As of 31 December 2013, the city had 59,960 inhabitants. On 1 January 2014, the city of Żory increased its area at the expense of

Rybnik Rybnik (Polish pronunciation: ; ) is a city in southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship, around 38 km (24 mi) southwest of Katowice, the region's capital, and around 19 km (11 mi) from the Czech Republic, Czech border. It i ...

by 0.26 ha. Żory borders the counties of Mikołów, Pszczyna and

, as well as the cities of

Jastrzębie-Zdrój Jastrzębie-Zdrój (, ) is a city in the Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland with 86,632 inhabitants (2021). Its name comes from the Polish words ''jastrząb'' ("hawk") and ''zdrój'' ("spa" or "spring"). From 1861 until the 20th century, it w ...

and

. As of 30 June 2016, the town had a population of 61,942.

Name

The meaning of the town's name is not clear and there are two theories about it. The first one derives it from

Old Polish The Old Polish language () was a period in the history of the Polish language between the 10th and the 16th centuries. It was followed by the Middle Polish language. The sources for the study of the Old Polish language are the data of the co ...

, from annealing, burning of forests, which was the first stage of establishing a permanent settlement in a given place. This version is related to the primitive economy of burning, which was an element of

deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal and destruction of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. Ab ...

of the area for settlement. The topographic description of

from 1865, in turn, derives it from the Polish name of the crane bird (''Polish: żuraw)''. It notes the following passage: "''In den verscheidenen Urkunden wird Sohrau einmal Żoraw, dann Żora und auch Sora genannt. Der Name ist polnischen Ursprungs.''", that is, in English, "In various documents notated as ''Żoraw'', later ''Żora'', and even ''Sora''. The name is of Polish origin." In the Latin book '' Liber fundationis episcopatus Vratislaviensis'' written in 1295-1305, the town is mentioned as Zary civitate - the town of Zary. The chronicle also lists villages founded under the Polish law ''iure polonico'', which in the course of urbanization were absorbed by the town. These are the present districts or parts of the town Żory as

Rogoźna Rogoźna () is a district in the south-west of Żory, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland, built near the provincinal road no. 932 History Rogoźna was first mentioned in a Latin document of Diocese of Wrocław called '' Liber fundationis epi ...

in the fragment "''Rogosina in una parte decima solvitur more polonico"'', Rowień in the fragment "''Rovona s. Ronoua.decima solvitur more polonico"'',

Rój Rój () is a district in southwestern Żory, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. The medieval name ''Ray'', meaning "paradise," was later pronounced by locals (see Silesian language, Silesian dialects) as ''Roj''. This pronunciation subsequentl ...

as Ray, Brodek in the fragment "''Brodek similiter solvitur decima more polonico.''" The Polish name Żory and the German name Sohrau were mentioned by the Silesian writer Józef Lompa in his book ''Krótki rys jeografii Szląska dla nauki początkowej'' published in Głogówek in 1847. The

Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland The Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavic Countries () is a monumental Polish gazetteer, published 1880–1902 in Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns ...

published in 1880-1902 lists the town under the Polish name Żary and the German name Sohrau. The Polish name ''Żary'' and in the Upper Silesian dialect Żory, as well as the German name Sohrau are also mentioned in 1896 by the Upper Silesian writer, priest Konstanty Damrot, in his book about the local names in Upper Silesia. He also mentions Latinized names noted in Latin documents, such as ''Sary'' and ''Sari''. A catalog of coats of arms of German localities, published in 1898 in

Frankfurt am Main Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...

, identifies the Polish name as ''Zar''.

History

The settlement on the road from

Cieszyn Cieszyn ( , ; ; ) is a border town in southern Poland on the east bank of the Olza River, and the administrative seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship. The town has 33,500 inhabitants ( and lies opposite Český Těšín in the Czech Repu ...

Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...

was first mentioned in a 1258 deed, when it was part of fragmented

Piast The House of Piast was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. The first documented Polish monarch was Duke Mieszko I (–992). The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of King Casimir III the Great. Branches of ...

-ruled

. Żory is one of the oldest towns in

Silesia Silesia (see names #Etymology, below) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Silesia, Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at 8, ...

, it was granted

city rights Town privileges or borough rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium. The city law customary in Central Europe probably dates back to Italian models, which in turn were oriented towards the tradition ...

according to

Magdeburg Law Magdeburg rights (, , ; also called Magdeburg Law) were a set of town privileges first developed by Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor (936–973) and based on the Flemish Law, which regulated the degree of internal autonomy within cities and villages gr ...

on 24 February 1272 by Duke Władysław of Opole. It remained part of the Upper Silesian Duchy of Opole, since 1327 a Bohemian fief, until in 1532 it was incorporated into the

Lands of the Bohemian Crown The Lands of the Bohemian Crown were the states in Central Europe during the Middle Ages, medieval and early modern periods with feudalism, feudal obligations to the List of Bohemian monarchs, Bohemian kings. The crown lands primarily consisted o ...

. In 1645 along with the Duchy of Opole and Racibórz it returned to Poland under the

House of Vasa The House of Vasa or Wasa was a Dynasty, royal house that was founded in 1523 in Sweden. Its members ruled the Kingdom of Sweden from 1523 to 1654 and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1587 to 1668. Its agnatic line became extinct with t ...

, and in 1666 it fell back to Bohemia. In the 18th century, it was centre of

cloth Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, and different types of fabric. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is n ...

manufacturing, later of metal and machining industry. After the

First Silesian War The First Silesian War () was a war between Kingdom of Prussia, Prussia and Habsburg monarchy, Austria that lasted from 1740 to 1742 and resulted in Prussia's seizing most of the region of Silesia (now in south-western Poland) from Austria. The ...

it was annexed by

Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...

in 1742, and from 1871 it was part of

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. In the 18th century, Żory belonged to the tax inspection region of

Prudnik Prudnik (, , , ) is a town in southern Poland, located in the southern part of Opole Voivodeship near the border with the Czech Republic. It is the administrative seat of Prudnik County and Gmina Prudnik. Its population numbers 21,368 inhabitant ...

. After

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, in 1918, Poland regained independence, and upon the 1921

Upper Silesia plebiscite The Upper Silesia plebiscite was a plebiscite mandated by the Versailles Treaty and carried out on 20 March 1921 to determine ownership of the province of Upper Silesia between Weimar Germany and the Second Polish Republic. The region was ethni ...

, Żory passed to the

Second Polish Republic The Second Polish Republic, at the time officially known as the Republic of Poland, was a country in Central and Eastern Europe that existed between 7 October 1918 and 6 October 1939. The state was established in the final stage of World War I ...

, and was administratively part of the

, though 69.4% of the citizens had voted for

, while in the surrounding villages (present-day districts) the overwhelming majority voted for Poland, i.e. in Rowień 91.9%, Kleszczów 90.9%,

89.3%,

84.5%, Baranowice 82.2%, Folwarki 80.8%, Osiny 78.7%. Żory was the site of a battle between Poles and the invading Germans on the first day of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, September 1, 1939. Afterwards it was occupied by

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...

. From 1942 to 1945, the Germans operated a '' Polenlager''

forced labour Forced labour, or unfree labour, is any work relation, especially in modern or early modern history, in which people are employed against their will with the threat of destitution, detention, or violence, including death or other forms of ...

camp for Poles in the city. Among its prisoners were children whose parents were either arrested or deported to Germany. Poles expelled in 1942 from several villages and the town of

Szczyrk Szczyrk (; ; ) is a town in the Beskid Śląski mountains of southern Poland, situated in the valley of the Żylica river. It is part of the Silesian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously being part of the Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship (1975–1 ...

were also temporarily held in the camp before deportation to

to Germany. In the final stages of the war, in January 1945, the Germans murdered 40 prisoners of the

Auschwitz concentration camp Auschwitz, or Oświęcim, was a complex of over 40 Nazi concentration camps, concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany, occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) d ...

in the city during a

death march A death march is a forced march of prisoners of war, other captives, or deportees in which individuals are left to die along the way. It is distinct from simple prisoner transport via foot march. Article 19 of the Geneva Convention requires tha ...

. The city was conquered by

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

and Czechoslovak troops in March 1945, the German population was expelled, and the city was restored to Poland. Until 1998, it was administratively located in the Katowice Voivodeship. In 1975 and 1977, city limits were greatly expanded by including the settlements of Baranowice, Folwarki, Kleszczów, Osiny, Rogoźna, Rowień and Rój.

Districts

The town is subdivided into 15 districts. *Śródmieście *Pawlikowskiego *Zachód *Kleszczówka *Powstańców Śląskich *700-lecia *Korfantego *Księcia Władysława *Sikorskiego *

* Baranowice *Osiny *

Rowień-Folwarki Rowień-Folwarki (German: Rowin) is a district in the north-west of Żory, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has an area of 6.1884 km2 and in January, 2013 had 1,927 inhabitants. It encompasses two former settlements: * Rowień () * F ...

*Kleszczów

City Council

Environmental protection

According to a 2016 report by the

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...

, Żory was ranked as the 49th most polluted city in the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

Monuments

According to the National Institute of Cultural Heritage, the following historic buildings are located in the city: * urban layout * Gothic parish church of St. Apostles Philip and Jacob from the 15th century * vicarage from the 19th century * Evangelical-Augsburg church, 1931 * Evangelical-Augsburg parsonage, 1906 * fragments of a 14th-century fortification wall * a house, 1 Bramkowa Street, from the 19th century * the former People's House "Sala Polska", now a community centre, 1 Dolne Przedmieście Street (19th/20th century) * market square in Żory * a house, 5 Dolne Przedmieście street, 2nd half of the 19th century * house, 1 Dworcowa street, 19th century * complex of houses, 6 Dworcowa street, 1903 (a house, now a music school and a garden) * low tenement houses built from bricks of the defensive wall in Murarska Street (no.: 11, 13, 19, 35, 37) * market houses from the 19th century (no.: 1, 12, 23) * houses on Szeptyckiego Street from the 19th century (no.: 4, 6, 9, 12, 19) * houses on Szeroka Street from the 19th century (no.: 7, 12, 14, 16, 20) * St. John Nepomucen statue in the Market Square * a classicist Żory palace from the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, in the Baranowice district * the house at 111 Wodzisławska Street, from the end of the 19th century, in the district of

* a shrine on Rybnicka Street, from the 19th century, in the district of Rowień. The full list can be found on this article on Polish Wikipedia. In addition to the objects listed in the register of monuments, other objects of historical importance are also worthy of attention: * the chapel in Murarska Street * penitential stone crosses in the old cemetery in Meczenników Oświęcimskich Street and in Rogoźna district on the property in Wodzisławska Street * Jewish cemetery - 1818

Cycling routes

There are three cycling routes in the city: * green cycling route no. 10 –

– Żory – Suszec * red cycling route no. 305 – Palowice – Żory * black cycling route no. 301 – Leszczyny – Żory

Population

* Total - 61945 (as of 31.12.2015) * Women - 31589 * Men - 30356 * Unemployment - 8.4% (1545 people, as of December 31, 2015)

Education

Żory offers a full range of educational services, from pre-school forms to university departments. There are 13 public kindergartens and numerous educational institutions, e.g.: * Karol Miarka Liceum - I Liceum Ogólnokształcące z oddziałami dwujęzycznymi im. Karola Miarki in Żory * Górnośląska Wyższa Szkoła Handlowa im. Wojciecha Korfantego in

– Branch in Żory (Wydział zamiejscowy w Żorach) *

Silesian University of Technology The Silesian University of Technology (Polish language, Polish name: Politechnika Śląska; ) is a university located in the Polish province of Silesia, with most of its facilities in the city of Gliwice. It was founded in 1945 by Polish profes ...

- Branch in Żory See the list of educational institutions in Żory on this article on Polish Wikipedia.

Economy

The average gross monthly salary (2020) in PLN - 4,781.16, or 86.6% of the national average. At the end of December 2013, the number of registered unemployed in Żory included about 2.0 thousand residents, which is an unemployment rate of 10.9% to the economically active population.

Transport

City transport

The town has free city transport called Bezpłatna Komunikacja Miejska (BKM), which is organised by the Town Hall in Żory. There are also toll lines of MZK Jastrzębie-Zdrój, ZTZ Rybnik and ZTM, which connect Żory with neighbouring towns.

Road infrastructure

Through Żory (districts:

and

) runs the A1 autostrada, connecting the south with the north of the country. The following roads run through the city: * A1 autostrada (

Gdańsk Gdańsk is a city on the Baltic Sea, Baltic coast of northern Poland, and the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. With a population of 486,492, Data for territorial unit 2261000. it is Poland's sixth-largest city and principal seaport. Gdań ...

Toruń Toruń is a city on the Vistula River in north-central Poland and a World Heritage Sites of Poland, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its population was 196,935 as of December 2021. Previously, it was the capital of the Toruń Voivodeship (1975–199 ...

Łódź Łódź is a city in central Poland and a former industrial centre. It is the capital of Łódź Voivodeship, and is located south-west of Warsaw. Łódź has a population of 655,279, making it the country's List of cities and towns in Polan ...

Częstochowa Częstochowa ( , ) is a city in southern Poland on the Warta with 214,342 inhabitants, making it the thirteenth-largest city in Poland. It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship. However, Częstochowa is historically part of Lesser Poland, not Si ...

Gliwice Gliwice (; , ) is a city in Upper Silesia, in southern Poland. The city is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Kłodnica river (a tributary of the Oder River, Oder). It lies approximately 25 km west from Katowice, the regional capital ...

- Żory - Gorzyczki) * National road 81 (

( A4) - Mikołów - Łaziska Górne - Żory - Skoczów ( S52) - Harbutowice) * Provincial road no. 924 ( Kuźnia Nieborowska -

Knurów Knurów (; ) is a city near Katowice in Silesia, southern Poland. Knurów is an outer city of the Metropolis GZM, a metropolis with a population of two million. Knurów is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bierawka River, a tributary of t ...

Czerwionka-Leszczyny Czerwionka-Leszczyny () is a town in Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland. It is the only town in Rybnik County, Rybnik county (which is separate from Rybnik city) and the seat of the larger Gmina Czerwionka-Leszczyny, Czerwionka-Leszczyny muni ...

- Żory) * Provincial road no. 932 (

Wodzisław Śląski Wodzisław Śląski (; , , , , ) is a city in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland with 47,992 inhabitants (2019). It is the seat of Wodzisław County. It was previously in Katowice Voivodeship (1975–1998); close to the border with the Czech ...

- Świerklany - Żory) * Provincial road no. 935 (

Racibórz Racibórz (, , , ) is a city in Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland. It is the administrative seat of Racibórz County. With Opole, Racibórz is one of the historic capitals of Upper Silesia, being the residence of the Duchy of Racibórz, Du ...

- Żory - Pszczyna)

Railroad connections

The city has direct rail connections to: *

Bielsko-Biała Bielsko-Biała (; ; , ; ) is a city in southern Poland, with a population of approximately 166,765 as of December 2022, making it the List of cities and towns in Poland#Largest cities and towns by population, 22nd largest city in Poland, and an a ...

Czechowice-Dziedzice Czechowice-Dziedzice (), known until 1958 as Czechowice, is a town in Bielsko County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. The town has 35,684 inhabitants, as of December 2021. It lies on the northeastern edge of the historical region of Cieszyn ...

(weekends) * Kędzierzyn-Koźle *

Kołobrzeg Kołobrzeg (; ; ) is a port and spa city in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in north-western Poland with about 47,000 inhabitants (). Kołobrzeg is located on the Parsęta River on the south coast of the Baltic Sea (in the middle of the section ...

(seasonal) *

Opole Opole (; ; ; ) is a city located in southern Poland on the Oder River and the historical capital of Upper Silesia. With a population of approximately 127,387 as of the 2021 census, it is the capital of Opole Voivodeship (province) and the seat of ...

* Pszczyna *

* Świnoujście (seasonal) * Szczecin Główny (seasonal) *

Wisła Wisła (; ; ) is a town in Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland, with a population of about 11,132 (2019), near the border with the Czech Republic. It is situated in the Silesian Beskids mountain range in the historical region of ...

(weekends) *

* Wrocław Główny *

Kostrzyn nad Odrą Kostrzyn nad Odrą (translated literally as Kostrzyn upon the Oder; ; ) is a town in Gorzów County, Lubusz Voivodeship in western Poland, on the border with Germany. Geography The town is situated within the historic Lubusz Land (''Ziemia Lubus ...

(seasonal) *

Zielona Góra Zielona Góra (; ''Green Mountain''; ) is the largest city in Lubusz Voivodeship, located in western Poland, with 140,403 inhabitants (). The region is closely associated with vineyards and holds an annual Zielona Góra Wine Fest, Wine Fest. Zie ...

(seasonal) As the neighbouring

is striving to restore the railroad connection, one of the analysed options assumes connecting Jastrzębie-Zdrój with

via Żory and Orzesze.

Technical infrastructure

* Hotspot on the Market Square. * Electronic displays at bus stops ( BKM) informing about departures and delays. * Outdoor video screens at busy places around the city.

City bicycles

In September 2018, GeoVelo urban bike rental service was launched in Żory. In Żory you can use 80 modern unicycles of the so-called fourth generation. GeoVelo bikes can be rented and returned at 26 locations.

Culture

The city has a Municipal Cultural Center called Miejski Ośrodek Kultury (MOK) with an

auditorium An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens. Auditoriums can be found in entertainment venues, community halls, and t ...

where concerts and theatrical performances are held. Apart from the center, there are also day-care rooms in individual districts of the city where artistic activities take place. There are two cinemas in the city: Scena "Na Starówce" with one screening room and

Helios In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Helios (; ; Homeric Greek: ) is the god who personification, personifies the Sun. His name is also Latinized as Helius, and he is often given the epithets Hyperion ("the one above") an ...

cinema in Galeria Wiślanka shopping mall with four screening rooms. In Żory there is the Town Public Library (Miejska Biblioteka Publiczna), which has 7 branches. The Town Museum (Muzeum Miejskie) is located in the historic Hearinga Villa and has two permanent exhibitions: ''Nasza toższamość (Our Identity)'' and ''Polskie poznawanie świata (Polish Learning about the World)''. The second museum is the Museum of Fire, located in a building built in 2014 and considered to be an outstanding work of contemporary architecture.

Sport

On March 28, 1920, a nest of the oldest Polish sports organization, the Polish Gymnastic Society "Sokół", was established in Żory. The circle was organizationally subordinate to the VIII Rybnik district of the Silesian district of the Polish Gymnastic Society "Sokól" and belonged to a number of gymnastic sections of the Silesian Sokól. In 1920, the Żory circle of this organization had 39 members.

Clubs

* Octagon Team Żory (martial arts) * LKS Jedność Rogoźna (football) * UKS Salmo Żory (swimming) * MTS Żory (handball) * MKS Żory (football) * LKS Rój Żory (tennis, football) * Iskra Rowień (football) * MKS Polaris Żory (football) * LKS Baranowice (football) * Gepardy Żory (baseball) * KS Ogniwo Rogoźna Żory (tennis) * MOSiR MUKS Sari Żory (volleyball) * UKS Czwórka Żory (athletics) * Ks Kleszczów (football) * MMA Sozo Żory (martial arts) * Ks Hawajskie Koszule Żory (basketball) * Grupa Biegowa HRmax Żory (athletics) * UKS Judo Kontra Żory (judo) * Żorska Akademia Koszykówki * Żorska Akademia Talentów Jastrzębski Węgiel

Sport places

* MOSiR Żory * OLPN Żory

Orlik 2012

Currently in Żory there are five sports fields built within the framework of the Orlik 2012 program.

Religious communities

The following religious associations are active in Żory:

Seventh-day Adventist Church The Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sa ...

, located in the Osiny district Kościół Chrześcijan Dnia Sobotniego (The Church of the Saturday-Day Christians)

Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland The Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Republic of Poland () is a Lutheran denomination and the largest Protestant body in Poland with about 61,000 members and 133 parishes. History The Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Co ...

: parafia Zbawiciela (parish of the Saviour)

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

(Żory deanery): * Parish of St. Apostles Philip and James * Parish of St. Stanislaus the Bishop and Martyr * Parish of the Divine Mercy * Parish of St. Brother Albert in Kleszczówka * Parish of St. Hedwig of Silesia in Baranowice * Parish of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Kleszczów * Parish of St. Joseph the Worker in Osiny * Parish of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of the Church in Rogoźna * Parish of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Rowień * Parish of the Elevation of the Holy Cross in Rój Kościół Wolnych Chrześcijan (Free Christian Church)

Pentecostal Church in Poland The Pentecostal Church in Poland () is a Pentecostal Christian denomination in Poland. It is the largest Pentecostal denomination in Poland and a part of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, and the second largest Protestant denomination in Po ...

: church "Elim" in Żory

Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses is a Christian denomination that is an outgrowth of the Bible Student movement founded by Charles Taze Russell in the nineteenth century. The denomination is nontrinitarian, millenarian, and restorationist. Russell co-fou ...

(Sala królestwa ul. Hańcówka 41)

Notable people

Otto Stern :''Otto Stern was also the pen name of German women's rights activist Louise Otto-Peters (1819–1895)''. Otto Stern (; 17 February 1888 – 17 August 1969) was a German-American physicist. He is the second most nominated person for a Nobel Pri ...

(1888–1969), physicist and Nobel laureate * Jerzy Makula (born 1952), pilot, two times European Glider Aerobatic Champion and six times World Glider Aerobatic Champion * Stanisław Sojka (born 1959), jazz and pop singer-songwriter * Ewa Swoboda (born 1997), sprinter

Twin towns – sister cities

Żory is twinned with: * Kamp-Lintfort, Germany *

Mezőkövesd Mezőkövesd is a town in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, Northern Hungary. It lies from Miskolc and from Eger. Mezőkövesd is a town in northeastern Hungary, located in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, near the Bükk Mountains. It is known as the ...

, Hungary * Pasvalys, Lithuania *

Montceau-les-Mines Montceau-les-Mines () is a Communes of France, commune in the Saône-et-Loire Departments of France, department in the Regions of France, region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. It is the second-largest commune of the metropolitan C ...

, France * Tetiiv, Ukraine

References

External links

Jewish Community in Żory
on Virtual Shtetl {{Authority control Cities and towns in Silesian Voivodeship City counties of Poland Populated riverside places in Poland