History Krosno

main market square in krosno



franciscan church in krosno.

the first mention of town, names krosno 1 of 34 estates in małopolska (lesser poland) granted lubusz (german: lebus) bishopric, appears in document signed leszek ii black, duke of kraków, in 1282. however, oldest traces of settlement in fork of wisłok , lubatówka rivers, found during archaeological research, date 10th , 11th centuries.

today difficult determine etymology of place-name of krosno. scholars give several versions explaining origin of name. researchers thought name connected weaving loom (in polish: krosno), while others traced pustules , pimples or being pimply (in polish: krosta, krostowatość), apparently reflected bumpy shape of area first settlement founded. opinion adopted original polish name disappeared , existing name result of transformation of german (see: walddeutsche) name krossen .

the date of first foundation charter of town not known though may presume oldest preserved royal document of casimir great, dating 1367, regarding sale of krosno aldermanship, modelled on earlier foundation act. hence should assumed middle of 14th century, king casimir transformed krosno settlement town chartered according magdeburg rights , brought in numerous groups of german settlers.

krosno, royal town origin, used coat of arms of piasts kujawy (half eagle , half lion crown on heads) and, owing king s foundation, surrounded defensive wall 14th century. during reign of casimir iii great construction of stone fortifications begun encircle hill. under king ladislaus jagiello full-length stone , partly earth town fortifications completed. 2 gates led town: hungarian 1 south-east , kraków 1 north-west. well-fortified , secure town provided perfect conditions development of craft , trade. statutes of butchers guild known 1403 , in middle of 15th century guilds of bakers, shoemakers, tailors, blacksmiths clothiers , fullers constituted. krosno became important production centre of cloths , fustians.

the medieval town had waterworks , sewage system, evidence of importance , wealth of inhabitants. privilege granted king casimir iv jagiellon in 1461 shows krosno, next kraków , lwów, third town in kingdom of poland such facilities. archaeological research conducted recently, based on dendrochronological method, enabled scholars move date of system s installation middle of 14th century. pipe-line master dealt repairs , maintenance of whole water-supply , sewage systems. research conducted krosno archaeologists appears system used until beginning of 19th century.

monument józef piłsudski.

the 15th century meant beginning of commerce development krosno. apart local trade during weekly monday fairs town participated in large-scale import-export , transit commerce. main trade routes led red ruthenia, hungary , countries of southern europe. largest transactions made during yearly fairs held 3 times year. trade in local cloths , baizes, horses, cattle, copperware , imported commodities made of copper , iron, , obviously, in hungarian wine, on several krosno merchant families made fortunes. first jews settle in krosno brothers nechemia , lazar of regensburg in germany received special permits polish king, wladyslaw jagiello in 15th century.

in spite of natural disasters (flood in 1497, fire of suburb in 1474 , of town in 1500), thomas tarczay s troops raids (1473 , 1474), pestilence, depopulated town, 16th century favourable development of krosno. town had own bleachery, fullery, brickyard, flour mill, municipal baths, enjoyed royal privilege limestone excavation, had customs chamber , right of storage of commodities. high standards of living in krosno, called @ time parva cracovia, resulted partially activity of local parish school. in years 1400-1600 173 natives of krosno studied in kraków academy, evidenced entries in album studiosorum.

krosno of 16th century renowned not wealth of inhabitants, thrift , wide commercial contacts. 1 of populous towns in province of lesser poland: population estimated @ 4 thousand. view of krosno included in work of j. braun , f. hoghenberg entitled ‘the towns of world’, published in cologne in 1617 or in andreas cellarius s work entitled ‘regin poloniae magnique ducatus lithuaniae omniumque regionum subiectorum novissima descriptio’, published in amsterdam in 1659.

at beginning of 17th century there 11 collective guilds in craftsmen representing 79 production , service trades associated. apart traditional specialities connected basic functions of town there goldsmiths, painters, comb-makers, armourers, pavers, leather-dressers, violin makers , soapboilers. commerce provided town revenues, both goods exchange , services visiting merchants. local clerks, scribes, innkeepers, brewers, , townspeople providing accommodation , letting shops , cellars earned lot. higher donations given clergy church expenses. @ time many hungarian merchants settled in krosno, trading in wine. scots, specialised in large-scale commerce, came stay , outstanding person among them wojciech (adalbert) portius. there armenians , ruthenians lwów, numerous group of traders jews, although krosno had privilege ‘de non tolerandis judeis’, barring jews residing , trading within city walls. jewish traders living in nearby townships of korczyna, rymanów or dukla jailed , wares confiscated attempting enter krosno.

the middle of 17th century witnessed beginning of gradual loss of earlier position of town. natural disasters, raids of swedish, transylvanian, , tartar troops, pestilences , war requisitions brought krosno desperate state @ end of 17th century. in time of partitions of poland , under austrian rule, once rich , importance, town experienced period of severe impoverishment. became 1 of many small towns of galicia. weaving handicraft enjoyed prosperity @ time. large-scale flax , hemp plantations provided work many weaving shops near krosno. korczyna , kombornia strongest centres of industry there thousands of home weaving shops in vicinity of krosno.

monument nicolaus copernicus.

it not until middle of 19th century, period of galician autonomy 1867 outbreak of world war i, krosno started rise decline. birth of polish oil industry undoubtedly contributed notable , rapid increase of importance of town. first oil company started ignacy Łukasiewicz, tytus trzecielski , karol klobassa in 1856 , refinery erected in chorkówka caused gradual inflow of foreign capital. results of new administrative division krosno district (powiat) established , in 1867 krosno became seat of offices of district authorities (starostwo). @ turn of 20th century many societies, schools , institutions established in town: loan society, nationwide weaving school, teacher training school, real secondary school, zgoda (accord) townspeople s society, sokół (falcon) gymnastic society, bleach , finish plant, oil refinery, first domestic factory of tower clocks. state of relative progress lasted until outbreak of world war i.

during war krosno suffered serious damages. inhabitants of town, bombed , looted several times, suffered both austrian , tsarist troops. in period between wars krosno evolved gradually important industrial centre: licence issued establish flax straw breaking plant , linen weaving plant, in 1920s polish glass factory, joint-stock company set up, in 1928 construction of airfield begun , aviation school moved krosno bydgoszcz, in 1930s hangars erected. prosperous development of krosno interrupted world war ii. machinery , equipment of glass factory, refinery , flax processing plant stolen or devastated. krosno industry ruined.

german occupation lasted 8 september 1939 11 september 1944. in september 1944, after liberation, reconstruction of industry, destroyed during world war ii, began. glass factory , flax plant put operation. later on research in geology , oil drilling began, polmo shock absorbers factory , transport , aircraft equipment factory (wsk) set up. oil industry , still of importance town. oil industry engineering institute, naftomet oil drilling equipment factory, oil drilling establishment , naftomontaż enterprise ( assembling oil drilling equipment on oil fields) organizations continue oil industry traditions of region.