Olkusz County

Olkusz County (Polish: powiat olkuski) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Olkusz, which lies 37 kilometres (23 mi) north-west of the regional capital Kraków. The county also contains the towns of Bukowno, lying 8 km (5 mi) west of Olkusz, and Wolbrom, 20 km (12 mi) north-east of Olkusz.

The county covers an area of 622.19 square kilometres (240.2 sq mi). As of 2008 its total population is 113,910, out of which the population of Olkusz is 37,552, that of Bukowno is 10,695, that of Wolbrom is 9,075, and the rural population is 56,964.

Neighbouring counties

Olkusz County is bordered by Zawiercie County to the north, Miechów County to the east, Kraków County to the south-east, Chrzanów County to the south-west, and the city of Dąbrowa Górnicza and Będzin County to the west.

Olkusz

Olkusz [ˈɔlkuʂ] (German: Ilkenau, Yiddish: עלקיש‎ Elkish) is a town in south Poland with 36,607 inhabitants (2014). Situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship (since 1999), previously in Katowice Voivodeship (1975–1998), it is the capital of Olkusz County. From 1941 to 1945, the occupying Germans renamed the region to Ilkenau. Olkusz is called 'Silver Town" because of the large amount of silver that was found and mined here.

Surroundings

The city is on the Baba river, with a major road reaching it from Warsaw and Kraków, making it the central city of the vicinity. Tourists who wish to visit the nature and historical sites, start from here. Also, Olkusz is located on the main railroad line, which connects Upper Silesia and Zaglebie with Kielce.

According to the city website, a fable is mentioned that the city was formed by ancient Phoenicians who traveled here and found lead ore. The origin of the name is the Phoenician El-Khuds meaning to chisel.

A first written historical document from the year 1299 refers to the city of Olkusz, located in the Lesser Poland province of the Kingdom of Poland. The city was initially ruled by citizens of German descent, and the inhabitants were mostly wealthy, due to the lead mines. Silver was discovered too. Various wars crossed the path of this city, which was at its lowest at the end of the 17th century (see: The Deluge).