Wojnicz

Wojnicz [ˈvɔi̯ɲit͡ʂ] is a town in Tarnów County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship. In the early times of the Polish state, it used to be one of the most important centers of the province of Lesser Poland. The Battle of Wojnicz took place here on September 23, 1655, against Sweden.

Location

Wojnicz is located on the boundary of two geographic regions of Poland - the Sandomierz Basin, and the Western Carpathians. The largest river of the area is the Dunajec, which flows east of the town, between Wojnicz and the nearby city of Tarnów. Wojnicz does not have a rail station, but is located at the intersection of the European route E40, and local route number 975 from Dąbrowa Tarnowska to Nowy Sącz. The town has a sports club Olimpia, founded in 1947.

Origin of the name

Wojnicz is one of the oldest urban settlements of southern Lesser Poland. First Slavic settlers appeared here in the 8th or 9th century, and Wojnicz emerged as a grod, where warriors of local princes lived. According to a legend, some time in the late 10th century, warriors (Polish: wojowie) of either Mieszko I or his son Bolesław I Chrobry built here a military stronghold, called Wojnicz to honor them. In 1217, the town was called Woynicze. In 1224, its name was spelled Woyniz, and in 1239 - Woynicz. Polish language specialists Kazimierz Rymut and Stanisław Rospond claim that the name Wojnicz comes from the last name Wojna, which was then changed to Wojnice, Wojnic, and finally - Wojnicz.