::JANÓW LUBELSKI - LEŚNY SKARBIEC::

JANOW LUBELSKI

Strona utworzona w oparciu
o folder
"Janów Lubelski - Leśny Skarbiec"
wydany przez Urząd Miejski
w 2008 r.
Foto: Andrzej Wediuk

i archiwum UM

Aktualizacja: 6 listopada 2008 r.

JANÓW LUBELSKI

Janów Lubelski is a town concentrating on the dynamic development, carrying for both maintaining high natural values and the rich local traditions and culture.

Janów Lubelski being a subregional centre of development is a seat of nearly 50 thousand administrative district, it is a local economy, education and culture centre.

Janów Lubelski is excellently located. Town and Commune Janów Lubelski are situated in the East Poland, in the south-west part of the Lublin Province. Through the town leads the main artery of communication of this part of Europe and east Poland. It is the road 19 leading from St Petersburg to Budapest along the European Union border. It has a status of a national road and in the future it is to become a highway.

Through Janów Lubelski leads the national road number 74, connecting Piotrków Trybunalski and the border passage in Zosin (Polish/Ukraine border).

The distances to the border passages:

- Ukraine (Hrebenne 120 km, Zosin 130 km),

- Byelorussia (Terespol 220 km),

- Slovakia (Barwinek 200 km).

Janów Lubelski is a commune of population over 16.5 thousand, including 75% of the population of the town. The area of the commune is 17824 ha. The main part of it is covered with forest (60%). Such a structure of grounds causes that Janów Lubelski is the region with the advantage of natural values.

The location of the town by the privilege of king Władysław IV in 1640 remains in close relation with the appearance of the Holy Virgin to the local cooper Wojciech Boski. The heraldic arms of the town bound to this event. It shows the Holly Virgin carrying the light. The founder of the town was Katarzyna z Ostrogskich Zamoyska (Katarzyna Zamoyska nee Ostrogska), the second wife of the heir in tail Tomasz Zamoyski. In honor of Hetman Jan Zamoyski the first name of the town – Biała, was later changed for Janów. Since that time the town was closely related to the Zamość Estate in tail and was called Janów Ordynacki. The authorities of the Zamość District were transferred to this town at the beginning of the 19th century and Janów became the administrative centre of this region for over 100 years.

In the time of World War II the town was severely destroyed. The bombing of Janów in September 1939 destroyed the town in 85%. After the war rebuilding the town did not always respect the historic values of the town. At present the authorities make huge effort to restore the original character of the historic town. Especially the Old Town Market and the New Town Market gain a new splendor.

Sanktuarium Matki Bożej Łaskawej Różańcowej

Janów Lubelski many times defined as “The Town of Miracles” is the destination of numerous pilgrimages. In the heart of the town there is the Sanctuary of the Holy Gracious Virgin, where in the place of the appearance stands The Chapel of Appearance (Kaplica Zjawienia). In the Chapel there is the sculpture of the Holy Virgin with the Child from the 17th century, and underneath the Chapel there is a springlet famous for the health-giving powers, especially for the people with eye illnesses. The Centre of the Sanctuary and at the same time the former Dominican Fairs convent is the Church of St. John the Baptist. The Church and the convent were funded by the Zamoyski family. The baroque character of the church, with its 11 altars, is emphasized by the main altar with the miraculous image painted upon the image of the Holy Virgin of Snow in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

Janów Lubelski is one of the few examples of towns built according to the renaissance idea of the perfect town, similarly to Cracow or Zamość. The centre of the town is The Old Market. From it run the streets leading towards the four main directions. There is also the New Town with a historic Town Park – one of the first public walking gardens in the Kingdom of Poland. The unusual climate of this place emphasizes the presence of the ctive fountain.

In the New Town you can feel the breath of history of the Zamoyska Estate in tail. There are few, but very characteristic buildings in the style of Polish manor-hoses and tenement-house for example The House of the Commander of District (Dom Naczelnika Obwodu) dated on the beginning of the 19th century, and also the House of the Province Police Officer (Dom Komisarza Powiatu). There is also a beautiful building of The Office of the authorities of the District (so called the Old Post Office)

The old tsar's prison has its own rich but gloomy history. It was one of the most severe political prisons.

At present in this building there is a Regional Museum with interesting historical and ethnographic collection.

In the town itself there are many remains of the time when the handicraft was important. The most gorgeous is the Town Share-holding Brewery funded in 1905, and being now one of the last local breweries in Poland. The building of the clothier Wiśniewski is the evidence of how rich the craftsmen were.

There are many charming places in the town, connecting the curiosities of nature and the rich traditions of the local culture. The Slopes of Janów (Stoki Janowskie) – a natural well-head in the centre of the town, are the unique on the European scope. In the Good Friday night before the dawn you must draw water from this place in order to provide yourself with health, beauty and well-being Another place worth seeing is the Nature Exhibition and the Forest Railway showing the presence and the Past of the Forests of Janów (Lasy Janowskie).

It is also worth to visit so called Kruczek. The place where, according to the legend, St Anthony stopped at his way to Radecznica. There is now a magnificent Way of The Cross. During the WWII the partisans used to meet there.