Góra (; ) is a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in western Poland. It is the administrative seat of both Góra County and of the smaller district (gmina) called Gmina Góra. The town is located within the historic Lower Silesia region. As of 2019, it had a population of 11,797.

History

thumb|left|upright|[[Gothic architecture|Gothic Church of St. Catherine]]

The area became part of the emerging Polish state in the 10th century. After Poland fragmented into smaller provincial duchies, the area initially belonged to Greater Poland before becoming part of Silesia. The settlement was first mentioned as Gora in an 1155 deed by Pope Adrian IV conveying the property to the Diocese of Wrocław. The name of the town means "hill" or "mountain" in Polish. In 1256 the bishop of Wrocław Tomasz I gave the village to the Polish knight Gosław. In 1288 it became part of the Duchy of Głogów and was granted Magdeburg town rights by the Piast duke Henry III. In 1300, Henry III sold the local mint to the city council of Góra. From the 14th century onwards, the town developed into a centre of cloth manufacturing, and specific privileges were granted to the clothiers of Góra in 1304.

Notable people

  • Wilhelm Adolph (1729–1781), German composer
  • Benno Erdmann (1851–1921), German philosopher
  • Augustin Rösler (1851–1922), German theologian
  • Georg von Dehn-Schmidt (1876-1937), German diplomat
  • Wilhelm Klemm (1896–1985), German scientist
  • Werner Naumann (1909–1982), German Nazi Secretary of State
  • Paweł Tuchlin (1946-1987), Polish serial killer known as “Scorpion”
  • Izabella Sierakowska (1946–2021), Polish politician
  • Radosław Kałużny (born 1974), Polish football player

Twin towns – sister cities

See twin towns of Gmina Góra.

References

  • Jewish Community in Góra on Virtual Shtetl
  • Guhrau Gora Pictures
  • Góra Pictures