Krosno (in full The Royal Free Town of Krosno, ) is a town and county in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in southeastern Poland. As of 2024, the population of the town county was 43,594, with the surrounding wider Krosno County having 108,922 inhabitants.

Krosno is a medieval fortified town, a former Royal Free Town and centre of cloth, linen, canvas, baize and Hungarian wine trade. Nicknamed Parva Cracovia ("Little Kraków"), Krosno contains a preserved old town with architecture in various styles, including Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque and several museums. It is also notable for its glassmaking traditions, which became known as the Krosno Glassware. It is a centre of motorcycle speedway racing.

Etymology

Scholars have put forward several interpretations of the town's etymology. The town's name is identical to the Polish word for "weaving loom" (Polish: krosno) There were also Armenians and Ruthenians from Lwów, but the most numerous group of traders were Jews, although Krosno had a privilege ‘de non tolerandis Judeis’, After the Soviet invasion of Poland from the east, two groups were captured by the Soviets, while one managed to escape through the Polish-Romanian border. As a result of the genocidal policy of Nazi Germany, which goal was also the biological extermination of Polish children, about 80% of Polish children in the area suffered from anemia. 100 Poles who were either born, lived or studied in Krosno were murdered by the Russians in April–May 1940 in the large Katyn massacre.

The war interrupted the prosperous development of Krosno. The machinery and equipment of the glass factory, the refinery and the flax processing plant were stolen or devastated. The Krosno industry was completely ruined.

Post-war period

In September 1944, almost immediately after liberation, the reconstruction of the industry, destroyed during World War II, began. The glass factory and the flax plant were put into operation. Later on research in geology and oil drilling began, "Polmo" Shock Absorbers Factory and Transport and Aircraft Equipment Factory (WSK) were set up. Oil industry was and still is of importance for the town. Oil Industry Engineering Institute, "Naftomet" Oil Drilling Equipment Factory, Oil Drilling Establishment and "Naftomontaż" enterprise ( assembling oil drilling equipment on oil fields) are organizations which continue the oil industry traditions of the region.

Geography

The River Wisłok passes by Krosno. Slovakia is about south, and Ukraine is about east of the town. It is located in the heartland of the Doły (Pits), and its average altitude is above sea level, but some hills are located within the confines of the town.

Neighbouring municipalities are Korczyna, Krościenko Wyżne, Miejsce Piastowe, Chorkówka, Jedlicze, and Wojaszówka.

Situated in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously it was the capital of Krosno Voivodeship (1975–1998). It is the capital of Krosno County.

Krosno covers an area of , and has seven separate town quarters and 5 housing estates. The historical centre is situated on a hill between the fork of the Lubatówka and Wisłok Rivers (tributary of the San River).

Climate

Krosno has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfb) using the isotherm or a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfb) using the isotherm. Krosno has warm summers and cold winters.

Tourism

Due to a continuously rising number of travelers from Poland and abroad, the town authorities, in 2016, launched a website for tourists (available in English): visitkrosno

Some of Krosno highlights are:

  • The Old Town with the Town Square, the Portius Tower and multiple historic townhouses
  • Holy Trinity church
  • Subcarpathian Museum
  • The Museum of Crafts

In the nearest neighbourhood:

  • the Kamieniec Castle in Odrzykoń
  • Assumption of Holy Mary Church, Haczów
  • health resort and spa Iwonicz-Zdrój
  • Petroleum Industry Museum in Bóbrka, Krosno County
  • Maria Konopnicka Museum in Żarnowiec

Education

thumb|180px|Monument to [[Nicolaus Copernicus in front of the Nicolaus Copernicus High School]]

  • Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Zawodowa in Krosno
  • Wyzsza Szkoła Informatyki i Zarzadzania in Rzeszów, branch in Krosno
  • I Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Mikołaja Kopernika in Krosno, in 2000 best of the region,

Politics

The Krosno constituency includes several other smaller cities.

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Municipal politics

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Sport and Culture

Several cultural and sporting events on local, national and international scale are held in the town. Culture is celebrated by the Krosno Days of Music, the theatrical Encounters, the Musical Spring, the Krosno Fairs, the Galicia Festival, reviews of children theatres, hiker's songs and poetry singing festivals, the "Kontakt" Euro-Regional Fair, the "Soli Deo Gloria" Euro-Regional Concerts of Christmas Carols. Every two years Krosno hosts the National Biennial of Photography "Krosno - Town and People", International Biennial of Artistic Linen Tapestry "Z Krosna do Krosna", Biennial of Krosno Plastic Arts. Fans of sports throng to international volleyball and basketball tournaments organized annually, the International Mountain Ballooning Contest, the National Tournament of Ballroom Dancing for the Podkarpacie Cup. The band Decapitated hails from Krosno.

thumb|Speedway riders of KSM Krosno

  • Karpaty Krosno - a football team.
  • Wilki Krosno - speedway team
  • UKS Krosno - cycle speedway

Economy

Krosno is located in an oil bearing region. Surface seepage of oil was locally used (unrefined) in lamps as early as the 16th century. In the 19th century Ignacy Łukasiewicz a local pharmacist began exploiting the deposits from hand-dug wells, years before the drilling at Titusville, Pennsylvania which is usually said to be the beginning of modern petroleum development.

One of the things that Krosno is well known for is the quality glassware and crystal that is produced in the town, and distributed throughout the world. The history of the company Krosno Glass S.A. (former Krosno Glassworks) dates back to 1923. The company employs nearly 2,200 people and is the largest employer in the region. A long tradition in glass production and the influence of the glass industry on the local economy have made Krosno known as the "Glass City".

Notable people

thumb|Former home of painter [[Stanisław Bergman]]

thumb|Former home of poet [[Franciszek Mirandola]]

  • Stanisław Bergman (1862–1930), Polish painter
  • Seweryn Bieszczad (1852–1923), Polish painter
  • Kacper Bieszczad (born 2002), footballer
  • Decapitated, Polish Death Metal band established in 1996
  • Władysław Gomułka (1905–1982), communist leader of Poland
  • Fabius Gross (1906–1950), Austrian marine zoologist
  • Magdalena Jurczyk (born 1995), volleyball player
  • Antoni Kozubal (born 2004), footballer
  • Andrzej Pikul (born 1954), Polish pianist
  • Paweł Przytocki (born 1958), Polish conductor of classical music
  • Kamil Radulj (born 1988), football player
  • Jerzy Werner (1909–1977), Polish car designer
  • Karolina Zmarlak (born 1982), Polish-American fashion designer

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Krosno is twinned with:

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  • Edewecht, Germany, since 1996

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<gallery>

File:ORBIS_KROSNO_FOTO_HEPNAR.JPG|Orbis Travel agency

File:Krosno,_huta.jpg|Krosno Glassworks

File:Krosno,_lotnisko_Puchacz.jpg|Polish glider SZD-50-3 at the airport in Krosno

File:Krosno, budova soudu.jpg|District court

File:RYNEK KROSNO FOTO HEPNAR.JPG|Krosno Square at night

</gallery>

See also

  • Oświęcim Chapel
  • https://www.visitkrosno.pl/en (English)
  • http://www.krosno.pl/en/ (English, Polish, German)
  • http://www.krosnocity.pl/ (Polish)
  • http://www.krosno24.pl/ (Polish)

References

Bibliography

  • Krosno – studia z dziejów miasta i regionu, T. I, red. Garbarcik J., Kraków 1972
  • Krosno – studia z dziejów miasta i regionu, T. II, red. Garbarcik J., Kraków 1973
  • Krosno – studia z dziejów miasta i regionu, T. III, red. Cynarski St., Kraków 1995
  • Orłowicz M.: Ilustrowany przewodnik po Galicyi, Bukowinie, Spiszu, Orawie i Śląsku Cieszyńskim. Książnica Polska. Lwów 1919, Reprint: Ruthenus Rafał Barski. Krosno 2002
  • Wojnar T., Kyc A.: Tradycja i współczesność. Monografia Krośnieńskich Hut Szkła "Krosno" SA 1923-1998, KHS "Krosno" SA. Krosno 1998

Notes