Swierklaniec
Encyclopedia
Świerklaniec ś is a village in Tarnowskie Góry County, in the Silesian Voivodeship
of southwestern Poland
.
and 21 km (13 mi) north of the regional capital Katowice
in the Silesia
region.
43% of the Świerklaniec gmina
in which the village is located is covered with forests. Formerly, from 1975—1998, Świerklaniec was a part of the Katowice Voivodeship
.
palatial complex in extensive gardens: comprising an 'Old castle' palace, the grand Donnersmarck Palace known as 'Little Versailles,' and the Dom Kawalera Palace. The first two were destroyed by the Russian Red Army
in WW II, with only the small but elegant Kawalera Palace surviving.
Two pairs of lion statues survived, now decorating parks in Zabrze
and Gliwice
, as well as a wrought iron gate currently at the Silesian Zoological Garden
in the Katowice
and Chorzów
districts of Silesia
.
and landscape park, with significant statue
s by 19th century artist Emmanuel Frémiet
and fountain
s that survived, is within the former Palace's extensive forested landscape grounds and are now the public Świerklaniec Park.
The forests in Świerklaniec Park stretch over 154 hectares (380.5 acre) and includes oak, pine and many other species of trees. Some of the landmark heritage trees are over 120 years old.
Silesian Voivodeship
Silesian Voivodeship, or Silesia Province , is a voivodeship, or province, in southern Poland, centering on the historic region known as Upper Silesia...
of southwestern Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
Geography
Świerklaniec lies approximately 7 kilometres (4 mi) east of Tarnowskie GóryTarnowskie Góry
Tarnowskie Góry is a town in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Borders on the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Located in the Silesian Highlands....
and 21 km (13 mi) north of the regional capital Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
in the Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
region.
43% of the Świerklaniec gmina
Gmina
The gmina is the principal unit of administrative division of Poland at its lowest uniform level. It is often translated as "commune" or "municipality." As of 2010 there were 2,479 gminas throughout the country...
in which the village is located is covered with forests. Formerly, from 1975—1998, Świerklaniec was a part of the Katowice Voivodeship
Katowice Voivodeship
Katowice Voivodeship was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in the years 1975–1998, superseded by the Silesian Voivodeship...
.
Palaces and gardens of Świerklaniec
The historic Świerklaniec landscape park used to contain an impressive BaroqueBaroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
palatial complex in extensive gardens: comprising an 'Old castle' palace, the grand Donnersmarck Palace known as 'Little Versailles,' and the Dom Kawalera Palace. The first two were destroyed by the Russian Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
in WW II, with only the small but elegant Kawalera Palace surviving.
Two pairs of lion statues survived, now decorating parks in Zabrze
Zabrze
Zabrze is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union is a metropolis with a population of around 2 million...
and Gliwice
Gliwice
Gliwice is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Gliwice is the west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union – a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
, as well as a wrought iron gate currently at the Silesian Zoological Garden
Silesian Zoological Garden
Silesian Zoological Garden is a zoological garden in Poland. It was founded in 1954 and is situated in the Katowice and Chorzów districts of Silesia. It covers over 47.6 ha within the Silesian Central Park....
in the Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
and Chorzów
Chorzów
Chorzów is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
districts of Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
.
Świerklaniec Park
The Baroque Garden à la françaiseGarden à la française
The French formal garden, also called jardin à la française, is a style of garden based on symmetry and the principle of imposing order over nature. It reached its apogee in the 17th century with the creation of the Gardens of Versailles, designed for Louis XIV by the landscape architect André Le...
and landscape park, with significant statue
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
s by 19th century artist Emmanuel Frémiet
Emmanuel Frémiet
Emmanuel Frémiet was a French sculptor. He is famous for his sculpture of Joan of Arc in Paris and the monument to Ferdinand de Lesseps in Suez....
and fountain
Fountain
A fountain is a piece of architecture which pours water into a basin or jets it into the air either to supply drinking water or for decorative or dramatic effect....
s that survived, is within the former Palace's extensive forested landscape grounds and are now the public Świerklaniec Park.
The forests in Świerklaniec Park stretch over 154 hectares (380.5 acre) and includes oak, pine and many other species of trees. Some of the landmark heritage trees are over 120 years old.
External links
- official Gmina Świerklaniec website - in Polish
- Google Translate version - Gmina Świerklaniec website - in English; with Park history and info.