Podegrodzie, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Explained

Podegrodzie
Settlement Type:Village
Total Type: 
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Voivodeship
Subdivision Name1:Lesser Poland
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Nowy Sącz
Subdivision Type3:Gmina
Subdivision Name3:Podegrodzie
Coordinates:49.5667°N 55°W
Pushpin Map:Poland
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Elevation M:306
Population Total:1700
Website:http://www.podegrodzie.pl/

Podegrodzie is a village in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Podegrodzie. It lies approximately 11km (07miles) south-west of Nowy Sącz and 720NaN0 south-east of the regional capital Kraków.[1]

Podegrodzie is the seat of one of the oldest Roman Catholic parishes in historic Lesser Poland. It was probably established here in 1014 by Boleslaw Chrobry, because in the early Middle Ages, two fortified gord existed in this area: Zamczysko and Grobla. Furthermore, Podegrodzie is one of the centers of an ethnic group Lachy Sadeckie. Here, the Museum of Lachy Sadeckie is located.

The village owes its name to the location. Podegrodzie in loose translation means "a settlement under the gord", as it was located at the two castellan residencies, the gords of Grobla and Zamczysko. It was first mentioned in documents from the late 13th century, and Jan Długosz wrote its name in two ways: Podgrodzye and Podgrodze. In 1538 it was spelled Podegrodze, and in 1581 – Podgrodzie.

In the late 10th century, when southern Lesser Poland became part of the Kingdom of Poland, the seat of the Castellan was a gord at Naszczowice. After it had burned, the castellans moved their residence to the Zamczysko gord, which also burned after some time. Next residence was the gord of Grobla, located on a hill several hundred meters southwards. The village of Podegrodzie was established between the two gords. In 1241, Podegrodzie and Grobla were destroyed during the Mongol invasion of Poland. As a result, the town of Stary Sącz was founded in 1278, replacing Grobla as main administrative center of the region.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Central Statistical Office (GUS) – TERYT (National Register of Territorial Land Apportionment Journal) . 2008-06-01 . Polish.