Lesser Poland - Major Cities and Towns (by Size)

Major Cities and Towns (by Size)

The list is based on the Polish Central Statistical Office list of 100 biggest cities of Poland, as for 30 June 2008.

L.p. City Population Area
(km2.)
Current voivodeship
2. Kraków 756 441 326,80 Lesser Poland Voivodeship
9. Lublin 351 345 147,45 Lublin Voivodeship
13. Częstochowa 241 449 159,71 Silesian Voivodeship
14. Radom 224 501 111,80 Masovian Voivodeship
15. Sosnowiec 221 775 91,06 Silesian Voivodeship
17. Kielce 205 655 109,65 Swietokrzyskie Voivodeship
22. Bielsko-Biała 175 476 124,51 Silesian Voivodeship
27. Dąbrowa Górnicza 128 560 188,73 Silesian Voivodeship
35. Tarnów 115 769 72,38 Lesser Poland Voivodeship
42. Jaworzno 95 383 152,67 Silesian Voivodeship
45. Nowy Sącz 84 492 57,58 Lesser Poland Voivodeship
48. Siedlce 77 102 32,00 Masovian Voivodeship
53. Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski 72 888 46,43 Swietokrzyskie Voivodeship
66. Stalowa Wola 64 753 82,52 Subcarpathian Voivodeship
71. Mielec 60 979 46,89 Subcarpathian Voivodeship
76. Będzin 58 559 37,37 Silesian Voivodeship
84. Starachowice 52 430 31,82 Swietokrzyskie Voivodeship
85. Zawiercie 52 290 85,25 Silesian Voivodeship
87. Tarnobrzeg 49 753 85,39 Subcarpathian Voivodeship
88. Puławy 49 223 50,49 Lublin Voivodeship
92. Skarżysko-Kamienna 48 308 64,39 Swietokrzyskie Voivodeship
97. Dębica 46 693 34,02 Subcarpathian Voivodeship

In the Kingdom of Poland and Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, several other locations used to be important urban centers of Lesser Poland, but in the course of the time, their significance declined. The main example is Sandomierz, which for hundreds of years was one of the most important cities of Poland, but now is a town of 25,000. Other examples of historically important places, which are now little towns or villages are:

  • Biecz, a town of 5,000, once the seat of a county, incorporated in 1257,
  • Chęciny, a village now, once the seat of a county, with a royal castle,
  • Czchów, a town of 2,000, incorporated before 1333, once the seat of a county,
  • Goraj, a village now, which used to be one of urban centers of Lublin Voivodeship,
  • Iłża, a town of 5,000, incorporated before 1294, with a royal castle,
  • Kazimierz Dolny, which enjoyed its greatest prosperity in the 16th and the first half of the 17th century,
  • Koprzywnica, a village now, a town in 1268–1869,
  • Książ Wielki, a town in 1385–1875, once the seat of a county,
  • Lelów, a village now, which used to be the seat of a county. Incorporated in 1314, with a royal castle,
  • Nowe Miasto Korczyn, a town in 1258–1869, with a royal castle, where general sejmiks of Lesser Poland took place,
  • Opatów, a town of 7,000, incorporated in 1282, once the seat of sejmiks,
  • Parczew, now a town of 10,000, once a major urban center of northeast Lesser Poland,
  • Pilzno, now a town of 4,000, once the seat of a county,
  • Sieciechów, a village now, once an important town, incorporated in 1232,
  • Stężyca, a village now. Once the seat of a county, which used to be a town in 1330–1869,
  • Szczyrzyc, a village now, which used to be the seat of a county,
  • Szydłowiec, a town of 12,000, with a royal castle, which in the Renaissance period was an important urban center of northern Lesser Poland,
  • Szydłów, a village now, which used to be a major urban center of Sandomierz Voivodeship,
  • Urzędów, a village now, which in 1405–1869 used to be a town and the seat of a county,
  • Wiślica, a village now, which was probably the capital of the Vistulans, and the seat of a county,
  • Wojnicz, now a town of 3,500, incorporated in 1278, used to be the seat of a county,
  • Zawichost, a town of 2,000, once a royal town with a castle, incorporated before 1255.

Read more about this topic:  Lesser Poland

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