Legionowo

Infobox Settlement
name = Legionowo


imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Main Square

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image_shield = POL Legionowo COA.svg
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position = bottom
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = POL
subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship
subdivision_name1 = Masovian
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Legionowo County
subdivision_type3 = Gmina
subdivision_name3 = Legionowo (urban gmina)
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Roman Smogorzewski
established_title = Established
established_date = 1877
established_title3 = Town rights
established_date3 = 1952
area_total_km2 = 13.60
population_as_of = 2006
population_total = 50698
population_density_km2 = auto
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd = 52
latm = 24
lats =
latNS = N
longd = 20
longm = 55
longs =
longEW = E
elevation_m = 80
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = 05-118 to 05-122
area_code = +48 022
blank_name = Car plates
blank_info = WL
website = http://www.legionowo.pl Legionowo Audio-IPA-pl|Legionowo.ogg|l|e|g|j|o|'|n|o|w|o is a town in Masovia ( _pl. Mazowsze). According to the 2004 Census estimate the town has a total population of 50,759.

Legionowo is located ca. 23 km to the north-east of the center of Warsaw and only 7 km to the south of Zegrze Reservoir ( _pl. "Jezioro Zegrzyńskie" or _pl. "Zalew Zegrzyński"), near the Warsaw-Gdańsk railroad and Warsaw-Suwałki road. City area is 1360ha (13.6 km²), which makes population density 3727.79 persons/km². Altitude: 75-85 m above sea level.

Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship ( _pl. "województwo mazowieckie", created in 1999 as a result of Local Government Reorganization Act), previously in Warszawa Voivodeship ( _pl. "województwo warszawskie" or _pl. "województwo stołeczne warszawskie", 1975-1998) and old Masovian Voivodeship (before 1975). Currently this is the capital of Legionowo County ( _pl. "powiat legionowski)", which is one of 38 land counties ( _pl. "powiat ziemski") in Masovian Voivodeship.

Adjoining counties (from north, clockwise): Pułtusk County, Wyszków County, Wołomin County, Warszawa County, Warszawa Zachód County, Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki County.

Education

* Wyższa Szkoła Ekonomiczno-Techniczna

History

* Legionowo's history dates back to 1877, when Jabłonna Nowa (New Jabłonna) rail station was built. The name comes from Jabłonna, the nearby village, where in 1774-1779 Bishop Michał Poniatowski (brother of Poland's last king, Stanisław Poniatowski) built his palace (currently the House of Congresses and Conferences of the Polish Academy of Sciences).
* In 1892 the Russian army barracks ("koszary carskie") were built near the railroad station ( _pl. "Obóz Hurki") and a local garrison of the Russian army had stationed there, as a part of Warsaw Stronghold Region ( _pl. "Warszawski Rejon Umocniony"), until the beginning of World War I, when this region was occupied by the German troops.
* In 1919, Jabłonna Nowa was renamed as Legionowo to honour Polish Legions ("Legiony Polskie").
* Ca. 1920 Institute of Aerology (currently Aerology Centre within Institute of Meteorology and Water Administration, _pl. "Ośrodek Aerologii Instytutu Meteorologii i Gospodarki Wodnej") was opened.
* During the Battle for Warsaw ( _pl. "Bitwa o Warszawę") in August 1920, from barracks in Legionowo, General Żeligowski led the 10th Infantry Division ( _pl. "10. Dywizja Piechoty") to Radzymin, which helped to save Warsaw from the Red Army.
* After 1925, Legionowo became a summer resort for inhabitants of Warsaw, as by that time, it was a wooded and unpolluted area.
* In 1922 the Aviotex balloon and parachute factory, which also produced tents and other camping equipment (e.g. sleeping bags), opened in Legionowo
* Between World War I and World War II, narrow-gauge railroad line connected Legionowo with Warsaw, going through Jabłonna.
* In 1930 Legionowo became a commune ( _pl. "gmina").
* During World War II a ward of Stalag 368 ( _de. Stammlager, prison camp for lower officers and soldiers) in Beniaminowo and a ghetto were located in Legionowo.
* During World War II, in 1944, Legionowo took part in Powstanie Warszawskie, as so called District 7: Collar ( _pl. "Obwód 7: Obroża"). During the first week of August 1944, Legionowo was a place of regular fights between German troops and Polish rebels. After a week or so, Germans put down the uprising and several Poles where executed in one of the military shelters near the railroad line.
* After World War II there was a brick factory ( _pl. "cegielnia"), now nonexistent.
* In 1912, Legionowo is given a city rights ( _pl. "prawa miejskie").
* In 1950s the standard-gauge railroad line was electrified.
* In late 1960s, narrow-gauge railroad line was closed and in early 1970s the tracks were removed. The terminus and depot buildings remain, currently in private use.
* In 1960s first 4-storeys blocks of flats were built. In 1970s and 1980s, three large groups of blocks of flats (4-storeys and 11-storeys) were built.
* In 1977 a tin ware factory "Bistyp" was opened.
* In early 1980s, house factory was built near Legionowo, which made prefabricated elements for blocks of flats built in the region. The factory is now closed.
* In August 1990 the Police Training Centre ( _pl. "Centrum Szkolenia Policji"), one of two such institutions in Poland, was opened.
* After the big flood in southern parts of Poland in 1997, the Aerology Institute was equipped with Doppler meteorological radar, able to scan about 1/5 of Poland's area for storm and rain clouds. Now in part of SMOK (The Hydrological and Meteorological Monitoring Forecasting and Protection System, Polish: "System Monitoringu i Osłony Kraju").

Places worth seeing

* Russian army barracks, made of red Russian bricks (larger than standard Polish ones)
* Wooden summer resort houses, nowadays some of them located in the center of Legionowo
* St. Joseph's Church ( _pl. "Kościół Św. Józefa", _pl. "Kościół Garnizonowy") built in 1945
* Holy Spirit Church ( _pl. "Kościół Św. Ducha") built in years 1979-1985 in place of an old wooden one.