JOANNA MALCZEWSKA

“TOWNS IN THE WISŁOKA LOWER REACHES ORIGINATING ON THE UP TO THE SECOND HALF OF 17TH CENTURY IN ”

Date of creation: 18.10.2017

This publication addresses issues related to towns located in the lower course of the River Wisłoka, i.e. , Rzochow and Przecław, in the period from the Middle Ages to the mid-17th century. Among other things, it discusses their locations and urban development plans. The source materials were maps and cadastral plans originating from later centuries. These materials were complemented by field visits and analyses. At the beginning, the dissertation discusses the urban network in the regions of Silesia and Lesser (Małopolska) as well as in the Sandomierskie Province and its neighbourhood in the Middle Ages. The impact of the geopolitical situation on the location and development of towns and on the road network, which greatly influenced the development of towns, has been discussed, too; attention has also been drawn to the patterns according to which towns were located in the period concerned. Przecław, Rzochów and Mielec were established within previously formed clusters of estates and developed as local centres of trade, crafts and services while their inhabitants were to a large extent concurrently engaged in agriculture. During the time of their formation the trade route leading from Hungary and Krakow through to Sandomierz became a secondary trade route because the route from Krakow through Pilzno, , Rzeszów and Przemyśl to Lviv took over nearly the entire trade exchange, first with Poland and Silesia, and then between West Europe and Russia. This fact caused that these town never became large and more significant trade centres in this part of the country. The study contains a thorough analysis of the constituent parts of the urban development plans of the towns concerned, such as market places, squares, building plots, building blocks, streets as well as police and defence districts. Another important element of the dissertation is the discussion of the development of the towns and the suburban zones, with focus inter alia on the bourgeois building development, town halls, churches, castles and commercial facilities. So far, the knowledge of the urban development of Mielec has only been marginally discussed, as part of the preparation of the town monograph. The knowledge on Rzochow and Przeclaw was also limited, and the analyses conducted allowed for making some findings that put information on these towns in order. As a result of the research and analyses carried out also attention was drawn to the need for drawing up guidelines for protection of the cultural landscape and revitalisation of culturally precious spaces.