Baia Mare City: Baia Mare Coat-of-Arms: State: Romania Address: Primăria Municipiului Baia Mare Str. Gh. Sincai nr. 37 Baia Mare, 430311 ROMANIA T: 0040 262 213 824 0040 262 213 261 Fax: Website: www.baiamarecity.ro E-mail: [email protected] City Mayor: Cătălin Cherecheş Document/Date of Signature: Partnership Agreement (1990) Baia Mare (large mine) is a city in Romania, Transylvania, and the administrative center of Maramuresh District. The city area is 233.3 km2 – one of the largest Romanian cities. The population is 140,937 residents (2007). Baia Mare is first mentioned in 1142, when Gedza II, a Hungarian king, came here with German colonists. Hungarian population always prevailed among the local residents; the Romanians were the second, and the Germans were the third. In the 1920-1940s, Baia Mare was the part of the Romanian Kingdom. Since 1944, it had been the part of Hungaria. Pursuant to the Paris Agreement, Baia Mare became the integral part of Romania. The city is the hub of non-ferrous metal production. Here, the non-ferrous metallurgy plant operates (lead, copper, and gold); sulfuric acid is produced, and the enterprises of mining, food and wood processing industries function. Rzeszów City: Rzeszów Coat-of-Arms: State: The Republic of Poland Address: Urząd Miasta Rzeszowa Rynek 1 Rzeszow, 35-064 POLSKA T / Fax: 004817 862 2410, 862 2810 004817 862 2641 Website: www.rzeszow.pl E-mail: [email protected] President: Tadeusz Ferenc Document/Date of Signature: Partnership Agreement (19/09/2000) Rzeszów is the administrative center of Transcarpathian Province, the biggest local agglomeration of South-Eastern Poland, true commercial, industrial and economic city and the largest cultural hub of this country part. It is situated in the border area near the Vislok River. The linear distance from Rzeszów to Ukrainian border is about 100 km. It was founded as a defensive town in the 14th century. The city gained its local rights from King Casimir the Great in 1354. In the 15th century, the town was burnt out. After rebuilding, Rzeszów obtained a lot of privileges, that promoted its quick development. In 1772, Austrians ruled in the city. Then, for 146 years, the city was the part of the Habsburg Empire. Rzeszów became independent in 1845. The city was developing at that time thanks to the political and economic freedoms, promoted by Halychyna. The dynamic growth was interrupted by World War II. In the aftermath, the city was partially destroyed. In 1941, Hitler`s forces set up a ghetto in Rzeszów. The war over, Rzeszów was said to be the capital of Rzeszow Province. The city was developing and getting up-to-date. The city’s old part includes only the small area of modern Rzeszów – Market and several streets. Approximately 400 buildings and architectural monuments, most of which are located in the downtown, are preserved on municipal territory. Lubomirski Palace, the city’s main square and its stone monuments, the local town hall (the 15th c.), Bernadine’s Monastery, Old-New Synagogue and Underground have important architectural value. Rzeszów holds a lot of cultural and entertaining events and festivals, some of which are considered international. The International Festival of Polish Folk Bands is said to be the most famous cultural event. The Multicultural Festival “Halychyna”, Teen Chorus Festival and International Music Festival “Carpathia” are periodically held in Rzeszów. Rzeszów is an important industrial center. The production of household appliances, food, light, construction, furniture and telecommunication industries are developing in the city. Airline industry and pharmaceutics are developing the most effectively. Rzeszów is a large academic center. Near 60,000 students acquire a degree here every year. Chrzanów City: Chrzanów Coat-of-Arms: State: The Republic of Poland Address: Urząd Miejski w Chrzanowie ul.Henryka 20 Chrzanow 32-500 POLSKA T: 00327 585 152 – Mayor’s Chamber Fax: 00326 233 786; 623 3786 Website: www.chrzanow.pl E-mail: [email protected] Burgomaster: Ryszard Kosowski Document/Date of Signature: Partnership Agreement (16/02/2001) Chrzanów is a district city, located in the Western part of Malopolskie Province, on the Visla left tributary – the Hehlo River. The city area, where about 40,000 residents live, is almost 80 km2. The linear distance from Ivano-Frankivsk to Chrzanów constitutes 408 km. Chrzanów obtained the Magdeburg Rights in 1393. Old Polish Chrzanów was famous for cattle and precious metals trade – mostly ore, tin zink and iron. The importance of local tin trade is proved by the established unit of this precious metal weight – Centner of Chrzanów weight. The 17th century meant recession, connected with military actions, epidemies and fires. Only at the end of the 18th century, thanks to the new extraction methods, the mines began to develop intensively. At that time, the city and its surrounding territory partially belonged to the Western part of Halychyna, Warsaw Kingdom, and the Republic of Kraków. It had belonged to Halychyna since 1869. Being previously the city of craftsmen and merchants, Chrzanów turned into an industrial center and a province capital. At the beginning of the 20th century, two largest enterprises began to operate in Chrzanów. They were the first Polish “Locomotive Plant” and Refractory Materials Plant “Stella”, which function nowadays. Being close to Cracow, Oswiencim, Vadovits and modern Water Center “Hehlo Strait”, the city attracts a number of tourists. Chrzanów is the city of medieval history. Most of the preserved ancient memorials originate from the 19th and early 20th centuries. While walking along Chrzanów streets, one should visit St. Nicolas Church with medieval gothic carving and baroque chapel of St. Stanislav, finally built in 1641. Zielona Góra City: Zielona Góra Coat-of-Arms: State: The Republic of Poland Address: Urząd Miasta Zielona Góra ul. Podgorna 22 Zielona Góra 65-424 POLSKA T/ Fax: 0048 68 45 64 110, 45 64 111 0048 68 45 64 155 Website: www.zielona-gora.pl E-mail: [email protected] President: Janusz Kubicki Document/Date of Signature: Partnership Agreement (06/04/2001) Zielona Góra is a city in Western Poland, one of two administrative centers of Lubusz Province, which is situated at the crossroads of historical way Vrotslav-Shenin. The population is 118,600 residents. The linear distance from Zielona Góra to Ivano- Frankivsk is 732 km. Zielona Góra was first mentioned in 1222. In 1323 approximately, the settlement, located in the small picturesque valley of the Oder River, was granted the city status. The Magdeburg Law caused the large inflow of German colonists to this place. In the 1430s, the city was surrounded with a safety wall, but soon it was destroyed. (Now, only small parts of its whisper through centuries.) The central regions of Zielona Góra attract tourists with numerous interesting stone constructions of the 19th century. Most of the old buildings were built at the beginning of the 20th century and have eclectic style. The historical center is the market area with an ancient city hall of the 15th century. Late-gothic Cathedral of St. Yadviga is an old monument of sacral architecture, preserved in Zielona Góra. One should definitely visit the museum of Lubusz land. It is located in the building of ex- council, built in 1980. There is the only wine production department, where one may see special equipment and wine utensils. Zielona Góra is often called Vynnyi Grad or Bahys Grad. Since the city foundation, its name has been connected with vine growing. The local vineyards were first mentioned in 1314, but the famous white wine is supposed to have been produced there since the 11th century. The wines, produced in Zielona Góra, were exported not only to Polish cities but abroad as well. The most popular local sort of white wine was “Monte Verde”. In the course of time, the wine production in this region decreased, and it was so due to the climate change. Nowadays, the wine is not produced in Zielona Góra. (The last plant decayed at the beginning of the 1990s.) Now, several vineyards are still in the Wine Park, which surrounds the Palm conservatory. (The traditional grape festivals have been held here since 1852.) Each September during a week, there are different presentations, sport and trading events in Zielona Góra. At present, mechanic engineering, textile and food industries are well-developed in the city. Sierpukhov City: Sierpukhov Coat-of-Arms: State: The Russian Federation Address: City Administration 88 Sovietskaia St. Sierpukhov Moscow District The Russian Federation T: 007 496 779 0001 – Mayor’s Chamber Website: http://www.серпухов.рф/ E-mail: [email protected] Head of Administration: Zalesov, Pavel Document/Date of Signature: Partnership Agreement (18/09/2001) Sierpukhov is the administrative center of Sierpukhov Region of Moscow District (Russia). The city is located 99 km south to the capital of the Russian Federation. There are no precise data about the city foundation. Sierpukhov is first mentioned as a city in the Ecclesiastical Charter of Ivan Kalita, the great Moscow tzar. The text of this document is preserved in two variants and dates back to 1328-1339. The Sierpuhov Historical and Art Museum is a unique cultural artifact, considered to be the largest one in Russia, and it is famous for the easel paintings of Russian and West European artists, the works of famous sculptors and masterpieces of applied art as well. Soborna Mountain is the ancient center of Sierpukhov. The remnants of white stone Kremlin walls and Troitskyi Cathedral, which is the home for the affiliate of the Historical and Art Museum, are conserved. The Kremlin of Sierpukhov didn’t have any direct counterparts that would serve as stone protection during the 17th century.