JastrzÃÂbie-Zdrój (; , originally ; ; ) is a city in the Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland with 86,632 inhabitants (2021). Its name comes from the Polish words jastrzàb ("hawk") and zdrój ("spa" or "spring").
From 1861 until the 20th century, it was a spa village situated in Upper Silesia. It was granted city rights in 1963. In the early 1980s, the city was one of the main centers of workers' protests, which resulted in the creation of Solidarity.
The first written documentation, relating to this area, date back to around 1305 (Liber fundationis episcopatus Vratislaviensis), when it was part of fragmented Piast-ruled Poland. Administratively, the town is made up of several old settlements, whose origins go back to the distant past. The original name of the town was Jastrzemb. The origin of the name, which means 'hawk' in Polish, is connected with the legend of the black knight. From the 16th century to the beginning of the 19th century, it was part of the administration of Wodzisà Âaw. In the 18th century, it was annexed by Prussia. Between 1858 and 1860, trial excavations of hard coal were performed all over the area of JastrzÃÂbie Dolne. These excavations ended up discovering springs containing iodine and bromine brine solutions. In 1860, the count of Königsdorff acquired the lands and suggested the construction of bath facilities. Thus, in 1862, the health resort of Bad Königsdorff-Jastrzemb was brought into life. Shortly after, the town joined the exclusive circle of the most prestigious health resorts in Europe.
In 1896, the natural health centre was taken over by a Polish doctor, Mikoà Âaj Witczak, who lent great service to the development of health resort in Bad Königsdorff-Jastrzemb. His managerial skills together with wise investment made JastrzÃÂbie-Zdrój a highly appreciated and fashionable health resort inside the German Empire and the interbellum Poland. Consequently, numerous health facilities were then set up.
In the plebiscite in Silesia in 1921, about 85% of the inhabitants of JastrzÃÂbie Zdrój voted for Poland, a significant part of the inhabitants also took part in the Silesian uprisings in order to re-unite with Poland. Finally, in 1922, JastrzÃÂbie-Zdrój was incorporated into Poland.
During World War II, JastrzÃÂbie was occupied by Germany.
The history of JastrzÃÂbie-Zdrój as a health resort came to its end in the 1960s, when all over the area began the intensive exploitation of coking coal deposits. Within a period of 12 years, five coal mines were set up. Between 1954âÂÂ1975, JastrzÃÂbie was part of the Wodzisà Âaw County. From 1975 to 1998, it was administratively located in the Katowice Voivodeship. During the time of political transformation in Poland, JastrzÃÂbie-Zdrój went down in the annals of Polish modern history as the place where the JastrzÃÂbie-Zdrój Agreement was concluded. The signing of the protocol initiated the process of political, economic and social changes in Poland.
The city itself had 91,723 inhabitants; its density is 1,047.9 per kmò (as of January 31, 2012). JastrzÃÂbie-Zdrój ranks as Poland's 36th largest city. JastrzÃÂbie-Zdrój's unemployment rate is lower (7%) than the national average of 8.8% (as of November 2010).
JastrzÃÂbie-Zdrój is a powiat (county) divided into 15 districts and 6 soà Âectwos that have its own administrative body. Most of the districts are suburban, some are densely built with many blocks of flats generating huge housing estates, and the rest are of civic nature.
Soà Âectwos:
JastrzÃÂbie-Zdrój is twinned with: