Kielce is the capital of the Swiętokrzyskie Province. The city, with its
900 year history and with 215 thousand inhabitants, is situated in the
Srodkowomałopolska Upland. Kielce is also an excellent base for the exploration
of the oldest mountains in Europe - the Swiętokrzyskie mountains - as well
as the Swiętokrzyskie National Park and the Old Polish Industrial District.
Within Kielce's boundries there are four of them: Kadzielnia, Slichowice
and Białogon geological sanctuaries and the Karczówka landscape sanctuary.
Kielce's origins date back to distant times. According to one of the
legends, Kielce was established by prince Mieszko, the son of Bolesław
Smiały (the end of the 11th century). However, the archaeological discoveries
prove that the city existed as early as in the first half of the 11th century.
The city's name was first mentioned in a document from 1213. One of the
many legends says the name comes from the word ''klecie'' which
means primitive huts inhabited by the settlers. Yet another legend associates
the origins of the word with a settlement established in the region by
the Celts, called here ''klatowie''. Most probably, however, Kielce
adopted its name after the Middle Poland house of Kielczowie, the hypothetical
founders of the settlement. At the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries
the city was the property of Cracow's bishops, who built a palace at the
top of a hill, known nowadays as Palace Hill. In 1171, bishop Gedeon, of
Gryf crest, built the St. Wojciech stone church in the place of a larch
one, and then established the collegiate church .
Information from this
site. Jarig Bakker, 30 Aug 2001
Kielce - City - County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodship.
Kielce, so far, has no flag and its Arms were designed in 1496 by Cardinal
Fryderyk Jagiellończyk (Frederick Jagiellonian).
Amid the chaos of widely varying renditions of the Arms in use by various
city institution, the City Council decided to introduce new Arms and the
flag as well.
Last June, the Council accepted the new designs (by Dr.Jerzy Michta)
and was ready to pass the resolution making them official, but in the last
moment postponed the vote to give the general public time to discuss the
new proposals. As of now, no decision was taken yet.
Attached are the proposed new Arms and the brand new flag.
The new Arms have a crown modeled on that of the first King of Poland
- Bolesław I Chrobry (Boleslaus the Brave).
Original project of the flag had it as a bicolor of yellow and red,
but because Warsaw has the flag like that, it was decided to propose the
red flag with the Arms in the center instead.
There is some opposition to the new designs, but the City Council is
confident it would be overcome.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 1 Dec 2008
Kielce city Coat of Arms
image by Chrystian Kretowicz, 1 Dec 2008
adopted 1496
![[Kielce city flag]](../images/p/pl-sw!kc.gif)
image by Chrystian Kretowicz, 1 Dec 2008
![[Kielce city Coat of Arms]](../images/p/pl-sw)kc.gif)
image by Chrystian Kretowicz, 1 Dec 2008
