WELCOME TO MSZANA DOLNA - HISTORICAL WELCOME TO MSZANA DOLNA - HISTORICAL PLACES PLACES

A bit of history...A bit of history...

The beginnings of the townThe beginnings of the town

The name of the town was first mentioned in an old document in 1254 as a settlement situated on the stream ‘Mschena’- present river Mszanka. The town was established probably by the Cistercian Order from nearby Szczyrzyc (according to Długosz) after 1308 on the basis of general foundation charter given to the Order this year by king Władysław Łokietek. The Cistercians were given these times vast areas of land by the voivod of Cracow Teodor Gryfita in order to develop the settlement in this region. According to oral traditions among the local people Mszana was at the beginning a fortified castle surrounded by four streams from each side-streams were called Mszanka, Słomka, Szklanówka and Wrebne. From 1345 Mszana became a king`s property because king Kazimierz Wielki founded and endowed the first church in this town. The name of Mszana as a settlement was first included in the document of the royal office in 1369.

Establishment of Mszana DolnaEstablishment of Mszana DolnaKing Kazimierz Wielki founded in 1345 another village in the left river basin of

Raba “Zarabie” and this village was also called Mszana. There were two settlements- old one called ‘Miescisko’ (founded by the Cistercians) and the new one situated in ‘Zarabie. After 1365 these two settlements were joined into one town. Adjective ‘Dolna’ (lower) was given to Mszana to distinguish it from the another village Mszana Gorna ( upper)upper) founded by the king also in 1365. From 1345 Miescisko, Zarabie (Mszana Dolna from 1365) and also Słomka, Gronoszowa and Glisne belonged to the royal properties and were a part of a vast Nowy Targ starosty. In 1400 Mszna Dolna became a property of the private owners.

Historical significance of Mszana DolnaHistorical significance of Mszana Dolna

The location of Mszana Dolna on the crossing of two valleys of the rivers Raba and Mszanka gave this town a special significance- it was an important point for the different merchant routes around. Mszna Dolna became richer and richer because of the more and more developed trade between Hungary and Polish merchants. The beginning of the trade routes between Hungary and Malopolska comes from the XIII century, whereas in XVI century and later there was a regular royal road where the special fees from horses and carts were taken. Numerous goods were transported on these roads such as -lead, silver, sulphur from Olkusz, salt from Wieliczka, and from Hungary were transported dry plums, wine, cloth and horses. Mszana Dolna and neighbouring villages were famous for making their own specialities as beer, vodka and glass.

Austrian ruleAfter the I Partition of Poland in 1772 starosty of Mszana was under the

Austrian rule. In 1798 the land and goods of Mszana Dolna were bought in the auction by other landowners.

In 1812 Mszana Dolna obtained a solid track which connected it to Limanowa and Rabka and in the next years a further development can be noticed, in 1880 the company producing furniture was set up and in 1883 the District Court was transferred from Skrzydlna and Mszana Dolna was the seat of the district authorities. In 1885 the Austrian company from Vienna 'C. Warhanek' set up the tinned meat factory, the steam sawmill and also the fertilizers factory. The railway from Chabówka to Lwow was built in 1880-1884 and there was a bitten track called ‘emperor road’ from Sącz to Vienna

Mszana Dolna is a small town, beautifully situated among the Beskidy and the Gorce mountains. This is the capital of the Zagórzanie Highlanders-the ethnic highlanders group, which created a very specific, unique and unforgettable folk tradition continued even today by the inhabitants. The well-known writer Władysław Orkan was the great lover of this area and its tradition. Mszana Dolna is a perfect place to start the fascinating trips all around because of the vicinity the mountains, the Gorce National Park and because it is situated in the valleys of the two mountainous rivers- the Mszanka and the Raba. It is a great opportunity for people to walk, ride a bike, ski or go fishing here. Well-signed tourist routes and very well developed accommodation and catering facilities enhance the tourists to spend their summer and winter holidays or even the weekends in Mszana Dolna.

The most important monument in Mszana Dolna is a neo-gothic parish St. Michael`s church which was built in 1891-1901. Inside the church we can find such interesting historical items as a stone stoup- from 1668, a picture of St. Mary painted on the wooden plank-from the beginning of XVI century, a picture of St. Augustine with a child pouring water-from XVIII century, low relief of the bust of Józef Stabrawa, a local distinguished priest and voluntary worker, beautiful church clothes from the XVIII century.

(Our school)

Main altarPulpit

Count Krasińscy Family Manor House and their park

Old winery manor house- now the restaurant and hotel- is located in the oldest building in Mszana Dolna dating back from XVI / XVII century- first it was the fortification and residence of the local castellan, then the manor house of the count

After the outbreak of the war there were attempts to organize the defence against the Nazis but the concentrated attack of German columns of tanks and air forces from the direction of Rabka made any defence impossible and forced the Polish Army to retreat. During the Nazi occupation Mszana Dolna was a place of the guerrilla activity which forced Germans to keep significant numbers of soldiers here. The Gorce in 1939-1945 were the centre of guerrilla activity, even much more important than The Tatras. Mszana Dolna was the base for the troops of guerrilla soldiers called Armia Krajowa.

. In Mszana Dolna and nearby villages the Nazi occupation left horrible memories and traces. 19.08.1942 the Gestapo executed 968 Jewish people near the manor house. Nowadays this place is protected and it is commemorated by the plaque in Polish and Jewish. As the result of the persecution and terror Mszna Dolna lost 1108 inhabitants from the total number of 4000 living here before the war.

Harvest festival

Palm Sunday

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING! STUDENTS OF PRIMARY SCHOOL NO 2 IN MSZANA DOLNA, POLAND – SZKOŁA PODSTAWOWA NR 2 IM. MIKOŁAJA REJA W MSZANIE DOLNEJ, POLSKA