Rudnik nad Sanem

For other places with the same name, seeRudnik.

Rudnik nad Sanem
Tarnowski Palace
Coat of arms
Rudnik nad Sanem
Coordinates:50°26′38″N22°14′27″E
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Subcarpathian
County	Nisko
Gmina	Rudnik nad Sanem
Government
• Mayor	Tadeusz Handziak (Ind.)
Area
• Total	36.26 km2(14.00 sq mi)
Population (2006)
• Total	6,744
• Density	190/km2(480/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1(CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2(CEST)
Postal code	37–420
Website	http://www.rudnik.pl/

Rudnik nad Sanem[ˈrudɲik ˌnat ˈsanɛm](until 1997Rudnik,Yiddish:רודניקRidnik) is a town inNisko County,Subcarpathian Voivodeship,Poland,with a population of 6,765(02.06.2009).The town is located next to the riverSan,hence the "nad Sanem" (on the San) part of the name, which was appended to the official name in 1997. It is 4 miles (6.4 km) south-west ofUlanówand 29 miles (47 km) north-east ofRzeszów.Rudnik prides itself as the Polish Capital ofWicker.

Location and name

Rudnik belongs to the historic province ofLesser Poland,and since its foundation until thePartitions of Poland,the town was part of theSandomierz Voivodeship.It lies on the main railroad line which goes fromLublintoPrzeworsk,and alongNational Road Nr. 77.The town is located on the left bank of theSan.

Rudnik took its name from the river Rudna (Rudnik). The river's surroundings were very wet andmarshy,the colour was rusty red. This was due to theriverbedcontaining layers ofiron ore.It has to be noted that even today observers will notice the reddish tint in the water. The surrounding forests contain layers of iron ore rich turf, mined for hundreds of years by people who lived in the vicinity.

History

The settlement of Rudnik was probably founded in the 14th century, afterRed Rutheniahad been annexed by theKingdom of Poland.It developed due to the location along the San riverway, and received town charter in 1552, due to efforts of a localnobleman,Krzysztof Gnojenski. The town was established in the location of the village of Kopki. Rudnik for centuries remained in private hands; it belonged to the Gnojenski, the Lipnicki and the Ulinski families. In the 17th century the town had a parish church together with a school, while its artisans competed with those from nearby Ulanów.

During theSwedish invasion of Poland,in early 1656, a cavalry unit ofStefan Czarnieckismashed here a Swedish unit, which guarded KingCharles X Gustav.The King himself narrowly escaped capture by the Poles. Following thePartitions of Poland,Rudnik was annexed by theHabsburg Empire,as part of the province ofGalicia.Due to proximity of the Austrian – Russian border, Rudnik became an important crossing point for Polish rebels, fighting in theJanuary Uprising.The town frequently burned, as most of its houses were made of timber. Rudnik was almost completely destroyed duringWorld War I,when Austrian and Russian armies fought in the town and its area for six weeks.

Jews of Rudnik

UntilWorld War IIthe population of the town was predominantly Jewish. Notable personalities who lived inRudnikinclude RabbisChaim Halberstamwho served as its town rabbi from 1796,Boruch Halberstam(1860–1867), and Tsvi Hersh Halberstam (1867–1906). The last Rabbi of Rudnik, Rabbi Benjamin Halberstam, established a synagogue on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, where he served as Rabbi until his demise.

Sights

• a palace of theTarnowski family(19th century),
• Baroquemonument of St.John of Nepomuk,
• World War I cemetery,
• Holy Trinity church (1927–1928)

Notable people

• Lidia Bogaczowna, film and theatre actress,
• Yekusiel Yehudah Halberstam– JewishOrthodoxrabbiand the foundingrebbeof theSanz-KlausenbergHasidicdynasty,
• Julian Krzewicki, major of theHome Army,arrested by the Communist government in the 1950s.

International relations

See also:List of twin towns and sister cities in Poland

Twin towns — Sister cities

Rudnik nad Sanem, istwinnedwith:

Gelnica,Slovakia

External links

• Official town webpage