Żelechów

Żelechów is an urban-rural municipality located in the Masovian Voivodeship, within Garwolin County, with its administrative seat in the town of Żelechów. The history of the locality dates back to 1282, and the rural municipality was formally established in 1864 by decree of Tsar Alexander II. In addition to Żelechów, which formed a separate urban municipality, several surrounding villages such as Gąsiory, Gózdek, Huta Żelechowska, and Wola Żelechowska were incorporated into the urban-rural municipality of Żelechów. In the 19th century, due to extensive deforestation, the area of the municipality changed significantly, which influenced the development of agriculture. The municipality covers an area of 87.64 km², of which 78% is agricultural land and 15% is forested. Although the population of the municipality decreased from 8,503 in 2005 to 8,374 in 2017, it still accounts for 8.15% of the population of Garwolin County. The age pyramid of residents in 2014 may indicate dynamic demographic changes. In 2005, women already made up 63.9% of the working population in the municipality, while the registered unemployed were predominantly men. The municipality of Żelechów has an average per capita income of PLN 1,765.95, which exceeds the national average. The architecture of the municipality includes both traditional rural buildings and historical structures related to the development of the locality. An interesting fact is that the municipal office was once located in Franzdorf II (present-day Piastów) before being moved to Żelechów at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, the municipality of Żelechów is a place with a rich history, where rural traditions and urban development intertwine into a harmonious whole.