Filipów

Filipów is a village in the Podlaskie Voivodeship, Suwałki County, serving as the seat of the Filipów commune. Formerly a town, it received its town charter in 1570 and was a center of Arianism, hosting Faustus Socinus, and in 1608, the important thinker Andrzej Wiszowaty was born here. Filipów was formed from the merger of the villages of Szembelewo and Dowspuda, which were founded by Lithuanian boyars in the 16th century. The town received privileges, including a coat of arms featuring a crayfish, and the right to hold fairs. During its peak, Filipów had about 6,000 inhabitants, with a population consisting mainly of settlers from Masovia, Lithuanians, Jews, and Dutch. In the 17th century, the town declined due to fires, wars, and epidemics. Following the partitions of Poland, Filipów successively became part of various occupying powers, and in 1870, it was demoted to the status of a village. In the 19th century, the locality became a center of the textile industry, and during World War II, it suffered significant destruction. Today, Filipów features historical monuments such as a classicist parish church from the 17th century and Roman Catholic and Jewish cemeteries, which are listed in the register of historical monuments. The village has preserved its local dialect and is the site of annual camps associated with the Old Catholic Mariavite Church. With its rich history and tradition, Filipów stands as a witness to various social and cultural transformations in Poland.