Goraj

Goraj is a town in the Lublin Voivodeship, within Biłgoraj County, with a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages. The first records of the settlement come from 1377, when Louis I of Hungary granted Dymitr of Goraj rights to the area, suggesting the settlement likely existed even earlier. Goraj obtained town rights before 1405, lost them in 1870, and regained them on January 1, 2021. Architecturally, the town was characterized by wooden houses, including beautiful arcaded buildings constructed mainly in the 18th century. The brick Saint Bartholomew Parish Church, built between 1779 and 1782, and the belfry from 1782 have also been preserved. Goraj was a hub for crafts, with guilds of weavers, furriers, and shoemakers, highlighting its local economy before World War I. An interesting fact is that Goraj was home to a large Jewish community before World War II; many of them were deported to extermination camps. Culturally, Goraj gained significance thanks to Isaac Bashevis Singer's debut novel *Satan in Goray*, which lends it cultural weight. In sports, the local football club Ludowy Klub Sportowy Metalowiec Goraj operates here, reflecting the local interest in soccer. Despite destruction, Goraj's historic urban layout has survived, making it an interesting destination for history and architecture enthusiasts.