Grzegorzew

Grzegorzew is a village located in the Greater Poland Voivodeship, in the Koło County, on the Rgilewka River. Historically, the settlement was granted town rights before 1339, which it lost in 1870. The name of the village most likely refers to Pope Gregory IX. Grzegorzew has a rich history, with the first written mention dating back to 1236, when Duke Władysław Odonic granted the village to the Archbishop of Gniezno. In medieval times, Grzegorzew was an economic center of the archbishop's estates and a place that suffered during various wars, including the Polish-Teutonic War in 1331. Despite efforts to develop, the town never achieved significant importance. In the 18th century, Grzegorzew was a small craft and trade center. At the beginning of the 19th century, the population was 453, and in later years the town struggled with fires, the most significant of which occurred in 1858 and destroyed 187 buildings. Architecturally, Grzegorzew is distinguished by the wooden Church of Saint Nicholas from 1776, restored in the 19th century, with characteristic Baroque altars and sculptures. It is worth noting the preserved urban layout with a large, rectangular market square, at the center of which stands the Municipal Office building. The village is home to the "Orzeł" Sports Club, which represents local sports traditions. An interesting fact is that the nearby cemetery is the resting place of 58 unknown victims of the bombings from September 1939. Grzegorzew also holds a place in Polish history as a former religious center, and during the communist era, an Agricultural Circles Cooperative was established here, reflecting the continuous socio-economic development of the locality.