Janików

Janików is a village located in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, known for its rich history and stonemasonry traditions. Initially established as a town, Janików received its town charter in 1559 and lost its municipal rights in 1827. It was founded by Stanisław Janikowski. In the Middle Ages, it was a small urban center that attracted residents due to the flourishing stonemasonry industry. The settlement profited from the exploitation of chalk limestone deposits, and legends suggest that Queen Bona may have supported the development of local craftsmanship. In the 18th century, Janików was home to many sculptors, and numerous stonemasonry workshops were established in the town. Despite the destruction caused by a fire in 1767, the stonemasonry center survived, and its development intensified in the second half of the 19th century when tombstones began to be mass-produced. Only a few workshops have been preserved, the oldest of which is run by Henryk Dąbrowski. Architecturally, it is distinguished by the parish church of St. Anne from 1873 and an 18th-century wooden bell tower. The parish cemetery with tombstones from the 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as quarries with traces of Neolithic flint mining, are other valuable historical sites. Janików connects its history with numerous artisans and traditions, and its population steadily declined in the 20th century, from 323 people at the end of the 19th century to 195 in 1998, contributing to the depopulation of this former town. Today, it remains an important point on the regional map, preserving traces of a rich cultural and architectural past.