Massów

Masów is a village located in the Opole Voivodeship, within the administrative district of Łubniany, approximately 12 km from the city of Opole. It was founded on May 20, 1773, by decree of King Frederick II the Great as part of the Frederician colonization, and its name refers to the Prussian general Hans von Massow. Historically, the village has always been administratively tied to Opole and was originally settled by Czechs. Masów features a brick-built, Neo-Gothic chapel housing a Baroque folk sculpture of the Virgin Mary with Child and a 19th-century folk sculpture of St. John of Nepomuk. The first school in the village was established in 1796, and by 1861, Masów already had a one-class school. During the 1921 plebiscite, out of 211 eligible residents, 112 voted for Germany and 95 for Poland. Despite this, on April 1, 1939, Masów was incorporated into Łubniany. As of 2002, the village had a population of 324, with development concentrated along Opolska Street. Masów offers socio-economic amenities such as a community center, sports field, grocery stores, and a horse stud farm. Situated on the Opole Plain within the protected landscape area of the Stobrawsko-Turawskie Forests, the village attracts tourists and nature enthusiasts, especially as it lies along the Wooden Churches Cycling Route. Residents have access to healthcare, educational, and transportation infrastructure in nearby Łubniany and Opole. Masów is also well-connected, with access to county roads and nearby railway stops, facilitating convenient regional travel. Additionally, the village is included in a cultural landscape protection zone, underscoring its historical and architectural significance.