Stęszew

Stęszew is an urban-rural municipality located in the Greater Poland Voivodeship, within the Poznań County, situated 25 kilometers southwest of Poznań. The municipality has its roots in the historic town of Stęszew, which was granted town rights in 1370. The modern town has a population of over 5,000 and serves as the seat of the municipal authorities, including the mayor and the municipal council. Stęszew is characterized by architecture that reflects the region's rich history, and its coat of arms is a symbol associated with the town's former owners. The municipality also consists of 19 village districts, including the largest village, Strykowo, which has over 1,000 inhabitants. A historically interesting element of the municipality is the village of Modrze, which once held town rights but lost its significance after the construction of the railway line from Poznań to Grodzisk Wielkopolski in 1905. The municipality features a diverse land structure—71% is agricultural land, and 17% is forested. The northeastern part of the municipality includes the area of the Wielkopolski National Park, highlighting the region's natural assets. Despite the predominance of agricultural land, the employment profile of the residents is industrial-agricultural, and a significant portion of the local population works in Poznań. According to data from the end of 2019, the municipality of Stęszew had 15,126 inhabitants. It borders the municipalities of Buk, Czempiń, Dopiewo, Granowo, Kamieniec, Komorniki, Kościan, and Mosina, which further enhances its transportation significance, as the national road No. 5 connecting Poznań with Wrocław and the road to Zielona Góra run through the municipality.