Wielki Kruhel

Kruhel Wielki is District No. 21 in Przemyśl, which until 2010 was a village in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. Its history dates back to 1418, when the settlement was first mentioned. The name "Kruhel" comes from the Ukrainian word "kruh," meaning "circle." The locality was divided into Kruhel Wielki (Greater Kruhel) and Kruhel Mały (Lesser Kruhel), and over time it was managed by various leaseholders and owned by the city of Przemyśl. In the 19th century, the local economy flourished with the operation of a brewery and workshops, as well as coal and marble mining. An interesting fact is that Apollo Korzeniowski, the father of the renowned writer Joseph Conrad (Józef Konrad Korzeniowski), spent his years in Kruhel Wielki. During the interwar period of the Second Polish Republic, the village was home to a girls' school run by the Sisters of Divine Providence, which was closed due to the outbreak of World War II. Demographically, in 1921, Kruhel Mały had 469 inhabitants, while Kruhel Wielki had 402. After World War II, part of the Ukrainian population was resettled to the USSR. In 1977, a portion of Kruhel Wielki was incorporated into Przemyśl, and in 2010, the entire locality became a district of the city. Among its historical monuments is a 17th-century wooden Greek Catholic church, considered one of the oldest in Poland, as well as an 18th-century bell tower. The area associated with wooden architecture is included in the tourist trail of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. Additionally, near the church, there are neo-Gothic churches from the early 20th century, and in the vicinity, remnants of forts from the times of the Przemyśl Fortress can be found, reflecting the defensive system. The village also features unmarked graves of soldiers who fell during World War I, underscoring the historical significance of Kruhel Wielki.