Wschowa County

Wschowa County, established on January 1, 2002, by separating municipalities from the eastern part of Nowa Sól County, is the smallest county in the Lubusz Voivodeship in terms of area (624.20 km²) and budget. The seat of the county authorities is the town of Wschowa, which, together with the municipalities of Sława and Szlichtyngowa, forms its administrative structure. Wschowa, with a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages, offers numerous monuments, including Renaissance townhouses, defensive walls, and a Protestant cemetery from 1609, where you can admire a lapidarium of tomb sculptures. In Sława, there is an example of sacral architecture, the Church of St. Michael the Archangel, with unique furnishings from the 17th and 16th centuries, as well as a Baroque palace. The county is characterized by attractive lake surroundings, which attract tourists, especially to the municipality of Sława, known for Lake Sławskie. The county's economy focuses mainly on the food industry, with particular emphasis on the meat industry and mushroom farms. In 2012, the county had the smallest local government budget in the region, and its debt amounted to nearly 50% of its revenues. The county has an active transport network, including national and provincial roads as well as railway lines, which facilitates transport and access to nearby regions. Secondary education is organized in several institutions, including the First General Secondary School and the D. Chłapowski School Complex. Additionally, Wschowa County borders other counties of the voivodeships: Nowa Sól, Wolsztyn, Leszno, Góra, and Głogów, which creates opportunities for regional and cultural cooperation. Interestingly, despite its modest size, this county boasts a rich cultural and historical heritage and provides conditions for the development of tourism in its naturally attractive surroundings.