Chęciny

Gmina Chęciny is an urban-rural gmina (administrative district) in Kielce County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. Its seat is the town of Chęciny, which lies approximately 14 kilometres (9 mi) south-west of the regional capital Kielce. The gmina covers an area of 127.57 square kilometres (49.3 sq mi), and as of 2006 its total population is 14,715 (out of which the population of Chęciny amounts to 4,252, and the population of the rural part of the gmina is 10,463). The gmina contains part of the protected area called Chęciny-Kielce Landscape Park.

Chęciny County (Polish: Powiat chęciński) was an administrative territorial entity of the Kingdom of Poland and later the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It is unknown when it was established, probably some time in the 14th century. It was located in the central part of the Sandomierz Voivodeship, with the seat in the historic town of Checiny and among others, it included Kielce, Przedborz, Secemin, Malogoszcz, Wloszczowa and Daleszyce. Total area of the county was almost 3000 sq. kilometres. The county ceased to exist in 1796 when, after the Third Partition of Poland, it was annexed by the Austrian Empire, and its seat was moved to Kielce.

Chęciny Royal Castle was built in the late 13th century in Chęciny, Poland. It fell into ruin in the 18th century and remains in that state to this day.

Niepołomice Royal Castle is a Gothic castle from the mid-14th century, rebuilt in the late Renaissance style and called the second Wawel. It is situated in Niepołomice, Poland and was extensively reconstructed in the 1990s. Niepołomice Castle was built by order of King Casimir III the Great on the slope of the Vistula valley, to serve as a retreat during hunting expeditions to the nearby Niepołomice Forest. The castle consisted of three towers, buildings in the southern and eastern wing, and curtain walls surrounding a courtyard. Sigismund I the Old rebuilt the structure, giving it the form of a quadrangle with an internal courtyard. Queen Bona Sforza's gardens were located on the southern flank. Bona Sforca was pregnant and expected to give birth to a legitimate brother of Sigismund II Augustus, however in 1527, being pregnant for five-months, she fall from a horse during hunting of a bear and gave a preterm birth to her second son who was born alive and baptized as Albert, but died a few hours after his birth and was buried in the castle's chapel. In 1550 a great fire destroyed the east and north wings. Reconstruction works were conducted in 1551-1568 under the supervision of Tomasz Grzymała and a sculptor Santi Gucci. At the end of the 16th century the castle passed into the hands of the Curylo, Branicki and Lubomirski families. At that time, only small changes were made to the castle interiors (fireplaces, ceilings). Construction of an arcade courtyard began in 1635 and was completed in 1637. The Swedish-Brandenburgian invasion in 1655 brought an end to the magnificence of the building. The castle was transformed into a food store during the occupation. In the 18th century it was acquired by King Augustus II the Strong and Augustus III. The reconstruction of the former royal residence began in 1991, when it became the property of Niepołomice Municipality.

The Piotrków Trybunalski Royal Castle is a Gothic-Renaissance structure in Piotrków Trybunalski, Poland. It was built in the form of a residential tower in the 16th century and was transformed into a museum open to the public in 1919.

Starochęciny [starɔxɛnˈt͡ɕinɨ] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Chęciny, within Kielce County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It lies approximately 3 km (2 mi) south of Chęciny and 16 km (10 mi) south-west of the regional capital Kielce.

Radkowice [ratkɔˈvit͡sɛ] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Chęciny, within Kielce County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It lies approximately 3 km (2 mi) south-east of Chęciny and 14 km (9 mi) south-west of the regional capital Kielce.

Przymiarki [pʂɨˈmjarki] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Chęciny, within Kielce County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It lies approximately 4 km (2 mi) south of Chęciny and 16 km (10 mi) south-west of the regional capital Kielce.

Podzamcze Chęcińskie [pɔˈd͡zamt͡ʂɛ xɛnˈt͡ɕiɲskʲɛ] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Chęciny, within Kielce County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It lies approximately 5 km (3 mi) south of Chęciny and 17 km (11 mi) south-west of the regional capital Kielce.

Skiby [ˈskibɨ] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Chęciny, within Kielce County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It lies approximately 3 km (2 mi) north-west of Chęciny and 15 km (9 mi) south-west of the regional capital Kielce.

Bolechowice [bɔlɛxɔˈvit͡sɛ] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Sitkówka-Nowiny, within Kielce County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It lies approximately 4 km (2 mi) west of Osiedle-Nowiny and 12 km (7 mi) south-west of the regional capital Kielce.

Szewce [ˈʂɛft͡sɛ] is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Sitkówka-Nowiny, within Kielce County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It lies approximately 6 km (4 mi) north-west of Osiedle-Nowiny and 11 km (7 mi) south-west of the regional capital Kielce.