Nowy Targ


Nowy Targ is a town in southern Poland, in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. It is located in the Orava-Nowy Targ Basin at the foot of the Gorce Mountains, at the confluence of the Czarny Dunajec and the Biały Dunajec. It is the seat of the Nowy Targ County and the rural Gmina Nowy Targ, as well as the Tatra Euroregion.
With 33,293 inhabitants, Nowy Targ is the largest town and the historic capital of Podhale, as well as its main commercial, communication and industrial center.
The town has the Podhale State Vocational University and the highest located airport in Poland.
Established before 1233, Nowy Targ received city rights on 22 June 1346 from King Casimir the Great. The historic architectural and urban complex of the town with a medieval market square has been preserved to this day.

Toponymy

In 1233, a settlement called in or is mentioned in the vicinity of the present town. Later, a settlement of Novum Forum, Neoforum was established in the new place. The name of the town was spelled in or Nowytarg.
The town's full official name is Królewskie Wolne Miasto Nowy Targ, which can be translated as 'Royal Free Town Nowy Targ'. Nowy Targ was a royal town of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland and was granted staple right in 1638. In nearby Slovakia, the town is known as Nový Trh.
Nowy Targ is commonly called in the Goral dialect of. During the foundation period, the town was called the German name Neumarkt, and during the Austrian partition it was called Naj-Mark by local Jews. During the German occupation of Poland, the authorities of the General Government introduced the official name of Neumarkt am Dohnst.

Timeline of town history

Nowy Targ is located in the heart of Podhale at the altitude of 585–850 m above sea level ; latitude 49°28' N, longitude 20°01' E. Distance to the main urban agglomerations in Poland is: Warsaw –, Łódź –, Kraków –, Gdańsk –, Wrocław –, Katowice –, Kielce –, Rzeszów –, Szczecin –, Białystok -, Poznań –, Częstochowa –, Słupsk –.

Climate

Due to its altitude, Nowy Targ is one of the coldest cities in Poland together with Suwałki and Zakopane. Winter usually lasts from late November to early April and between 90 and 110 days a year there is a snow cover. Air frost has been measured in every month of the year except for July. Summers are mild with occasional thunderstorms and high temperatures between 17 and 25 degrees Celsius. Hot days are rare, only occurring twice annually on average. Precipitation is heavy for Polish standards, varying between at the airport and in Kowaniec to around on Bukowina Miejska, the highest part of the city. The growing season equally varies between on average 150 days on Bukowina Miejska to around 200 days in the lower parts of the city. Nowy Targ is in the AHS Heat Zones 1-2 and USDA Hardiness Zone 4a to 5b, depending on the location.
According to the Köppen climate classification, Nowy Targ straddles the border of the Warm Summer Continental and Subarctic climates, with most of the city falling in the Dfb group. The Dfc climate is only found above of elevation within Nowy Targ.

Culture

  • City Cultural Center
  • Youth Cultural Center
  • The Jatka Gallery

    Museums

  • Museum of Podhale

    Cinemas

  • Architecture

St. Anna Church

Wooden church overseeing the city cemetery. Its origins date to the 15th century, although local legends describe it as founded in 1219.
Initially built in a gothic style, it was later repaired and rebuilt featuring, among others, a baroque altar piece and paintings, a rococo pulpit, and 18th-century organ and bell tower.

St. Catherine Church

Dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria, the church was built in 1346 by King Casimir the Great. It is the oldest existing church of the Podhale region.
The church has been damaged by numerous fires and military attacks, and subsequently rebuilt and renovated. The interior retains its baroque character, especially in the altar and side chapels, although numerous pieces are replicas of wooden originals lost to fire. A painting of St. Catherine from 1892 dominates the main altar.

Education

  • Sport

Ice hockey

  • Podhale Nowy Targ

    Floorball

  • KS Szarotka Nowy Targ
  • KS Górale Nowy Targ

    The Conservation of Nature

Nature reserves

Twin towns — Sister cities

Nowy Targ is twinned with: