Szczyrk

Place in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland

Coat of arms

Szczyrk within Bielsko County

49°42′58″N 19°1′37″E / 49.71611°N 19.02694°E / 49.71611; 19.02694Country

PolandVoivodeshipSilesianCountyBielskoGminaSzczyrk (urban gmina)City rights1 January 1973 (1973-01-01)Government

• MayorAntoni ByrdyArea

• Total39.07 km² (15.09 sq mi)Highest elevation

600 m (2,000 ft)Lowest elevation

500 m (1,600 ft)Population

(2019-06-30^[1])

• Total5,734 • Density150/km² (380/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+1 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)Postal code

43-370

Car platesSBIWebsitehttp://www.szczyrk.pl

Szczyrk [ʂt͡ʂɨrk] (German: Schirk) is a town in the Beskid Śląski mountains of southern Poland, situated in the valley of the Żylica river. It is part of the Silesian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously being part of the Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship (1975–1998). It has a population of 5,734 people (2019).

The town is a popular winter sports centre, with over 60 km of ski runs served by 30 ski lifts. Poland's Winter Olympics athletes train in Szczyrk for events such as skiing and ski jumping.^{[citation needed]}

The two mountain ranges that surround the valley are dominated by the peaks of Skrzyczne at 1,257 metres (4,124 feet) and Klimczok 1,117 metres (3,665 feet), both of significant interest to tourists since they have commanding views from either peak. Moreover, both peaks are accessible to most people in one day's hike via the tourist routes. Skrzyczne is also accessible via a chairlift.

To the west of Szczyrk is Wisła, a town where the source of the Vistula (Wisła) river can be found (around the Barania Góra mountain).

Gallery

Aerial view
A ski jumping hill in Szczyrk

Twin towns – sister cities

Szczyrk is twinned with:

Ciorăşti, Romania (2004)
Mikołajki, Poland (2007)
Zetel, Germany (2008)

References

^ "Population. Size and structure and vital statistics in Poland by territorial division in 2019. As of 30th June". stat.gov.pl. Statistics Poland. 2019-10-15. Retrieved 2020-02-14.