Żary - Capital of the Polish Lusatia Region
Żary is a city of 40 thousand lying in the Lower Lusatia and located on important commercial and transportation routes in Silesia between Wroc3aw and Berlin, in the southwestern part of the Lubuskie Province. It
is a dynamic and affluent county seat, endowed with all the attributes of a regional capital, including banks, consulting firms, an excellent school system and a well-developed social and technical infrastructure. It is an
ideal town for any business.
The city has always taken advantage of its favorable geographical position on "the trail," that is the salt trail, leading from Leipzig and
Halle to Wroc3aw. Commercial trade and the traditional crafts both blossomed here. In 1573, the first printing shop was opened, and shortly thereafter a post office connecting Lu?yce with Saxony. In later
centuries, timber cutting and milling, glass and ceramic brick production, pottery and leather tanning were among the industries important to the economy. In the second half of the XIX c., a rail line was built, which
allowed a large-scale textile industry to develop. The city later step-by-step built a water supply system, power station, gasworks, etc.
Today Żary is a completely different city.
Due to its rich history, it has wonderful historical sites, including the Palace of the Promnitzowie, the Castle of Dewinowie and Bibersteins, the gothic Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, and a market square
ornamented with a restored town hall from the turn of the 15th century. The city is living intensely today, growing in terms of its ideas and future.
From 2004-2006, the A-12 highway will be built near the town (currently road no. 12). It is interesting to note that the entire cost of
construction will amount to EUR 218 million.
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Żary badly needs such a highway, since there are border crossings in the area in Leknica and transport and rail crossings in
Woroa. In addition, in September of 2000, the largest border terminal on the western border will be opened in Olszyna.
Of course these are assets linked to Żary purely geographically, but the city itself has made no small accomplishments on its own.
Among these is completion of its technical infrastructure, appreciated by western investors, which has cost the city to date approx. USD 300 million.
130 hectares of property ready for
construction is awaiting future investors, who will receive various benefits from the town, including property tax exemptions and co-ordination of the city's utilities to suit the needs of the investor. The city is particularly
interested today in investments in industries related to foodstuffs, motorization, metals, building materials, and furniture production.
It is worthwhile adding that in Żary, in
addition to large companies, there are currently approx. 3.8 thousand small and medium-sized businesses, including many family-run businesses, which are part of a local investment boom. Encouraging these
entrepreneurs may be the fact that Żary has been rated by the Institute for Research on the Market Economy to be among an exclusive group, that is, the dozen or so most attractive medium-sized county seats in Poland.
Many regularly-held cultural events take place here, including the "Porozumienie" (Understanding) International Silesian Musical Festival.
Aside from all this, it is worth adding that
the city lies among beautiful surroundings that are a tourist haven. The best place for walks is the "Green Forest", which runs along the southern side of the town. A major attraction is a walled tower built on the
highest point in the Żarskie Heights (227 m). On days when the weather is nice, one can marvel at a beautiful panoramic view of the Karkonoszy Mountains from here. (mar)
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