Czestochowa plays a crucial role for the Roman Catholic Poles, being a kind of spiritual capital to them. The cult status of the Jasna Gora monastery, one of the most important pilgrimage destinations of the Christian world, has been growing along with the distinguished history of the site. It has become a symbolic mainstay of Polish identity and the Roman Catholic religion, as the hill of Jasna Gora was besieged by Swedes, Russians and Germans, who were all of different faiths.
The shape of the city Czestochov came about through the joining of two parts: of Czestochov village in back of the “Jasna Gora” and of old Czestochov which lies by the river Varta. Both parts developed separately. Old Czestochov already existed in the year 1377. In the year 1502, King Alexander, on the basis of the Magdeburg Law, gave Czestochov the rights of a city. Czestochov again until the second half of the 17th century belonged to the Olsztyn county. After the Congress of Vienna (1815), both parts of the city fell under Czarist rule. Both parts of the city continued to grow territorially and gradually neared each other. In the year 1826, both parts united and became one city. In the year 1867, Czestochov became the capitol of the county
Czestochowa (pronounced Chenss-toh-hoh'-va) is a city in Poland that is home to the nation's most important religious relic: the Black Madonna. The Black Madonna is a centuries-old icon depicting the Virgin Mary with two scars on her face. The icon is attributed to miracles and is displayed on a Baroque alter in a chapel in Jasna Gora monastery.
' [] (deutsch Tschenstochau) ist eine Großstadt in der Woiwodschaft Schlesien im südlichen Teil Polens – rund 200 Kilometer südwestlich der Landeshauptstadt Warschau und rund 100 km nordwestlich von Krakau an der Warthe gelegen. Sie ist ein weltbekannter Wallfahrtsort.
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