Lwówek Śląski

Lwówek Śląski
Saint Mary Church
Town Hall
Lubań Tower
Defensive walls
Nickname: 
Agate Capital of Poland
Lwówek Śląski
Coordinates: 51°7′N 15°35′E / 51.117°N 15.583°E / 51.117; 15.583
Country Poland
VoivodeshipLower Silesian
CountyLwówek Śląski
GminaLwówek Śląski
Establishedbefore 1209
Town rights1217
Government
  MayorMariola Szczęsna
Area
  Total
16.65 km2 (6.43 sq mi)
Population
 (2019-06-30)
  Total
8,869
  Density530/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
  Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
59-600
Area code+48 75
Car platesDLW
ClimateDfb
Voivodeship roads
Websitehttp://www.lwowekslaski.pl

Lwówek Śląski ([ˈlvuvɛk ˈɕlɔ̃skʲi] ; formerly Lwów; German: Löwenberg in Schlesien) is a town in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship in Poland. Situated on the Bóbr River, Lwówek Śląski is about 30 kilometres (19 miles) NNW of Jelenia Góra and has a population of about 9,000 inhabitants. It is the administrative seat of Lwówek Śląski County and of the municipality Gmina Lwówek Śląski.

Founded in the 13th century, it was granted town rights in 1217, which became a model of municipal rights for a number of towns in southern Poland, including Cieszyn and Oświęcim, and from 1281 to 1286 it was a local Ducal seat of the Piast dynasty. Its prosperity came from the exploitation of gold and silver deposits, and after their depletion it was a center for cloth and linen making. Lwówek has also been a brewing center since the 13th century.

Lwówek Śląski is called the Agate Capital of Poland, and hosts the annual Lwówek Agate Summer, the largest mineralogical event in Poland.