Paczków
Paczków | |
|---|---|
Paczków Town Hall | |
| Nickname: Polish Carcassonne | |
| Coordinates: 50°27′35″N 17°00′10″E / 50.45972°N 17.00278°E | |
| Country | Poland |
| Voivodeship | Opole |
| County | Nysa |
| Gmina | Paczków |
| Founded | 1254 |
| Town rights | 1254 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Artur Rolka |
| Area | |
• Total | 6.6 km2 (2.5 sq mi) |
| Population (2019-06-30) | |
• Total | 7,460 |
| • Density | 1,156.2/km2 (2,995/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 48-370 |
| Vehicle registration | ONY |
| Website | http://www.paczkow.pl |
| Designated | 2012-10-22 |
| Reference no. | Dz. U. z 2012 r. poz. 1240 |
Paczków [ˈpat͡ʂkuf] (German: Patschkau; Silesian: Paczkōw) is a town in Nysa County, Opole Voivodeship, in southern Poland, with 7,460 inhabitants (2019). It is one of the few towns in Europe in which medieval fortifications have been almost completely preserved. Located in the southeastern outskirts of the historical province of Lower Silesia, along the medieval road from Lesser Poland to Klodzko Valley and Prague, Paczków is called "Polish Carcassonne", thanks to its well-preserved medieval fortifications. However, while the famous French Carcassonne is a 19th-century reconstruction, all historic buildings of Paczków are authentic.
The old town and its medieval fortifications are listed as one of Poland's official national Historic Monuments (Pomnik historii), as designated November 13, 2012. Its listing is maintained by the National Heritage Board of Poland.