Skierniewice region

Skierniewice was originally a village in the gift of the archbishopric of the Łowicz castellany in the Mazovian duchy. The archbishop’s palace was located here. In the second half of the 15th century Skierniewice became a village with a market. In the period of the Duchy of Warsaw between 1806-1815,Skierniewice fell into the hands of Napoleon. In 1919, the former Tsar’s palace and grange were allotted to the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. By 1939, the academics, having access to some limited funds, had built the basis of the scientific institution. Shortly after the outbreak of World War II, Skierniewice suffered some bomb attacks. There was a ghetto here for Jewish people, who, at the beginning of 1941, were transferred to the Warsaw ghetto, and, from there, to the Treblinka concentration camp. The town had a patriotic outlook, and fought with the occupying power, taking an active part in conspiratorial activities. In the second half of the 20th century Skierniewice underwent significant growth. It doubled in size. From 1957, there was relatively quick industrial development. Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture and Institute of Vegetable Crops were established here. A particularly important event for the town was the creation of the voivodeship of Skierniewice in 1975. Following the administrative reform in 1999, Skierniewice was given the status of an urban district.