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.
Częstochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta River with 240, 027 inhabitants (June 2009). It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship (administrative division) since 1999, and was previously the capital of Częstochowa Voivodeship (1975–1998). However, Częstochowa is historically part of Lesser Poland, not of Silesia, and before 1795 (see: Partitions of Poland), it belonged to the Kraków Voivodeship.
The town is known for the famous Pauline monastery of Jasna Góra, which is the home of the Black Madonna painting (Polish: Jasnogórski Cudowny obraz Najświętszej Maryi Panny Niepokalanie Poczętej), a shrine to the Virgin Mary. Every year, millions of pilgrims from all over the world come to Częstochowa to see it. There is also a Lusatian culture excavation site and museum in the city and ruins of a medieval castle in Olsztyn, approximately 25 kilometres (ca. 16 mi) from the city centre. '
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