Brzeg

Brzeg: Piast family castle

Brzeg, German Brieg, city, Opolskie województwo (province), southwestern Poland, situated on high bluffs on the western side of the Oder River.

An important Silesian settlement from the 14th century, when Prince Ludwik I built his castle there, Brzeg was the home of the Piast family, rulers of the duchy of Brzeg from 1311 until 1675. Brzeg was the centre of the Renaissance in Silesia in the 16th century. During the 17th and 18th centuries it was known for the excellence of its printing industry. In the 19th century it grew, and its industrial base was diversified until World War II, when 70 percent of the city was destroyed. The rebuilt Brzeg is once again developing industrially. Historic landmarks include the chapel of St. Hedviga (Jadwiga, 1349); the Piast family castle, now a museum; and the 16th-century Oder Gateway, a remnant of the old town walls. Pop. (2011) 37,438.