History
The city of Kalisz is known as the first Polish settlement whose existence was confirmed by a written record from about AD 142-145.
Claudius Ptolemaeus mentioned Calisia in his work entitled "Geographia" and marked its location on the map of the world. The ancient Amber Route ran via today's Kalisz from the coast of the Adriatic Sea via Aquileia and the Alps ti the Moravian Gate, the vicinity of Opole and to the coast of the Baltic Sea.
The Kalisz stronghold located in Zawodzie, the present day Kalisz quarter, was one of the biggest ones in Piast Poland. Kalisz obtained city rights in around 1257 from Bolesław Pobożny (Boleslav the Pious). The oldest Jewish commune on Polish land existed here.
From the 14th c. to 1793 Kalisz was the capital of the voivodship, enjoying a period of prosperity in the 15th and 16th c.
The Swedish Deluge and the following years brought destruction nad in consequence a decline in the city's importance. After a short Prussian rule (1793-1806) the city became a capital city of the department in The Duchy of Warsaw, then in 1815 a capital city of the voivodship and later of a Russian Governor's province. The end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th c. were characterised by industralisation (mainly light industry) nd an icrease in the city's wealth.
Time of wars
World War I brought about the destruction of the city in August 1914 as the Prussians almost completely destroyed the down-town with its numerous precious monuments; from over 65 thousand residents only 5 thousands survived. In 1939 the Nazis incorporated the city into the Third Reich. Due to the extermination of the Jewish community constituting one third of the city's population and due to many repressive acts, post-war Kalisz was inhabited by no more than 45.000 people.
Present time
The city's development in post-war years was mirrored by its growing importance. The population doubled reaching 100.000 in 1985 and the city area continued to grow. In the period between 1975 to 1998 Kalisz was a capital of the voivodship.
On the 4th of June 1997 John Paul II visited the city on the occasion of his pilgrimage to St.Joseph Sanctuary, one of the most important centres of St.Joseph's worship in the world.
For the last 10 years Kalisz has been an academic centre: 10.000 students attend 3 colleges. In 1998 Kalisz was awarded with "Golden Stars of Partnership" by the European Commission, in 1999 "The Honorary Flag of Europe" by the Council of Europe and "The Honorary Plaque of Europe" in 2003.
Kalisz has established partnership relations with cities in other countries (it has 8 twin cities and a few partner ones). The economy of the city is dominated by industries such as light industry, machine manufacturing (including modern aviation equipment) and food processing. Famous residents of Kalisz include: Adam Asnyk, Maria Dabrowska, Stefan Szolc-Rogoziński (the discoverer of Cameroon), Maria Konopnicka, the Giller Brothers, Stanisław Wojciechowski (the second President of the independent Poland).
Geographical location
West-central Poland 54,16'N and 18,06 E, on the Kalisz Upland in the valley of the Prosna River, in the middle of the triangle linking Poznań, Wrocław and Łódz.
Statistics
App.110.000 residents, area: about 69.8 km2. An economic, cultural and educational centre of south-eastern Wielkopolska, together with the Kalisz-Ostrów agglomeration and nearby communes has about 300.000 inhabitans.
Kalisz (Calisia) is second in size and importance in the Wielkopolska Region
Gallery of Kalish city 
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