Garwolin

Garwolin stands on the Wilga in eastern Mazovia. Its name appears in medieval records in 1386 and 1404, and the settlement had town rights by 1423. From 1539 it was a county seat in Czersk Land and a busy centre of crafts and trade. An inventory of 1565 counted 230 craftsmen, including shoemakers, smiths and many brewers; Garwolin was known for its beer. The Swedish invasion devastated the town, leaving only fifty houses and a greatly reduced population.