Szczawnica

Szczawnica
Flag Coat of arms
Szczawnica
Coordinates: 49°25′30″N 20°29′00″E / 49.42500°N 20.48333°E / 49.42500; 20.48333
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Lesser Poland
County	Nowy Targ
Gmina	Szczawnica
Government
• Mayor	Bogdan Szewczyk
Area
• Total	32.9 km2 (12.7 sq mi)
Highest elevation	510 m (1,670 ft)
Lowest elevation	430 m (1,410 ft)
Population  (2008)
• Total	6,342
• Density	190/km2 (500/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	34-460
Car plates	KNT
Website	http://www.szczawnica.pl

Szczawnica ([ʂt͡ʂavˈɲit͡sa]; Rusyn: Щавниця) is a resort town in Nowy Targ County in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. As of June 30, 2007, its population was 7,378.^[1][2]

Szczawnica has been a well-known resort town since the mid nineteenth century. Due to the presence of alkali sorrel springs and favorable climatic conditions, many respiratory and digestive tract illnesses are treated there. In 2005 the popular local spa was officially returned by the Polish government to its prewar owners – Count Stadnicki family. The spa has almost two-hundred-year history. Its last private owner was Count Adam Stadnicki, whose grandson – Andrzej Mańkowski – is the founder of the new Spa Town Museum being fitted in the center of Szczawnica, at Dietl Square (2009). The museum of the Szczawnica resort aims to present more than 350 different types of artifacts associated with the local therapeutics, archival documents, drawings, plans of buildings, old photographs, postcards and books.

Szczawnica has many skiing trails and slopes. The longest (2 km) at Palenica, is fitted with a 4-person ski lift with overhead lighting and a capacity of 2,200 people per hour. It is operated by a state agency.