Royal city in Poland
In the history of Poland, a royal city or royal town (Polish: miasto królewskie) was an urban settlement within the crown lands (Polish: królewszczyzna).[1]
The most influential royal cities enjoyed voting rights during the free election period in Poland (1572-1791). These cities were Gdańsk, Warsaw, Kraków, Poznań, Lwów, Wilno, Toruń, Lublin, Kamieniec Podolski and Elbląg. Other important royal cities included Gniezno (ecclesiastical capital of Poland and former capital of early medieval Poland), Płock (former capital of medieval Poland), Grodno (general sejm location alongside Warsaw), Bydgoszcz and Piotrków (Crown Tribunal locations alongside Lublin).
Law on the Cities
On April 18, 1791, the Great Sejm adopted the Free Royal Cities Act (full title: "Miasta nasze królewskie wolne w państwach Rzeczypospolitej" - "Our Free Royal Cities in the States of the Commonwealth"), included as Article III into the Constitution of May 3, 1791.
The law granted a number of privileges for the residents of royal cities. Many of these privileges and rights have already been enjoyed by major royal cities, and the law effectively equalized all royal cities in this respect. It also includes some rights earlier enjoyed only by szlachta.
Royal cities by region
![](../I/m/Dantzigk.jpg)
![](../I/m/Poznan_Braun_Hohenberg.jpg)
Crown of the Kingdom of Poland
Greater Poland Province
![](../I/m/Elbl%C4%85g-_miedzioryt_z_XVIII_wieku.jpg)
![](../I/m/Torun_Hartknoch.jpg)
- Babimost
- Bielsk
- Błonie
- Bolesławiec
- Bolimów
- Brdów
- Brodnica
- Brześć Kujawski
- Budzyń
- Bydgoszcz
- Chorzele
- Ciechanów
- Czersk
- Człopa
- Dąbie
- Dąbrowice
- Dobrzyń nad Wisłą
- Elbląg
- Garwolin
- Gąbin
- Gdańsk
- Gniezno
- Gostynin
- Goszczyn
- Grabów
- Grabów nad Prosną
- Grójec
- Inowłódz
- Inowrocław
- Janowo
- Kalisz
- Kamieńczyk
- Kamion
- Kcynia
- Kłecko
- Kłodawa
- Kolno
- Koło
- Konin
- Kopanica
- Kościan
- Kowal
- Kowalewo Pomorskie
- Latowicz
- Liw
- Łęczyca
- Łomża
- Maków Mazowiecki
- Mikstat
- Mława
- Mszczonów
- Nakło nad Notecią
- Nieszawa
- Nowa Brzeźnica
- Nowogród
- Nur
- Oborniki
- Odolanów
- Osieck
- Osmolin
- Ostrołęka
- Ostrów
- Ostrzeszów
- Pajęczno
- Piaseczno
- Piła
- Piotrków
- Płock
- Płońsk
- Pobiedziska
- Poznań
- Przasnysz
- Przedecz
- Pyzdry
- Radomsko
- Radziejów
- Radziłów
- Rawa
- Rogoźno
- Różan
- Rypin
- Serock
- Sieradz
- Skwierzyna
- Sochaczew
- Sochocin
- Solec
- Sompolno
- Stanisławów
- Stawiszyn
- Sulmierzyce
- Szadek
- Szczerców
- Śrem
- Środa Wielkopolska
- Toruń
- Tuszyn
- Wałcz
- Warka
- Warsaw
- Warsaw New Town
- Warta
- Wąsosz
- Wieluń
- Wiskitki
- Wizna
- Wschowa
- Wyszogród
- Zakroczym
- Zambrów
- Zgierz
Lesser Poland Province
![](../I/m/Lwow_1.jpg)
![](../I/m/Widok_miasta_Lublina_Hogenberga_i_Brauna.jpg)
![](../I/m/Kamianets-Podilskyi_map_1691.jpg)
![](../I/m/%D0%9F%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%88%D0%BB%D1%8C._%D0%92%D0%B8%D0%B3%D0%BB%D1%8F%D0%B4_%D0%B7_%D0%BA%D1%96%D0%BD%D1%86%D1%8F_XVII_%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%96%D1%82%D1%82%D1%8F.jpg)
![](../I/m/Braun_and_Hogenberg_Sandomierz.png)
![](../I/m/Najstarszy_widok_Chelma.jpg)
![](../I/m/Braun_and_Hogenberg_Biecz.png)
![](../I/m/%D0%86%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%86%D0%B3%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%96%D1%8F.jpg)
- Augustów
- Bar (today part of Ukraine)
- Bełz (today part of Ukraine)
- Berezań (today part of Ukraine)
- Będzin
- Biała Cerkiew (today part of Ukraine)
- Biecz
- Bielsk
- Bobrowica (today part of Ukraine)
- Bohusław (today part of Ukraine)
- Bracław (today part of Ukraine)
- Brańsk
- Busk (today part of Ukraine)
- Chełm
- Chęciny
- Chmielnik, Sandomierz Voivodeship
- Chmielnik, Podolian Voivodeship (today part of Ukraine)
- Czehryń (today part of Ukraine)
- Czerkasy (today part of Ukraine)
- Czerwonogród (today part of Ukraine)
- Częstochowa
- Dobrotwór (today part of Ukraine)
- Drohiczyn
- Dubienka
- Goniądz
- Grabowiec
- Grybów
- Hajsyn (today part of Ukraine)
- Horodło
- Jagodzin (today part of Ukraine)
- Jałtuszkiw (today part of Ukraine)
- Kamieniec Podolski (today part of Ukraine)
- Kaniów (today part of Ukraine)
- Kazimierz
- Kazimierz Dolny
- Kęty
- Kijów (today part of Ukraine)
- Kleparz
- Kleszczele
- Kłobuck
- Knyszyn
- Korsuń (today part of Ukraine)
- Koszyce
- Kowel (today part of Ukraine)
- Kozienice
- Kraków
- Krasnystaw
- Krzemieniec (today part of Ukraine)
- Krzepice
- Lanckorona
- Latyczów (today part of Ukraine)
- Lelów
- Leżajsk
- Lityn (today part of Ukraine)
- Lubaczów
- Lubecz (today part of Ukraine)
- Lublin
- Luboml (today part of Ukraine)
- Lwów (today part of Ukraine)
- Łosice
- Łuck (today part of Ukraine)
- Łuków
- Małogoszcz
- Mielnik
- Milanowicze (today part of Ukraine)
- Mosty Wielkie (today part of Ukraine)
- Mościska (today part of Ukraine)
- Myrhorod (today part of Ukraine)
- Narew
- Nowa Uszyca (today part of Ukraine)
- Nowy Korczyn
- Nowy Sącz
- Nowy Targ
- Olkusz
- Olsztyn
- Opoczno
- Ostrz (today part of Ukraine)
- Oświęcim
- Owrucz (today part of Ukraine)
- Parczew
- Perejasław (today part of Ukraine)
- Pierzchnica
- Pilzno
- Piwniczna
- Płoskirów (today part of Ukraine)
- Podgórze
- Połaniec
- Potylicz (today part of Ukraine)
- Proszowice
- Przedbórz
- Przemyśl
- Radom
- Radoszyce
- Rajgród
- Ratno (today part of Ukraine)
- Rohatyn (today part of Ukraine)
- Ropczyce
- Sambor (today part of Ukraine)
- Sandomierz
- Sanok
- Słomniki
- Smotrycz (today part of Ukraine)
- Sokal (today part of Ukraine)
- Solec nad Wisłą
- Steblów (today part of Ukraine)
- Stężyca
- Stojanów (today part of Ukraine)
- Stopnica
- Stary Sambor (today part of Ukraine)
- Stryj (today part of Ukraine)
- Suraż
- Szczurowice (today part of Ukraine)
- Szydłów
- Świniuchy (today part of Ukraine)
- Trechtymirów (today part of Ukraine)
- Tykocin
- Tymbark
- Tyszowce
- Ułanów (today part of Ukraine)
- Urzędów
- Uście Solne
- Wąwolnica
- Wieliczka
- Winnica (today part of Ukraine)
- Wiślica
- Włodzimierz Wołyński (today part of Ukraine)
- Wolbrom
- Wyszniwka (today part of Ukraine)
- Zbuczyn
- Zwinogródka (today part of Ukraine)
- Zwoleń
- Żydaczów (today part of Ukraine)
- Żytomierz (today part of Ukraine)
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
![](../I/m/Vilnia._%D0%92%D1%96%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D1%8F_(XVII).jpg)
![](../I/m/Grodna_1575.jpg)
![](../I/m/Makowski_kaunas.jpg)
![](../I/m/Biera%C5%9Bcie_Lito%C5%ADskaje._%D0%91%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%8C%D1%86%D0%B5_%D0%9B%D1%96%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%9E%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B5_(E._Dahlbergh%2C_1657)_(4).jpg)
![](../I/m/%D0%9C%D0%B0%D0%B3%D1%96%D0%BB%D1%91%D1%9E_2-%D0%B9_%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%8B_17-18_%D1%81%D1%82%D1%81%D1%82._%D0%93%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B2%D1%8E%D1%80%D0%B0_%D0%92._%D0%9A%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0.jpg)
![](../I/m/Troki._%D0%A2%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BA%D1%96_(T._Mako%C7%94ski%2C_XVII).jpg)
- Berżniki
- Bobrujsk (today part of Belarus)
- Brasław (today part of Belarus)
- Brześć Litewski (today part of Belarus)
- Chocimsk (today part of Belarus)
- Czausy (today part of Belarus)
- Czeczersk (today part of Belarus)
- Czeryków (today part of Belarus)
- Druskieniki (today part of Lithuania)
- Dryssa (today part of Belarus)
- Dryświaty (today part of Belarus)
- Dywin (today part of Belarus)
- Dzisna (today part of Belarus)
- Ejszyszki (today part of Lithuania)
- Filipów
- Gieranony (today part of Belarus)
- Grodno (today part of Belarus)
- Homel (today part of Belarus)
- Horodno (today part of Belarus)
- Hoża (today part of Belarus)
- Jałówka
- Janów
- Jeleniewo
- Jeziory (today part of Belarus)
- Jurbork (today part of Lithuania)
- Kalinkowicze (today part of Belarus)
- Kamieniec Litewski (today part of Belarus)
- Kliczew (today part of Belarus)
- Kobryn (today part of Belarus)
- Kowno (today part of Lithuania)
- Kleck (today part of Belarus)
- Korycin
- Krasnopol
- Krasnopole (today part of Belarus)
- Krynki
- Krzyczew (today part of Belarus)
- Lida (today part of Belarus)
- Lipniszki (today part of Belarus)
- Łohiszyn (today part of Belarus)
- Łomazy
- Łoździeje (today part of Lithuania)
- Łunna (today part of Belarus)
- Malecz (today part of Belarus)
- Miadzioł (today part of Belarus)
- Milejczyce
- Mińsk (today part of Belarus)
- Mohylew (today part of Belarus)
- Motol (today part of Belarus)
- Mosty (today part of Belarus)
- Mozyrz (today part of Belarus)
- Mścibów (today part of Belarus)
- Mścisław (today part of Belarus)
- Nowy Dwór (today part of Belarus)
- Odelsk (today part of Belarus)
- Opsa (today part of Belarus)
- Orsza (today part of Belarus)
- Ostryna (today part of Belarus)
- Ozarycze (today part of Belarus)
- Parycze (today part of Belarus)
- Pińsk (today part of Belarus)
- Piszczac
- Połock (today part of Belarus)
- Porozów (today part of Belarus)
- Propojsk (today part of Belarus)
- Prużana (today part of Belarus)
- Przebrodzie (today part of Belarus)
- Przerośl
- Przewałka (today part of Belarus)
- Radoszkowicze (today part of Belarus)
- Raduń (today part of Belarus)
- Rohaczów (today part of Belarus)
- Rzeczyca (today part of Belarus)
- Skidel (today part of Belarus)
- Sokółka
- Suchowola
- Suraż, Vitebsk Voivodeship (today part of Belarus)
- Szczebra
- Szereszów (today part of Belarus)
- Święta (today part of Lithuania)
- Traby (today part of Belarus)
- Troki (today part of Lithuania)
- Uświat (today part of Russia)
- Wasiliszki (today part of Belarus)
- Wasilków
- Wieliż (today part of Russia)
- Wierzbołów (today part of Lithuania)
- Wilno (today part of Lithuania)
- Wisztyniec (today part of Lithuania)
- Witebsk (today part of Belarus)
- Wiżajny
- Władysławów (today part of Lithuania)
- Wohyń
- Wołkowysk (today part of Belarus)
- Wołpa (today part of Belarus)
Royal castles and residences
Examples of Polish royal castles and residences found in former royal cities of Poland:
- Remainings of the Royal Castle, Nowy Sącz
- Remainings of the Royal Castle, Olsztyn
- Remainings of the Royal Castle, Kremenets
Old towns
Examples of Polish royal cities historic centers include:
- Bydgoszcz Old Town
- Sandomierz Old Town