Sudova Vyshnia

Sudova Vyshnia is located about 50 km west of Lviv, on the highway M11 (Shehyni – Lviv) and railroad to Przemyśl in Poland. In the city also terminates a route P40 that stretches all the way to Rava-Ruska.

The Vishnya river flows through the town in a westerly direction, eventually joining San in Poland. The railway line (twin track) leads to Kraków and Silesia in Poland, being a main route carrying coal to the former USSR.

Sudova Vyshnia was first mentioned in Galician–Volhynian Chronicle for 1230 as Vyshnia. In 1340, together with whole Red Ruthenia, it was annexed by the Kingdom of Poland. Until the 1772 Partitions of Poland, Sądowa Wisznia, as it was officially called, was part of Przemyśl Land, Ruthenian Voivodeship.

Sudova Vyshnia received its Magdeburg rights town charter in 1368. Originally, it was called Vyshnia (Wisznia), after the river Wisznia, a tributary of the San. The adjective Sudova (Polish: Sądowa) was added in 1545, when it became the seat of the general sejmiks of the Ruthenian szlachta of Lesser Poland Province of the Polish Crown.

In 1772, the town was annexed by the Habsburg Empire, as part of Habsburg Austrian Galicia, where it remained until late 1918. In the Second Polish Republic, Sądowa Wisznia belonged to Mościska County, Lwów Voivodeship. During the September 1939 Invasion of Poland, the Battle of Jaworów took place in the area of the town.

When captured by the USSR in the Second World War, the town had a large main square, cobbled and with a podium – suitable for public meetings. Under Communism, the square was planted over by trees and bushes – no more public meetings. In 1940–41 and 1944–59 Sudova Vyshnia was a district seat of the Sudova Vyshnia Raion that eventually was merged with Mostyska Raion.

When under Nazi Germany administration during the Second World War, being in the area called Galicia since ancient times, it was not considered occupied but a part of the German Reich. The currency at that time was the Reichsmark, whereas in occupied territories German administration was using Ostmark. German armed forces included a number of SS divisions, considered to be elite units. And there was a division SS Galicia. Before the war the town had had a Jewish population; only 3 (two of which are: Frieda Stramer and her brother Dov Stramer) of its Jews survived the war, and none remained there afterwards.

After World War II, the Soviet regime used a Catholic temple (Church of St Mary) that existed since the 14th century as a warehouse until 1989.

Today, Sudova Vyshnia is one of the centers of the Poles in Ukraine, with a local office of the Association of Polish Culture of the Lviv Land.

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  Sudova Vyshnia school
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  City's oldest church, Transfiguration Church
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  Transfiguration Church Bell Tower
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  Holy Trinity Church
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  Holy Trinity Church, entrance fresco
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  a street view
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  Church of St Mary, a Helper of Christians

• Brief info at the Verkhovna Rada website
• Sudova Vyshnia at the Castles and temples of Ukraine