Coat of arms, history, monuments

The oldest traces of settlement in the area of today’s Commune of Gorzyce go back to the Stone Age (Mesolithic and Neolithic period). Also numerous objects found at a later time prove the ancient settlement in the region of Gorzyce. This is undoubtedly due to the vicinity of the Moravian Gate, a place which saw the expansion of people to the north since ancient times.
Also the oldest preserved mentions of the existing communities suggest that the settlement network was really dense at those times.
Most villages within the today’s territory of the Gorzyce Commune were mentioned as early as in the middle of 13th century. These are settlements included in the list of villages which paid tithes in the Collegiate Church of Opole. They included: Bełsznica, Bluszczów, Odra, Olza and Kamień. Some villages paid tithes in the Collegiate Church in Tyniec (Gorzyce, Uchylsko). This does not mean that the remaining villages did not exist at that time. The source analyses conducted by Ludwik Musioł give an example of Rogów, which was not included in the above mentioned list and probably existed as early as in the 13th century.


The lands of the present Commune of Gorzyce are related to the Duchy of Racibórz and its history. Owing to the dukes’ grants most of them turned into private property of the knights, which quickly changed hands.


In the 15th and 16th century some lands of the Duchy of Racibórz were separated and gained certain independence. The lands of the Wodzisław state included: Czyżowice, Turza, Gorzyczki, Uchylsko (in 1532 also Gorzyce). The Bogumiński State included: Gorzyce, Olza, Odra, Bełsznica; the lands of Racibórz were: Rogów, Kamień, Bluszczów.


Among the most outstanding owners of the described areas the following should be mentioned: the Fragstein family, Larish family (the owners of Gorzyczki, Rogów), Arco Family (Gorzyce), or Henckel von Donnersmarck. In1741 a new division into counties was carried out. Then the Wodzisław and Bogumin land was included into the county of Pszczyna, while the remaining ones – into the county of Racibórz. In 1816 Rybnik County, composed of Czyżowice and Turza was established. Gorzyce, Gorzyczki, Uchylsko and Olza were included in the Racibórz County. After 1922 the following were included into the Rybnik County: Gorzyce, Gorzyczki, Uchylsko, Rogów, Bełsznica, Bluszczów, Kamień, Odra and Olza. In 1972 the Commune of Gorzyce came into existence. Since 1st January 1999 the commune has been a part of the Silesian Province and Wodzisław County.

/On the basis of articles of P. Pawlica published in newspapers “In our place” [in:] Study of the conditions and directions of spatial development of the Gorzyce Commune, volume 1, Gorzyce, September 2004/