English Targanice

is a village placed in the Andrychów Commune in the Wadowicki Poviat in the valley of Beskid Mały. The village is 11 km away from Wadowice (the place of the Pope’s birth), 30 km from Oświęcim and 50 km from Kraków (Cracow). Most of the village’s area is placed within the borders of the Landscape Park with the biggest forest complex in Beskidy. The history of Targanice begins at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries in the period of a big migration from the area of the Mediterranean to the north of Europe. The groups of shepherds from Italia and Transylvania came to the area of Beskid Mały. These shepherds used meadows in the mountains to graze their sheep and pigs and built their villages in valleys. In this way there was founded among others the village of Targanice. Around the 16th century some part of shepherds started to deal with farming and increased the area of fields and settlements in the valley of the Targaniczanka river. In the 17th and 18th centuries the production of linen was intensified and weaving was developed. The linen produced in this area was known in central and southern Europe. A brickyard and a quarry functioned in Targanice at the end of 19th century. In the quarry there were produced tombstones and a few blacksmiths produced different steel products. At present, Targanice is located on the slopes of three mountains: Jawornica, Kocierz and Złota Górka and occupies the area along the banks of the Targaniczanka river. There live 3600 people in Targanice. In our village there is a church, the Complex of Self-government Schools, the Community Centre, a football ground, a quarry and some small companies producing different products. In the village there is the “Halniak” Sports Club, the Voluntary Fire Brigade, the Association of Village Housewives, the Parish Choir and the Youth Oasis (Christian Youth Organisation). John Paul II Primary School in Targanice  The players of the team participating in the games of “Toreno Internazionale Valle D’Aosta” are students of John Paul II Primary School. This educational institution constitutes a part of the Complex of Self-government Schools in Targanice which involves apart from the mentioned school a kindergarten and a high school. The school in Targanice was founded in 1884. Its oldest teaching structure was built in 1897.