Leszno

Leszno (Polish pronunciation: [ˈlɛʂnɔ] ; German: Lissa [ˈlɪsa]) is a historic city in western Poland, seat of Leszno County within the Greater Poland Voivodeship. It is the seventh-largest city in the province with an estimated population of 59 521, as of 2024. Leszno is a former residential city of prominent Polish magnate families of Leszczyński and Sułkowski, including King Stanisław Leszczyński, under whose patronage it flourished to become one of the major economic and cultural centers of Greater Poland, as reflected in the variety of landmarks, especially of the Baroque period. Located on a highway and railway line at about half the distance between the two main cities of western Poland, Poznań and Wrocław, Leszno is the largest city of south-western Greater Poland and a major location for industry, services and tourism. It is particularly well known as the location of an annual air show with attendance reaching tens of thousands of people from various countries, and as the home of Unia Leszno, one of the most accomplished motorcycle speedway clubs.