Dobrzeń Wielki is a village in Opole County, Opole Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the Gmina Dobrzeń Wielki and is situated in the central district of the Opole Voivodeship, lying approximately north-west of the regional capital Opole. It is bordered by the Popielów municipality to the west; the Pokój municipality to the north, the Murów and Łubniany districts to the east, in addition to Opole city and the Dąbrowa and Lewin Brzeskimunicipalities to the south. Before 1945 the area was part of Germany. The village has a population of 4,500.
Geography
The climate is characteristical for that of the country, with a temperature variation slightly below average. January sees temperatures between -1 and 9 degrees Celsius, in comparison to an average of 17.8 in July. The Odra River flows from the southeast to the northwest of the district, and is the area's main watercourse. This stretch is navigable and is frequently used for water transport. The river's water levels reach their highest state from February - March and July - August, whereas they are lowest from September - October. Several other waterways, such as the Mala Panew, Żydówka, Brynica, Jemielnica, Swornica, and Brzeziczanka form a vast river network in the area, in addition to numerous streams. Several ponds, oxbow lakes, and a network of canals and drainage ditches are also situated in the town's vicinity. The Brynica and Odra rivers are characterized by relatively flat surrounds, thus the Dobrzen Wielki area is susceptible to flooding. One of the town's most catastrophic floods occurred in 1997, when water submerged land on both sides of the Odra river.
History
The town's first written mentions of the town, cited as Dobren, can be derived from a document dated 1228, concerning the transfer of the Norbertine Monastery from Rybnik to the nearby village of Czarnowąs. A later document, however, dated 1279, provides the name of the town as Dobrzeń, and mentions that it is part of the province of Dobrzeń. The village itself was under the possession of Kazimierz, Duke of Opole, and in 1279, was granted Magdeburg rights. In 1658, the Church of St. Roch was constructed, following the invasion of the Norbertine monastery by Protestant armies in 1643.
