What is Opole?
[[Image:Opole - ratusz i zabytkowe kamieniczki w Rynku.jpg|thumb|right|Town hall in Opole]] [[Image:POL Opole COA.svg|thumb|right|Coat of Arms of Opole]] [[Image:POL Opole flag.svg|thumb|right|Flag of Opole]] '''Opole''' is the biggest city in [[Opole Voivodeship]] in the southwest part of [[Poland]]. The [[German language|German]] name of the city is '''Oppeln''', and the [[Czech language|Czech]] name is '''Opolí'''. The [[Oder River]] goes through the city. It has about 128,000 people living in it and is 149 [[km]]² in [[area]]. The mayor of the city is Arkadiusz Wiśniewski. == History == Opole is over 1000 years old. It was originally a [[Slavic]] town. In 990 it became a Polish city. During the [[Middle Ages]] it became a [[Germany|German]] city. It was called Oppeln for a long time. After the [[Second World War]] the city once again became Polish, and the German citizens were forced to leave. It has been called by its Polish name Opole ever since. == Famous people from Opole == * [[Jerzy Buzek]] (born 1940), academic and politician, [[President of the European Parliament]], former [[Prime Minister of Poland]] * [[Bernhard Kempa]] * [[Miroslav Klose]] == Twin towns == * [[Belgorod]] ([[Russia]]) * [[Bruntál]] ([[Czech Republic]]) * [[Carrara]] ([[Italy]]) * [[Grasse]] ([[France]]) * [[Ingolstadt]] ([[Germany]]) * [[Ivano-Frankivsk]] ([[Ukraine]] * [[Kuopio]] ([[Finland]]) * [[Alytus]] ([[Lithuania]]) * [[Mülheim]] (Germany) * [[Potsdam]] (Germany) * [[Roanoke County]] ([[United States]]) * [[Székesfehérvár]] ([[Hungary]]) {{Europe-stub}} [[Category:Cities in Opole Voivodeship]]