page_title: Biecz
section_title: Geography
hierarchical_section_title: Biecz / Geography
context_page_description: Biecz is a town and municipality in southeastern Poland, in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Gorlice County. It is in the Carpathian Mountains, in the Doły Jasielsko-Sanockie, by the Ropa River. Due to its rich history, it is often referred to as "little Kraków" or the "pearl of the Carpathians." The many preserved medieval city walls and buildings have also given rise to the nickname "Polish Carcassonne" for both Biecz and the town of Szydłów.
  By the mid-16th century, the city was one of the largest in Poland. Being a royal city, Biecz enjoyed an economic and social Renaissance during the 14th and 15th centuries which tapered off into a gradual decline starting during the 17th century. Today, it is a small town with a number of historical monuments.
context_section_description: Biecz lies on the Ropa River, on a pass through the Carpathian Mountains. Up until the 19th century, the River ran through the heart of the city. With the construction of the railroad, however, the river's course was altered so that it ran alongside the city instead.
  Despite the relatively small size of the city, there is a significant grade in elevation. The highest point lies at 368.7 metres (1,210 ft) above sea level, while the lowest lies at 243 metres (797 ft). Biecz borders  Binarowa, Głęboka, Grudna Kępska, Korczyna, Libusza, and Strzeszyn.
  In the Biecz and the surrounding area there are a number of oil deposits.
  Biecz lies in the South-eastern part of Poland, approximately 35 kilometres (22 mi) from the Slovakian border and 100 kilometres (62 mi) from the Ukrainian border. The distance from Biecz to the most important Polish cities is: Nowy Sącz - 50 km (31 mi), Tarnów - 55 km (34 mi), Kraków - 125 km (78 mi), Katowice - 200 km (120 mi), Lublin - 250 km (160 mi), Łódź - 350 km (220 mi), Warsaw - 355 km (221 mi), Poznań - 575 km (357 mi), Bydgoszcz - 647 km (402 mi), Gdańsk - 705 km (438 mi), and Szczecin - 770 km (480 mi).
  The city lies within the borders of the historical region of Małopolska. Throughout history, the territory was also a part of the region of Kraków. Biecz's importance during his medieval and renaissance heyday resulted in the city receiving administrative control over a significant amount of surrounding territory (Latin: Terra Biecensis).
caption: Ropa River runs alongside the city of Biecz. Historically, the river ran through the heart of the city, but the construction of the railroad prompted it to be rerouted.
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