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The Town Hall of Opole, Poland. |
Roanoke County entered into a partnership with Opole, Poland on November 30, 1994. Opole and the County became sister cities to create an exchange of cultural and social information for the enrichment of both communities. Additionally, it provided both communities with an opportunity to gain new perspectives and insights into the inner workings of a local government in a different country.
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Opole, Poland's Coat of Arms
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Opole, capital city of the Opole region in Poland, has a population of 130,000 and covers an area of approximately 60 square miles. It is situated on both banks of the Oder river in the Silesian Lowland. The first traces of the settlement go back to the end of the 8th century and the town of Opole was founded during the years 1211-1217.
Opole is a center of industry, trade, banking, culture and education. It lies along international route E-40 and on several important inland roads leading to Warsaw and Poznan. The city is also an important railway hub. The Odra is included in the West-European system of waterways; however, water transportation is not used on a large scale.
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The historic Cathedral in Opole.
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Opole has five hospitals with a total of 1,227 beds, 43 ambulatories for out-patient treatment and three homes for the elderly. Educational facilities include 47 nurseries, 30 primary, 49 vocational and six general secondary schools. There are two schools of higher education and a branch of the Catholic University in Lublin, where 10,600 students attend 18 different facilities.
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The Sister Cities Sign in Opole. Roanoke County is included with Opole's other sister cities across eastern Europe.
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Many cultural events of nationwide significance take place in Opole,including...
- The Festival of Polish Songs
- The Annual Theater Review called "Polish Classics"
- Opole Days of Oratorios/Oratorio Festival
- International Dog Show
- "Opolstone" - a display and exchange of precious stones
- International Investment- Food Fair called "AGROPOL"
- Building Goods Fair called "My House"
The city operates a central heating plant, a water treatment plant and sewage facilities. There are numerous sports facilities including those for tennis, swimming and skating. There are hotel sleeping accommodations for 398. In addition, the city hosts four museums, three cinemas and 22 libraries.
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Opole Links of Interest:
Wikipedia entry for Opole
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opole
U.S. State Department Archives - Info on Poland
http://www.state.gov/www/background_notes/poland_0006_bgn.html
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