Łódź

Łódź, city in central Poland, administrative centre of Łódźkie Province. The city, second in population only to Warsaw, is a transport centre with rail and air facilities. Łódź is also Poland's leading textile manufacturer. Other industries include the manufacture of metal products and chemicals. The city is the location of the University of Łódź (1945), three museums, an opera theatre, and other cultural institutions. Łódź was chartered in 1423; it passed to Prussia in 1793 and to Russia in 1815. It remained a small town until the early 19th century when the first textile mills were built. Łódź was returned to Poland in 1919. During World War II Łódź was incorporated into Germany, and much of the population was deported. Population 760,251 (2007 estimate).