Zagórze

Zagórze is a Polish toponym used for several settlements in Poland. The name derives from za- meaning “beyond” or “after” and góra meaning “mountain” or “hill,” so it is commonly interpreted as “the place beyond the hill.” This reflects a landscape-based approach to naming places that is typical in Polish toponymy and dates back to medieval settlement patterns.

There are numerous villages and small communities named Zagórze scattered across the country, located in various voivodeships and counties. In everyday administration, each Zagórze is part of a larger municipality (gmina) and may vary widely in size and local infrastructure. The name is primarily toponymic rather than commemorative, signaling a geographic relationship to a nearby hill or slope rather than a specific historic event or person.

Because Zagórze is a common place-name element, several independent communities share the name without direct historical or administrative connections to one another. The repetition of the name across different regions illustrates common naming practices tied to the local landscape in Polish rural areas.

For precise information about a particular Zagórze, consulting regional gazetteers or administrative records of the relevant voivodeship or county is recommended. See also related toponyms that describe terrain features, such as names derived from hills or mountains in Polish place-naming conventions.