The name Żyrardów comes from the name of Filip de Girard (pronounced Filip de Żirard), the inventor of the for example water turbine and machines for mechanical spinning of flax, which were installed in local plants. The Żyrardów “Factory Settlement” is currently the only urban complex of an industrial city from this period in Europe, preserved in its entirety. Most residential and public buildings still perform their function. “Factory Settlement” was declared a Monument of History in January 2012.
The city of Żyrardów is located in the center of Poland, at the southwestern edge of the Masovian Voivodeship, 45 km from Warsaw and 90 km from Łódź. The area of the city is 1433 hectares. The population is nearly 40 thousand.