EN
We do not know much about the history of a 600-year-old Krynki, its origin in particular. Te establishment and development of this place as a city centre in the 16th century is an interesting research material which has not been appropriately elaborated yet. Gaining several vital historical sources from the 16th century ignited the attempt to characterize this period in the city’s history. Te work discusses the process of transformations of Krynki’s city organism since the moment of its location to the award of Magdeburg law. Te result of the research based on archival queries is determination of several factors which influenced this process. This was Krynki’s location at the junction of two important vehicular routes as well as the existence of a monarchal man or-house with an obligation to provide accommodation there. During its development, which lasted approximately half a century, legal, social, economic and spatial changes occurred. Te city, which was initially subject to land law and court jurisdiction, was granted the City Magdeburg Law in 1569 as the foundation of the internal system. A previous city council headed by a village-mayor became a local self-government body composed of a mayor and burghers’ representatives. Granting the right to two markets a week and four fairs a year in fluenced the increase of the city’s income and changed the economic situation of its dwellers, who engaged in craftsmanship and trade. Krynki’s citizens were a community that was ethnically and denominationally diversified. Te city’s built-up area changed from a simple spatial arrangement located along the road to Bielsk with a church and court buildings (Old Town) into a checkerboard model containing a market and several dozen streets marked up in a new place. Development of Krynki in the 16th century was merely outlined in the article and requires further research. Gaining new historical resources during archival queries would allow to develop this issue.