SIERADZ, a town of Russian Poland, in the government of Kalisz (Kalish), situated on the Warta, 127 miles south-west of Warsaw. It is one of the oldest towns of Poland, founded prior to the introduction of Christianity, and was formerly known as Syra or Syraz. The annals mention it in 1139. Several seims were held there during the 13th to 15th centuries, and it was a wealthy town until nearly destroyed by a fire in 1447. It is full of historical interest for the Poles. The old castle, which suffered much in the Swedish war, was destroyed by the Germans in 1800. There are two churches dating from the 12th and 14th centuries. Sieradz, after having been the chief town of a v oivództvo, has now no importance. Its population was 15,040 in 1884.