Silesia Katowice Chorzów Siemianowice Śląskie WPKiW

Katowice

Katowice - the capital of the Upper-Silesian region and formerly - a town identified exclusively with heavy industry and workers' houses is today a real European city where tradition meets modernity.

Nowadays, Katowice with the population of 320 thousand residents is a city of dynamic transformations, open to changes, attracting young people who associate their future with the city. In the first place it is them to who the city authorities address their projects of social and town planning reconstruction.

The city whose origin goes back but to the nineteenth century prides on the possession of numerous objects registered as historical monuments. Among them there stand out art nouveaux tenements in the city centre, neo-baroque and Neo-Gothic buildings with architectural details restored with reverence, as well as the workers' housing estates in the Giszowiec and Nikiszowiec quarters that constitute examples of unique architecture.

Katowice is also a powerful academic and cultural centre on the national scale. A lot of artists and scientists famous and recognized all over the world come from the city where they made first creative steps in order to leave the place then to win worldwide famous scenes and galleries.

Katowice has an extensive recreational background. Half of the city is covered with woodland and what is more, every year new pitches, playgrounds, parks and cycling paths are created. Remains of the primeval Silesian Forest are called the Murckowski Forest where the beeches are between 150 to 220 years old. The postindustrial areas have been subjected to revitalization while sewage treatment plant was erected in order to protect natural environment. Thanks to it the industrial image of the city is fading away and, in the meantime, deserted factory halls and mine shafts are adopted to become shopping centres, art galleries and museums.

Through the year Katowice offers a wide range of cultural events, such as “Summer Theatrical Garden” (Letni Ogród Teatralny), International Students' Folklore Festival (Międzynarodowy Studencki Festiwal Folklorystyczny) and promenade concerts in the wooden church located in the Kościuszki Park. The Spodek Arena hosts regularly Rawa Blues Festival, Metalmania, Mayday and sport events, e.g. World Volleyball League, European Men Basketball Championship and Free Style Motocross.