Everything about Katowice totally explained
Katowice () is a
city in
Silesia in southern
Poland, on the
Kłodnica and
Rawa rivers (tributaries of the
Oder and the
Vistula). Katowice is located in the
Silesian Highlands, about 50 km from the
Silesian Beskids (part of the
Carpathian Mountains) and about 100 km from
Sudetes Mountains.
Katowice has been the capital of
Silesian Voivodeship since its formation in
1999. Previously, it was the capital of the
Katowice Voivodeship, and before then, of the
Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship. Katowice is the main city of the
Upper Silesian Industry Area and the central district of the
Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union. Its population is 317,220 (2006), within a greater
urban area populated by about 3.5 million people.
History
The area around Katowice in
Upper Silesia has been inhabited by ethnic
Silesians from its earliest documented history. It was first ruled by the Polish
Silesian Piast dynasty (until its extinction). From 1335 it was a part of the
Crown of Bohemia. In 1526 the territory passed to the
Austrian
Habsburg Monarchy after the death of King
Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia. In 1742 most of Silesia was annexed from Austria by the
Kingdom of Prussia during the
First Silesian War.
Katowice was founded in the 19th century and gained city status in 1865 as Kattowitz in the Prussian
Province of Silesia. The city flourished due to large mineral (especially
coal) deposits in the nearby mountains. Extensive city growth and prosperity depended on the coal mining and steel industries, which took off during the
Industrial Revolution. Kattowitz was inhabited mainly by
Germans, ethnic Silesians,
Jews and
Poles. Previously part of the
Beuthen district, in 1873 it became the capital of the new
Kattowitz district. On
1 April 1899, the city of Kattowitz was separated from the district, becoming an
independent city.
As Katowice, the city became part of the
Second Polish Republic following the
Silesian Uprisings (1918-21). The land was subsequently divided by an allied commission and the
League of Nations, leaving the city on the Polish side with significant autonomy (
Silesian Parliament as a constituency and Silesian Voivodeship Council as the executive body).
Between 1953-56 the city was renamed
Stalinogród ("
Stalin City") by
Polish communists. Due to
economic reforms, there has been a shift away from
heavy industry, and towards
small businesses.
Severe
ecological damage to the
environment occurred during the post-
Second World War time of communist governance in the
People's Republic of Poland, but recent changes in regulations, procedures and policies of
Polish government since the fall of Communism have reversed much of the harm that was done.
Geography
Location
In administrative terms, Katowice is an urban community in the eastern part of
Upper Silesia, now in
Silesian Voivodeship in south-west Poland, within the central portion of the
Upper Silesian Coal Basin. It borders the towns of
Chorzów,
Siemianowice Śląskie,
Sosnowiec,
Mysłowice,
Lędziny,
Tychy,
Mikołów,
Ruda Śląska and
Czeladz. In geographical terms, it lies between the
Vistula and
Oder rivers, on the
Silesian Highlands. Several rivers flow through the city, the major two being the
Kłodnica and
Rawa Rivers. Within 600 kilometres of Katowice are the capital cities of six countries:
Berlin,
Vienna,
Prague,
Bratislava,
Budapest and
Warsaw.
Climate
The climate of the area is continental humid. The average temperature is 8 degrees
Celsius (average -1.7
°C in January and up to average 17.7°C in July). Yearly rainfall averages at 750
mm, the most rainy month being July. The area's characterisitc weak winds blow at about 2 m/s from from the west (
Moravian Gate).
Districts
Agglomeration
Katowice lies in the center of the largest agglomeration in Poland and is one of the largest in the European Union, numbering at about 3.5 million. This urban expansion bloomed in the 19th century thanks to the rapid development of the mining and metallurgical industries. The greater Katowice area (including the
Upper Silesian Industrial Region consists of about 25 neighbouring cities. However, the whole metropolitan area (encompassing the
Upper Silesian Coal Basin) consists of over 30 cities. Katowice is also part of a
megalopolis of over 7 million inhabitants covering Cracow, Katowice and Ostrava regions.
In the year 2006 Katowice and 14 neighboring cities united under one municipal organism - the union of cities -
Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union. Its population is 2 million and its area is 1,304 km². In 2006 and 2007, the union planned to unite these cities in one city under the name "Silesia"; however, this proved unsuccessful.
Culture
Theater
Silesian Theater
Ateneum Theater
Korez Theater
Cogitatur Theater
Rialto Cinetheater
Cinema
IMAX Katowice
Cinema City - Punkt rozrywki 44 (13 halls )
Cinema City - Silesia City Center (13 halls )
Helios Cinema Center (9 halls )
Światowid Cinema (1 halls )
Rialto Cinetheater (1 halls )
Cinematographic Arts Center (2 halls )
Music
Silesian Philharmonic
Silesian Estrade
Scene GuGalander
Mega Club
National Symphonic Orchestra of Polish Radio
Museum
Silesian Museum
History of Katowice Museum
Muzeum Archidiecezjalne
Muzeum Misyjne OO. Franciszkanów
Muzeum Biograficzne P. Stellera
Muzeum Prawa i Prawników Polskich
Muzeum Najmniejszych Książek Świata Zygmunta Szkocnego
Izba Śląska
Centre of Polish Scenography
Silesian center of refreshment and culture
Media
» TV stations:
TVP 3 Katowice
TVS (TV Silesia)
TVN24 - department Katowice (TVN24 - oddział Katowice) » radio stations:
Radio Katowice
Radio Roxy FM
Radio Planeta
Antyradio
Radio Eska » newspapers:
Dziennik Zachodni
Gazeta Wyborcza - Katowice section
Fakt - Katowice section
Echo Miasta
Metro (newspaper) - Katowice
Nowy Przegląd Katowicki
Festivals and Events
Rawa Blues Festiwal - Spodek
Metalmania - Spodek
Mayday - Spodek
International Competition of Conductors by Fitelberg
International Festival of Military Orchestras
International Exhibition of Graphic arts "Intergrafia"
The all-Polish Festival of the Director's Art the "Interpretations"
Ars Cameralis Silesiae Superioris
Art Galleries
Galeria Sztuki Współczesnej BWA Al. Korfantego 6
Galeria Sztuki Współczesnej Parnas ul. Kochanowskiego 10
Galeria Sztuki Atelier 2 ul. Batorego 2
Galeria Związku Polskich Artystów Plastyków ul. Dworcowa 13
Galeria Architektury SARP ul. Dyrekcyjna 9
Galeria Art-Deco pl. Andrzeja 4
Galeria Fra Angelico ul. Jordana 39
Galeria Akwarela ul. Mikołowska 26
Galeria Marmurowa ul. Mikołowska 26
Galeria Piętro Wyżej
Galeria Sektor I
Galeria Szyb Wilson
Parks & Squares
» Main parks:
Silesian culture and refreshment park (Wojewódzki Park Kultury i Wypoczynku)
Tadeusz Kościuszko Park (Park im. Tadeusza Kościuszki)
Forest Park of Katowice (Katowicki Park Leśny)
Valley Three Ponds (Dolina Trzech Stawów)
Zadole Park
Bolina Park
Janina-Barbara Park
Olympic Participants' Park (Park Olimpijczyków)
Murckowska Valley » Square:
Wolność Square (Plac Wolności)
Andrzej Square (Plac Andrzeja)
Miarka Square (Plac Miarki)
Council of Europe Square (Plac Rady Europy)
Alfred Square (Plac Alfreda)
A. Budniok Square (Plac A. Brudnioka)
J. Londzin Square (Plac J. Londzina)
A. Hlond Square (Plac A. Hlonda)
Nature reserves and ecological area
Nature reserve Las Murckowski
Nature reserve Ochojec
Szopienice-Borki
Źródła Kłodnicy
Staw Grunfeld
Stawy Na Tysiącleciu
Płone Bagno
Architecture
Examples of Modernism (International Style and Bauhaus inspired architecture) may be found in the city downtown. Central Katowice also contain a significant number of Art Nouveau (Secesja) buildings along with the Communist Era giants such as Spodek or Superjednostka.
Katowice's Rynek is the old centre and marketplace of the city. Unfortunately many old buildings were demolished in the 1950s to make space for monumental communist modern buildings.
Several streets around the Rynek and the Rynek itself are now closed to traffic and have been made into a shopping promenades.
Regeneration of the Rynek area should start at 2007-2008 and there was an international architectural competition in 2006 to find the best design.
Best buildings and places to see in Katowice:
Cathedral in Katowice
Drapacz Chmur, one of the first skyscrapers in Europe
St. Mary's Church in Katowice
St. Stephen's Church
Church of St. Michael Archangel
Church of Christ Resurrection in Katowice
Silesian Parliament
Market square in Katowice
Katowice Rondo - is the large square/roundabout, currently being reconstructed
Silesian Insurgents Monument (Polish: Pomnik Powstańców Śląskich), situated next to Rondo, is a large monument dedicated to the memory of the Silesian Uprisings of early 1920s
The Spodek is a large sports centre/concert hall, whose name translates as the 'saucer', from its distinctive shape resembling a UFO flying saucer.
Katowice Central Station - the main Katowice train station is a large, distinctive concrete building from Seventies near the Rynek. There are plans to raze and rebuild it after the reconstruction of the Rondo and Rynek.
Old train station in Katowice
Monopol Hotel in Katowice
The Goldstein Palace
The Załęże Palace
Nikiszowiec - historical settlement of Katowice, candidate to UNESCO
Silesian Theatre
Rialto Cinetheater
Parachute Tower Katowice
The Altus Skyscraper, tallest City skyscraper.
Economy
Industry
Katowice is a large coal and steel centre. It has several coal mines (Wujek Coal Mine, Mysłowice-Wesoła Coal Mine, Wieczorek Coal Mine, Murcki Coal Mine, Staszic Coal Mine) organized into unions - Katowice Coal Holding company (pl: Katowicki Holding Węglowy), two steelworks (Huta Baildon, Huta Ferum), and one foundry of non-ferrous metals (Huta Metali Nieżelaznych Szopienice).
Business and commerce
Katowice is also a large business and trade fair centre. Every year in Katowice International Fair and Spodek, tens of international trade fairs are organized. Katowice has the second largest business centre in Poland (after Warsaw Business Centre). Skyscrapers stand along Chorzowska, Korfantego and Roździeńskiego street in the centre of the city. The newest office buildings (A-class) in Katowice are the, Altus Skyscraper and (yet in build).
General
Katowice is the seat of Katowice Special Economic Zone (Katowicka Specjalna Strefa Ekonomiczna).
The unemployment rate in Katowice is one of the lowest in Poland, at 2,8% (in 2008), according to the official figures.
Education
Katowice Is the second largest scientific centre in Poland (after Warsaw). It has over 20 schools of higher education, at which over 100,000 persons study.
University of Silesia
University of Economics in Katowice
University of Music in Katowice
University of Sports in Katowice
University of Arts in Katowice
University of Arts in Cracow (department in Katowice)
Medical University of Silesia
Silesian University of Technology - Faculty of Materials Science and Metallurgy and Transport
Polish Academy of Sciences
International Higher School of Political Sciences in Katowice
International Higher School of Banking and Finances in Katowice
Silesian Higher School of Computer science in Katowice
Silesian Higher School of Management in Katowice
Uppersilesian Higher School of Trade in Katowice
Higher School of Banking and Finances in Katowice
Higher School of Humanistic Science in Katowice
Higher School of Technical Science in Katowice
Higher School of Computer Technologies in Katowice
Higher School the Pedagogical TWP in Warsaw, the Institute of Pedagogy in Katowice
Higher School of Social Skills in Poznan (department in Katowice)
Higher School of Humanistic - Economic in Lodz (department in Katowice)
Higher School of Marketing the and Strange Languages Management in Katowice
Higher School of Management the Protection of Work in Katowice
Silesian Higher Clerical Seminar in Katowice
Theological Seminar of Smaller Brothers in Katowice
Private Teacher's College of Foreign Languages in Katowice
Private Teacher's Board of Foreign Languages in Bielsko (department in Katowice)
There are also:
around 80 high schools
around 35 gimnasia
around 55 primary schools
around 50 libraries, including the Silesian Library
Transport
Public Transport
The public transportation system of the Katowice and Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union consists of four branches - buses, trams, trolleybuses and the regional rail united in the KZK GOP. Additional services are operated by private companies and the state-owned railways.
Trams
Silesian Interurbans - one of the largest tram systems in the World, in existence since 1894. The system spreads for more than 50 kilometres (east-west) and covers fourteen districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union.
Roads
European route E40 (France - Belgium - Germany - Katowice - Ukraine - Russia - Uzbekistan - Kazakhstan)
European route E75 (Vardø, Norway - Finland - Katowice - Slovakia - Hungary - Serbia - Macedonia - Crete, Greece)
European route E462 (Czech Republic - Katowice)
Motorway A4 (Germany - Katowice - Ukraine)
DK1 National Road
DK79 National Road
DK81 National Road
DK86 National Road
Several important roads in neighbourhoods of Katowice (USMU):
Motorway A1 (Czech - Katowice - Tricity / Baltic Sea)
DK11 National Road
DK44 National Road
DK78 National Road
DK88 National Road
DK94 National Road
Airports
The city and the area is served by the Katowice International Airport, located about 30 km from the center of Katowice. With over 20 international and domestic flights daily, it's by far the biggest airport in Silesia (~2 million passengers served in 2007; a new passenger terminal is currently being constructed).
Because of the long commute to the airport, there's a proposal to convert the much nearer sport aviation-serving Katowice-Muchowiec Airport into a so-called city airport, a second international airport for smaller, business-oriented traffic.
Railway
Standard gauge railway
The first railroad reached this area in 1846 (the Upper Silesia Railway, in Polish: Kolej Górnośląska; in German: Oberschlesische Eisenbahn). Nowadays Katowice is one of the main railway nodes and exchange points in Silesia and in Poland. Cheap and fairly efficient, the Polskie Koleje Państwowe (Polish State-Owned Railways) in the area of the proposed union constitute one of the main transport hubs in Poland (the most important one being Warsaw).
The main railroad station is Katowice Central Station. Both the domestic and the international connections run from there to almost every major city in Poland and Europe.
Broad gauge railway
Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa (known by its acronym LHS, English: Broad gauge metallurgy line) is the longest broad gauge railway line in Poland. Except for this one line, and a few very short stretches near border crossings, Poland uses the standard gauge for its railways, unlike Russia and the other former countries of the Soviet Union. The line runs on a single track for almost 400 km from the Polish-Ukrainian border, crossing it just east of Hrubieszów, to Sławków (one of the suburbs of the proposed union). It is used only for freight transport, mainly iron ore and coal. It is the westernmost broad gauge railway line in Europe that's connected to the broad gauge rail system of the countries which before 1991 constituted the Soviet Union. The line is managed by PKP Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa Spólka z o.o. company. Previous name of this line was Linia Hutniczo Siarkowa (English: Metallurgy - Sulfur Line), but after sulfur ceased to be transported on the line its name was changed.
Water Transport
Katowice also has several canals, including the Gliwice Canal (pl:Kanal Gliwicki) which links Gliwice Harbour to the Oder River and thus to the waterway network across much of Germany and to the Baltic Sea.
Kłodnica Canal (pl: Kanal Klodnicki) is no longer used to transport goods, but it's popular with leisure cruisers.
Sports
GKS Katowice - men's football, (Polish Cup winner: 1986, 1991, 1993; Polish SuperCup winner: 1991, 1995; 1st league in 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 seasons). ice hockey team Champion :1958,1960,1962 Gòrnik Katowice / GKS 1965,1968,1970.
1. FC Kattowitz - football club, vice-champion in Poland: 1927; champion in Upper Silesia: 1907, 1908, 1909, 1913, 1922, 1945; 3 place in championships of south-east Germanys: 1922
AZS AWF Katowice - women's handball team playing in Polish Ekstraklasa Women's Handball League: 11th place in 2003/2004 season; will play in the 1st league in 2004/2005 season.
KS Rozwój Katowice - football club
MK Katowice - football club
Kolejarz Katowice - football club
Podlesianka Katowice - football club
AZS US Katowice - various sports
Naprzód Janów Katowice - hockey club
HKS Szopienice - various sports
Hetman Katowice - football club
Hetman Szopienice - chess club
MAKS Murcki Katowice - ice hockey & netball club
Sparta Katowice - various sports
HC GKS Katowice - hockey club
AWF Mickiewicz Katowice - basketball club
Silesia Miners - American football club
Discontinued sports clubs:
Diana Kattowitz - football club
Germania Kattowitz - football club
EKS Kattowitz - watersports club
Dąb Katowice - various sports
Pogoń Katowice - various sports
KS Baildon Katowice - various sports
Centrum Body Club Katowice - bodybuilding club
Notable residents
Hans Sachs (1877-1945), serologist
Kurt Goldstein (1878-1965), neurologist
Franz Leopold Neumann (1900-1954), politician
Hans Bellmer (1902-1975), surrealist photographer
Maria Goeppert-Mayer (1906-1972), physicist
Chaskel Besser (born 1923), Orthodox rabbi
Kazimierz Kutz (born 1929), film director and politician
Wojciech Kilar (born 1932), classical and film music composer
Henryk Górecki (born 1933), classical composer
Henryk Broder (born 1946), journalist
Jerzy Kukuczka (1948-1989), alpine and high altitude climber
Alexander Ulfig (born 1962), philosopher and sociologist
Twinned towns
Katowice is twinned with:
Cologne (Germany)
Groningen (Netherlands)
Miskolc (Hungary)
Mobile (USA)
Odense (Denmark)
Ostrava (Czech Republic)
Saint-Etienne (France)
Saint Francis (USA)Further Information
Get more info on 'Katowice'.
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