Katowice

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Katowice
Flag of Katowice Coat of arms of Katowice
(Flag) (Coat of arms)
Location of Katowice
Basic Information
Country Poland
Voivodeship Silesian
Powiat (County) Urząd Miasta Katowice
Population 328 404 (2007)
Founded 16th century
City rights 1865
Latitude
Longitude		 50°15' N
19°00' E
Type of commune urban commune (Gmina miejska)
Area 164.6 km²
Agglomeration 3,487,000 (USIA)
Density 1927/km²
Area code +48 32
Postal code 40-001 to 40-999
Car plates SK
Twin towns Cologne (Germany)
Groningen (Netherlands)
Miskolc (Hungary)
Mobile (USA)
Odense (Denmark)
Ostrava (Czech)
Saint-Etienne (France)
Economy and Traffic
Economy coal, steel, service
Highway A4 / E40:
Berlin-Katowice-Kiev
A1 / E75:
Tricity-Katowice-Bratislava
Railway Berlin-Katowice
Vienna-Katowice
Prague-Katowice
Hamburg-Katowice
Bratislava-Warsaw
Airport Katowice International Airport, Katowice-Muchowiec Airport
Administration
Mayor Piotr Uszok
Municipal Address ul. Młyńska 4
40-098 Katowice
Municipal Website

Katowice ([,katɔ'vʲitsɛ] (help·info); German: Kattowitz, Czech: Katovice) is a city in Silesia in southern Poland on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers.

Katowice is the capital of the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of the Katowice Voivodeship, in the past Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship. Katowice is the main city of the Upper Silesian Industry Area and biggest districts in proposed Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union. Its population is 317,220 within a greater urban area population of 3,487,000 (2004).

Contents

[edit] History

The Silesian Parliament in Katowice.
The Silesian Parliament in Katowice.

The area around Katowice, Upper Silesia, has been inhabited by ethnic Silesians from its earliest history. It was first ruled by the Polish Silesian Piasts dynasty (until its extinction). From 1335 were a part of Czech lands. 1526 fall into the Habsburg domains. The city itself was founded in the 19th century, a period while the area was under Prussian rule since 1742, and Katowice gained city status in 1865.

Inhabited mainly by Germans, Silesians, Jews and Poles, Katowice became part of the Second Polish Republic following the Silesian Uprisings throughout the Silesian region between 1918 and 1921. The land was subsequently divided by an allied commission and the League of Nations, leaving Kattowitz on the Polish side and with significant Autonomy (Silesian Parliament as a constituency and Silesian Voivodship Council as the executive body).

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. But recently, due to economic reforms, there is a shift away from heavy industry, and towards small businesses.

Between 1953-1956 it was renamed Stalinogród - "Stalin City" by Polish communists.

Severe ecological damage to the natural 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 post-communist Polish government have reversed much of the harm that was done.

Panorama over Katowice at night.
Panorama over Katowice at night.

[edit] Climate

The climate of the area is continental humid. The average temperature is 17 degrees Celsius (-5°C in January and up to 30°C in July). Yearly rainfall averages at 750 mm, the most rainy month being July.

[edit] Districts

Districts of Katowice
Districts of Katowice

I. City

II. North-Town

III. West-Town

IV. East-Town

V. South-Town

[edit] Culture & recreation

Katowice, Silesian Theatre
Katowice, Silesian Theatre
Katowice, Silesian Bank Building
Katowice, Silesian Bank Building

[edit] Theater

  • Silesian Theater (Teatr Śląski im. Stanisława Wyspiańskiego)
  • Ateneum Theater
  • Korez Theater
  • Cogitatur Theater
  • Rialto Cinetheater

[edit] Cinema

  • IMAX katowice
  • Cinema City - rozrywki 44
  • Silesian Cinema City Theater
  • Helios Cinema Center
  • Światowid Cinema
  • Rialto Cinetheater
  • Cinematographic Arts Center (former Kosmos Cinema)

[edit] Music

  • Silesian Filharmony
  • Silesian Estrade
  • Scene GuGalander - German
  • Narodowa orchestra symphony polskeigo radia

[edit] Museum

Katowice, Silesian Museum
Katowice, Silesian Museum
Katowice, Silesia City Center
Katowice, Silesia City Center
  • Silesian Museum
  • Historical Museum of Katowice
  • Muzeum Archidiecezjalne
  • Muzeum Misyjne OO. Franciszkanów
  • Muzeum Biograficzne P. Stellera
  • Muzeum Prawa i Prawników Polskich
  • Muzeum Najmniejszych Książek Świata Zygmunta Szkocnego
  • Izba Śląska
  • Scenografii Polskiej
  • Śląskie Centrum Dziedzictwa Kulturowego (Silesian center of refreshment and culture)

[edit] Media

  • TVP 3 Katowice
  • TVN24 - department Katowice (TVN24 - oddział Katowice)
  • Radio Katowice
  • Radio Flash
  • Radio Roxy FM
  • Radio Planeta
  • Dziennik Zachodni
  • Gazeta Wyborcza - department Katowice
  • Fakt (gazeta) - oddział Katowice
  • Echo Miasta
  • Metro (gazeta) Katowice
  • Nowy Przegląd Katowicki
  • Sport (gazeta)
Katowice, Spodek
Katowice, Spodek

[edit] Festivals and Events

  • Rawa Blues Festiwal - Spodek
  • Metalmania - Spodek
  • Mayday - Spodek
  • Międzynarodowy Konkurs Dyrygentów im. G. Fitelberga
  • Międzynarodowy Festiwal Orkiestr Wojskowych
  • Międzynarodowa Wystawa Grafiki "Intergrafia"
  • Ogólnopolski Festiwal Sztuki Reżyserskiej "Interpretacje"
  • Ars Cameralis Silesiae Superioris (Górnośląski Festiwal Sztuki Kameralnej)

[edit] Parks & Squares

Parachute Tower in Tadeusz Kościuszko Park
Parachute Tower in Tadeusz Kościuszko Park

[edit] Architecture

Cathedral in Katowice
Cathedral in Katowice
First skyscraper in Katowice, 1930
First skyscraper in Katowice, 1930
Architectural map of Katowice
Architectural map of Katowice

The finest examples of Modernism (International Style and Bauhaus inspired architecture) could be easily 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 place 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
  • Dworzec Główny Katowice - 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.

[edit] 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

[edit] Education

Silesian Library, one of the most modern libraries in Poland.
Silesian Library, one of the most modern libraries in Poland.
Altus Skyscraper, the newest skyscraper in Katowice.
Altus Skyscraper, the newest skyscraper in Katowice.
  1. University of Silesia (Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicach)
  2. University of Economics in Katowice (Akademia Ekonomiczna w Katowicach)
  3. University of Music in Katowice (Akademia Muzyczna w Katowicach)
  4. University of Sports in Katowice (Akademia WF w Katowicach)
  5. University of Arts in Katowice (Akademia Sztuk Pięknych w Katowicach)
  6. University of Arts in Cracow (Akademia Sztuk Pięknych w Krakowie) - filia
  7. Medical University of Silesia (Śląska Akademia Medyczna)
  8. Silesian University of Technology - Faculty of Materials Science and Metallurgy and Faculty of Transport
  9. Polish Academy of Sciences (Polska Akademia Nauk), oddział
  10. Śląska Wyższa Szkoła Informatyki w Katowicach
  11. Śląska Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania w Katowicach
  12. Górnośląska Wyższa Szkoła Handlowa w Katowicach
  13. Międzynarodowa Szkoła Bankowości i Finansów
  14. Wyższa Szkoła Bankowości i Finansów w Katowicach
  15. Wyższa Szkoła Humanistyczna w Katowicach
  16. Wyższa Szkoła Humanistyczno-Ekonomiczna w Łodzi - wydział
  17. Wyższa Szkoła Pedagogiczna TWP w Warszawie, Instytut Pedagogiki
  18. Wyższa Szkoła Techniczna w Katowicach
  19. Wyższa Szkoła Technologii Informatycznych w Katowicach
  20. Wyższa Szkoła Umiejętności Społecznych w Poznaniu - wydział
  21. Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania Marketingowego i Języków Obcych w Katowicach
  22. Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania Ochroną Pracy w Katowicach
  23. Wyższe Seminarium Duchowne Braci Mniejszych w Katowicach
  24. Wyższe Śląskie Seminarium Duchowne w Katowicach
  25. Prywatne Nauczycielskie Kolegium Języków Obcych w Bielsku-Białej - wydział
  26. Prywatne Nauczycielskie Kolegium Języków Obcych w Katowicach

There are also:

Popular Schools

  1. I Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Mikołaja Kopernika
  2. II Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Marii Konopnickiej
  3. III Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Adama Mickiewicza
  4. Śląskie Techniczne Zakłady Naukowe

[edit] Transport

[edit] Public Transport

Streetcar in Katowice
Streetcar in Katowice

The public transportation system of the Katowice and Upper Silesian Industry Area consists of four branches -- buses, streetcars, 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 streetcar systems in the World, in existence since 1894. The system spreads for more than 50 kilometres (east-west) and covers thirteen districts of the proposed Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union: Katowice, Będzin, Bytom, Chorzów, Czeladź, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Gliwice, Mysłowice, Ruda Śląska, Siemianowice Śląskie, Sosnowiec, Świętochłowice, and Zabrze.

[edit] Roads

[edit] Airports

The city and the area is served by the Katowice International Airport, located some 30 km from the center of Katowice. With over 20 international and domestic flights daily, it is by far the biggest airport in Silesia (1.4 milion passengers served in 2006; a new passenger terminal is currently being constructed).

Because of the long commute to the airport, there is 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.

[edit] 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 is 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.

[edit] 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.

Klodnica Canal (pl: Kanal Klodnicki) is no longer used to transport goods, but it is popular with leisure cruisers.

[edit] 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.
  • 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

Discontinued sports clubs:

  • FC Katowice - football club
  • Diana Katowice - football club
  • Germania Katowice - football club
  • EKS Katowice - watersports club
  • Dąb Katowice - various sports
  • Gwardia Katowice - various sports
  • Pogoń Katowice - various sports
  • KS Baildon Katowice - various sports
  • Centrum Body Club Katowice - bodybuilding club

[edit] Notable residents

A4 motorway Katowice
A4 motorway Katowice

[edit] Twinned towns

Katowice is twinned with:

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Katowice travel guide from Wikitravel

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Voivodeships of Poland Flag of Poland
Greater Poland | Kuyavia-Pomerania | Lesser Poland | Lower Silesia | Lublin | Lubusz | Łódź | Masovia | Opole | Podlachia | Pomerania | Silesia | Subcarpathia | Świętokrzyskie | Warmia and Masuria | West Pomerania
Principal cities: Warsaw | Łódź | Kraków | Wrocław | Poznań | Gdańsk | Szczecin | Bydgoszcz | Lublin | Katowice | Białystok | Częstochowa | Gdynia | Toruń | Olsztyn | Radom | Kielce | Rzeszów | Opole | Gorzów Wielkopolski


Silesian Voivodship

Cities: Bielsko-Biała | Bytom | Chorzów | Częstochowa | Dąbrowa Górnicza | Gliwice | Jastrzębie Zdrój | Jaworzno | Katowice | Mysłowice | Piekary Śląskie | Ruda Śląska | Rybnik | Siemianowice Śląskie | Sosnowiec | Świętochłowice | Tychy | Zabrze | Żory
Powiats: Będzin | Bielsko | Bieruń-Lędziny | Cieszyn | Częstochowa | Gliwice | Kłobuck | Lubliniec | Mikołów | Myszków | Pszczyna | Racibórz | Rybnik | Tarnowskie Góry | Wodzisław | Zawiercie | Żywiec

Coordinates: 50°16′N, 19°01′E

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