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Katowice
KNOWLEDGE OF Katowice
Katowice (original former Polish name Kątowicze, (czech: Katovice, german: Kattowitz) is an important city of the historical region of Upper Silesia in southern Poland on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers.
Katowice is the capital of the administrative and local government region called Silesian Voivodship since 1999, and previously capital of Katowice Voivodship. Katowice is the main city of the Upper Silesian Industrial Area. Its population is 321,163 (2004), with a greater metropolitan area population of 3,487,000 (2004).
The area around Katowice, Upper Silesia, was inhabited by ethnic Silesians since the early centuries. It was first ruled by the Polish Silesian Piasts dynasty until its extinction, later falling into the Habsburg domains. The city itself was founded in the 19th century, a period while the area was under Prussian rule, and Katowice gained city status in 1865. Inhabited mainly by Silesians, Poles, Germans and Jews, 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 commision, leaving Kattowitz on the Polish side and with significant autonomy.
The city flourished due to large mineral (especially coal) deposits in the nearby mountains. Extensive city growth and prosperity depended on 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.
Katowice center has many Art Nouveau (Secesja) buildings. Its suburbs contain many communist style blocks.
Katowice's Rynek - is the old center and marketplace of the city. Unfortunately many old buildings were demolished in the 1950s to make place for communist modern buildings. Today the communist designs are considered ugly and there are plans to demolish them and build new center. Several streets around the rynek and the rynek itself are now closed to traffic and have been made into a shopping promenades.
Cathedral in Katowice
Katowice's rondo - is the large square/roundabout, currently being reconstructed.
The Silesian Insurgents Monument (Polish: Pomnik Powstańców Śląskich), situtated 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.
Dworzec Główny Katowice - the main Katowice train station is a large, distinctive post WWII building near the rynek. There are plans to raze and rebuild it after the reconstruction of the rondo and rynek.
Katowice is the capital of the administrative and local government region called Silesian Voivodship since 1999, and previously capital of Katowice Voivodship. Katowice is the main city of the Upper Silesian Industrial Area. Its population is 321,163 (2004), with a greater metropolitan area population of 3,487,000 (2004).
The area around Katowice, Upper Silesia, was inhabited by ethnic Silesians since the early centuries. It was first ruled by the Polish Silesian Piasts dynasty until its extinction, later falling into the Habsburg domains. The city itself was founded in the 19th century, a period while the area was under Prussian rule, and Katowice gained city status in 1865. Inhabited mainly by Silesians, Poles, Germans and Jews, 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 commision, leaving Kattowitz on the Polish side and with significant autonomy.
The city flourished due to large mineral (especially coal) deposits in the nearby mountains. Extensive city growth and prosperity depended on 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.
Katowice center has many Art Nouveau (Secesja) buildings. Its suburbs contain many communist style blocks.
Katowice's Rynek - is the old center and marketplace of the city. Unfortunately many old buildings were demolished in the 1950s to make place for communist modern buildings. Today the communist designs are considered ugly and there are plans to demolish them and build new center. Several streets around the rynek and the rynek itself are now closed to traffic and have been made into a shopping promenades.
Cathedral in Katowice
Katowice's rondo - is the large square/roundabout, currently being reconstructed.
The Silesian Insurgents Monument (Polish: Pomnik Powstańców Śląskich), situtated 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.
Dworzec Główny Katowice - the main Katowice train station is a large, distinctive post WWII building near the rynek. There are plans to raze and rebuild it after the reconstruction of the rondo and rynek.
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