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Katowice (Kattowitz, Katowicy, officialy Miasto Katowice City of Katowice ) is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers (tributaries of the Oder and the Vistula respectively). It is in the Silesian Highlands, about 50 km north of the Silesian Beskids (part of the Carpathian Mountains) and about 100 km southeast of the Sudetes Mountains. It is the central district of the Silesian Metropolis, a territorial entity operating on the principle of metropolitan municipality, with a population of 2 million.

Katowice is the center of science, culture, industry, business, trade fair/exhibitions and transportation in the Upper Silesia region and southern Poland. It is the main city in the Upper Silesian Industrial Region. Katowice lies within an urban zone, with a population of 2,746,460 according to Eurostat, and also part of the wider Silesian metropolitan area, with a population of 5,294,000 according to the European Spatial Planning Observation Network. Today, Katowice is a rapidly growing city and emerging metropolis. It is the 16th economically powerful city by GDP in the European Union with an output amounting to $114.5 billion.

Katowice has been the capital of the Silesian Voivodeship since its formation in 1999. Previously it was the capital of the Katowice Voivodeship, the Silesian Voivodeship, and the Province of Upper Silesia in Germany.

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 by the Kingdom of Prussia during the First Silesian War.

Kattowitz gained city status in 1865 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. The city was inhabited mainly by Germans, Silesians, Jews and Poles. In 1884, 36 Jewish Zionist delegates met here, forming the Hovevei Zion movement. Previously part of the Beuthen district, in 1873 it became the capital of the new Kattowitz district. On 1 April 1899, the city was separated from the district, becoming an independent city.

Under the Treaty of Versailles after World War I, the Upper Silesia plebiscite was organised by the League of Nations. Though Kattowitz voted 22,774 to remain in Germany and 3,900 for Poland, it was attached to Poland as the district in which it was located voted 66,119 for Poland and 52,992 for Germany. Following the Silesian Uprisings (1918–21) Katowice became part of the Second Polish Republic with some autonomy (Silesian Parliament as a constituency and Silesian Voivodeship Council as the executive body).

The city was occupied by Nazi Germany between 1939-1945.



In 1953, after death of the General Secretary of the KPSU generalissimus Iosif Stalin the City of Katowice was renamed Stalinogród ("Stalin City", like a lot of cities in that time e.g. Staliniri, but originally named after I.V. Stalin death) by the Polish United Workers' Party comrades' government to honor the passing of the Soviet dictator, but the new name was never accepted by the population and in 1956 the former name was restored.

Severe ecological damage to the environment occurred during the post-Second World War 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.

Due to economic reforms, there has been a shift away from heavy industry, and towards small businesses.

Geography
Katowice is in the Katowice Highlands, part of the Silesian Highlands, in the eastern part of Upper Silesia, in the central portion of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. Katowice is an urban community in the Silesian Voivodeship in south-west Poland. It is central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis — a metropolis with a population of two million. It borders the cities of Chorzów, Siemianowice Śląskie, Sosnowiec, Mysłowice, Lędziny, Tychy, Mikołów, Ruda Śląska and Czeladź. 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. Within 600 km of Katowice are the capital cities of six countries: Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Bratislava, Budapest and Warsaw.

Climate
The climate is oceanic. The average temperature is 8.2 °Celsius (-1.5 °C in January and up to 18 °C in July). Yearly rainfall averages at 608.5 mm. Characteristic weak winds blow at about 2 m/s from the west, the Moravian Gate.

Cityscape
Katowice was hardly hit by both First and Second World War, contrary to other Polish cities (most notably the Polish capital - Warsaw), therefore it enjoys a great amount of prewar architecture. Its wide range of architectural styles reflects the consecutive waves of urban development, changing political doctrines and mobile society.

Katowice is mostly known for its modernism, both pre- and postwar. The creation of Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship in 1922 caused a large demand for comfortable upper middle-class housing and administrative buildings. The most famed of those buildings was the Silesian Congress, completed in 1929. The majority of prewar investments were concentrated in the area south of the train station, creating an unique and large neighborhood. After the war, the second wave of modernism was associated with the socialist ideology. Since 1960s, the whole new city center was built north to the old downtown. It is filled with large, wide avenues, enormous housing blocks (most notably Superjednostka, inspired by Le Corbusier's Unité d'Habitation), skyscrapers and the Spodek arena.

Giszowiec district in East Side is worth noticing as a great example of a 19/20th century garden city. Unfortunately, parts of Giszowiec were destroyed in 1970s to make space for Soviet-style housing blocs. The neighboring district of Nikiszowiec is a famous miners' town, with characteristic Upper Silesian housing blocs.

Demographics
Katowice's demographic situation is similar to other post-industrial cities in Europe and Northern America. After decades of population growth, a drastic shift has taken place. Katowice's population peaked in 1987 at 368,621 and has shrank to 307,233 in 2012 since. Of that, 14.4 percent is 17 or younger, 63.8 percent is 18-64 years old and 21,8 percent is 65 or older. This decline is caused by both suburbanization and negative natural population growth.

Metropolitan Area


Katowice lies in the centre of the largest conurbation in Poland, one of the largest in the European Union, numbering about 2.7 million. Urban expansion boomed in the 19th century thanks to the rapid development of the mining and metallurgical industries. The Katowice urban area consists of about 40 adjacent cities and towns, the whole Silesian metropolitan area (mostly within the Upper Silesian Coal Basin) over 50 cities/town. The metropolitan area has a population of 5,294,000.

In 2006, Katowice and 14 adjacent cities united as the Upper Silesian Metropolis. Its population is 2 million and its area is 1,104 km2. In 2006-2007 the union planned to unite these cities in one city under the name "Silesia", but this proved unsuccessful.

Politics
Katowice is a seat of local government

Culture
Notable attractions include:
 * Silesian Theater
 * Cinema City - Punkt rozrywki 44 (13 halls)
 * Cinema City - Silesia City Center (13 halls)
 * Silesian Museum



Music

 * Silesian Philharmonic
 * Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
 * KAT
 * Paktofonika
 * Kaliber 44
 * Koniec Świata
 * Metalmania
 * Odjazdy

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 International - Katowice
 * Nowy Przegląd Katowicki

Festivals and events

 * Rawa Blues Festiwal - Spodek
 * Metalmania - Spodek
 * Metal Hammer Festival - Spodek
 * Off Festival
 * Mayday - Spodek
 * International Competition of Conductors by Fitelberg
 * International Festival of Military Orchestras
 * International Exhibition of Graphic arts "Intergrafia"
 * Tauron New Music Festival

Parks and squares

 * Main parks:


 * Silesian culture and refreshment park (Wojewódzki Park Kultury i Wypoczynku)
 * Kościuszko Park (Park im. Tadeusza Kościuszki)
 * Forest Park of Katowice (Katowicki Park Leśny)
 * Valley of Three Ponds (Dolina Trzech Stawów)
 * Zadole Park
 * Bolina Park
 * Janina-Barbara Park
 * Szopienice-Borki
 * Olympic Participants' Park (Park Olimpijczyków)
 * Murckowska Valley
 * Square:


 * Katowice market square (Rynek w Katowicach)
 * 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 areas

 * Nature reserve Las Murckowski
 * Nature reserve Ochojec
 * Szopienice-Borki
 * Źródła Kłodnicy
 * Staw Grunfeld
 * Stawy Na Tysiącleciu
 * Płone Bagno

Architecture


Katowice did not originate as a medieval town. The city centre was formed in the mid-19th century when it was part of the Kingdom of Prussia and had an ethnic German majority. The buildings of the time are decorated in an eclectic style (mostly Renaissance with elements of Baroque) and elements of Art Nouveau style (secesja). By the end of the nineteenth century the centre was being referred to as a "little Paris", which may surprise visitors today,

Examples of Modernism (International Style and Bauhaus inspired architecture) are in the city centre, and a significant number of Art Nouveau (Secesja) buildings along with Communist Era giants such as Spodek and Superjednostka.

Rynek is the old centre and marketplace. Unfortunately many old buildings were demolished in the 1950s to make space for monumental communist modern buildings. Rynek and several streets around are closed to traffic as a shopping promenades.

Tourist attractions





 * Market square and adjacent streets: Warszawska, Teatralna, Dyrekcyjna, Staromiejska, Dworcowa, św. Jana, Pocztowa, Wawelska, 3 Maja, Stawowa, Mielęckiego, Starowiejska and Mickiewicza, the so-called "Great Market Square of Katowice" or "Old town of Katowice" — many historic (monument) buildings. This is a group of functional-architectural. On the market square and most of the above-mentioned streets are prohibitions or restrictions on cars. Streets: Staromiejska, Dyrekcyjna, Wawelska, Stawowa and Warszawska is lined decorative cobblestone creating a pedestrian zone. The authority plans to Katowice — Quarter streets: św. Jana, Dworcowa, Mariacka, Mielęckiego, Stanisława and Starowiejska is to become so "small market square".


 * Nikiszowiec - historical settlement of Katowice, candidate to UNESCO
 * Cathedral of Christ the King
 * St Mary's Church
 * Church of the Resurrection, Evangelical-Augsburg, built in 1856-1858
 * Church of St Michael Archangel, the oldest church in the city, built in 1510
 * Drapacz Chmur, one of the first skyscrapers in Europe
 * Silesian Parliament, built in 1925-1929. For a very long time it was the biggest structure in Poland


 * Modernist Old-Town


 * Spodek is a large sports centre/concert hall, whose name translates as the 'saucer', from its distinctive shape resembling a UFO flying saucer


 * Silesian Insurgents Monument (Polish: Pomnik Powstańców Śląskich), the largest and heaviest monument in Poland. It is a harmonious combination of architecture and sculpture with appropriate symbolism: the wings symbolize the three Silesian Uprisings 1919 - 1920 - 1921 while the names of places that were battlefields are etched on the vertical slopes. The monument, which was funded by the people of Warsaw for Upper Silesia, is considered Katowice's landmark.
 * Silesian Theater, built in 1907
 * Rialto Cinetheater, built in 1912
 * Silesian Museum, built in 1899
 * Old train station in Katowice, built in 1906
 * The Goldstein Palace
 * The Załęże Palace
 * Parachute Tower - a 50 m tall lattice tower built in 1937 for training parachutists. It was used in the first days of World War II and is the only parachute tower in Poland.

Other:
 * Franciscan Monastery in Panewniki
 * Church of St Joseph (Załęże)
 * St Stephen's Church
 * Church of Christ Resurrection
 * The Monument to Marshal Piłsudski by Croatian sculptor Antun Augustinčić, 1937-39. It was commissioned in 1936 but brought to Poland in 1991
 * Monopol Hotel
 * Katowice Rondo, the large square/roundabout, reconstructed recently, with the semi-circular Galeria Rondo Sztuki in the centre.
 * The Altus Skyscraper, the tallest skyscraper

Economy


Katowice is a large coal and steel center. 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).

Katowice is a large business and trade fair center. 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. The newest office buildings (A-class) are the Chorzowska 50, Altus Skyscraper and Silesia Towers (under construction).

Katowice is the seat of Katowice Special Economic Zone (Katowicka Specjalna Strefa Ekonomiczna).

The unemployment rateis one of the lowest in Poland, at 2% (2008). The city is still characterized by its working class strength and attracts many people from neighbouring cities (other districts USMU seeking jobs.

The average monthly salary is the highest in Poland — about 4222,52 zł ($~1,220), in Warsaw about 4135,93 zł ($~1,200).

Education


Katowice is a large scientific centre. It has over 20 schools of higher education, at which over 100,000 people study.

There are also:
 * around 80 high schools
 * around 35 gimnasia
 * around 55 primary schools
 * around 50 libraries, including the Silesian Library

Public transport


The public transportation system of the Katowice and Upper Silesian Metropolis consists of four branches — buses and trams united in the KZK GOP and the regional rail. Additional services are operated by private companies and the state-owned railways.

Silesian Interurbans - one of the largest tram systems in the world, in existence since 1894. It spreads for more than 50 km (east-west) and covers 14 districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolis.
 * Trams


 * Buses

Roads

 * European route E40 (France - Belgium - Germany - Poland - Ukraine - Russia - Uzbekistan - Kazakhstan)
 * European route E75 (Vardø, Norway - Finland - Poland - Slovakia - Hungary - Serbia - Macedonia - Crete, Greece)
 * European route E462 (Czech Republic - Poland)
 * Motorway A4 (German/Polish border – Wrocław – Katowice – Kraków – Rzeszów – Polish/Ukrainian border)
 * National road 79
 * National road 81
 * National road 86

Several important roads in neighbourhoods of Katowice (USMU):
 * Motorway A1 (Gdańsk – Toruń – Łódź – Gliwice – Polish/Czech border)
 * Expressway S1
 * National road 11
 * National road 44
 * National road 78
 * National road 88
 * National road 94

Airports


The city and the area are served by the Katowice International Airport, about 30 km from the city center. With over 20 international and domestic flights daily, it is by far the biggest airport in Silesia (~2,5 million passengers served in 2008; 2 terminals, A and B).

Because of the long distance to the airport, there is a proposal to convert the much closer sport aviation Katowice-Muchowiec Airport into a city airport for smaller, business-oriented traffic.

Railways
The first railway (the Upper Silesia Railway, in Polish: Kolej Górnośląska; in German: Oberschlesische Eisenbahn) reached the area in 1846. Katowice is one of the main railway nodes and exchange points in Silesia and in Poland. It is one of the main transport hubs for the Polskie Koleje Państwowe (Polish State Railways) in Poland (the most important one being Warsaw). Katowice Central Station was demolished recently, and a new station is under construction. Trains run to almost every major city in Poland and Europe.

Sports
Katowice has a long sporting tradition and hosted the final of EuroBasket 2009 and 1975 European Athletics Indoor Championships, 1975 European Amateur Boxing Championships, 1976 World Ice Hockey Championships, 1957, 1985 European Weightlifting Championships, 1974, 1982 World Wrestling Championships, 1991 World Amateur Bodybuilding Championships, 2011 Women's European Union Amateur Boxing Championships, 2014 FIVB Men's World Championship and others.

The Silesian Stadium is between Chorzów and Katowice. It was a national stadium of Poland, with more than 50 international matches of the Poland national football team played here and around 30 matches in UEFA competitions. There were also a Speedway World Championship, Speedway Grand Prix of Europe and many concerts featuring international stars.

Tourists can relax playing tennis or squash, doing water sports also sailing (for example — in Dolina Trzech Stawów), horse-riding (in Wesoła Fala and Silesian culture and refreshment park), cycling or going to one of numerous excellently equipped fitness clubs. Near the city center are sporting facilities like swimming pools (for example "Bugla", "Rolna") and in neighbourhood — golf courses (in Siemianowice Śląskie).

Sports clubs

 * 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 of Poland: 1927; champion of Upper Silesia: 1907, 1908, 1909, 1913, 1922, 1932, 1945
 * AZS AWF Katowice - various sports, women's handball team playing in Polish Women's Handball Superleague, men's basketball team playing in Second league, fencing section - a lot of medals in the Polish Championship
 * Naprzód Janów Katowice - hockey club playing in Polish Hockey Superleague, vice-champion of Poland (5x): 1971, 1973, 1977, 1989, 1992; bronze medal (7x): 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1987; Polish Cup (1x): 1970.
 * AZS US Katowice - various sports, a lot of medals in the Polish Championship in various sports
 * HKS Szopienice - various sports, a lot of medals in the Polish and Europe and World Championship in weightlifting
 * Silesia Miners - American football club playing in Polish American Football League, Polish champion in 2009, vice-champion in 2007
 * Jango Katowice - futsal club playing in Polish Futsal Superleague; Polish Cup (1x): 2007; bronze medal Polish Championship (2x): 2001, 2007
 * Rozwój Katowice - football club playing in Polish Third League
 * MK Katowice - football club playing in Polish Fourth League
 * Hetman Szopienice - chess club, a lot of medals in the Polish Championship
 * Sparta Katowice - various sports, a lot of medals in the Polish Championship in various sports
 * Policyjny Klub Sportowy Katowice - various sports, a lot of medals in the Polish Championship in various sports
 * AWF Mickiewicz Katowice - basketball club
 * Silesian Flying Club (Aeroklub Śląski)

Defunct sports clubs:
 * Diana Kattowitz - football club
 * Germania Kattowitz - football club
 * KS Baildon Katowice - various sports, a lot of medals in the Polish Championship in various sports
 * Pogoń Katowice - various sports, a lot of medals in the Polish Championship in various sports

Sports events

 * 1975 European Athletics Indoor Championships
 * FIVB World League 2001
 * FIVB World League 2007
 * Eurobasket 2009
 * Tour de Pologne 2010
 * BNP Paribas Katowice Open
 * EMS One Katowice CS:GO Championship 2014
 * IEM Katowice League of Legends and StarCraft 2 Championship 2014

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 (1923–2010), Orthodox rabbi
 * Kazimierz Kutz (born 1929), film director and politician
 * Waldemar Świerzy (born 1931), artist, illustrator and cartoonist
 * Wojciech Kilar (born 1932), classical and film music composer
 * Henryk Górecki (1933–2010), classical composer
 * Henryk Broder (born 1946), journalist
 * Jerzy Kukuczka (1948–1989), alpine and high altitude climber

Twin towns — Sister cities
Katowice is twinned with: