Modern face of Katowice

Although we have already been in Katowice, we did not manage then to visit the modern city center. So this time I will show you the contemporary cultural area of the Upper Silesia capital.

When you ask anyone in Poland about the first idea that comes to their minds when they hear of Katowice they will tell you about coal mining. It is absolutely true, but due to climate influence part of the mines has been already closed and the main one, the Katowice Coal Mine, was changed into a museum.

The highest and the most important building of the Silesian Museum is the Warszawa mine shaft.

It has been converted into an observation deck. Unfortunately, it is closed in winter time. The surrounding buildings contain industrial history exhibition.

More modern buildings contain a huge art collection. On this map you can locate all the buildings of the Silesian Museum.

Just next to the museum there is another cultural temple - Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra itself was created in 1935 and revived just after Second World War. Its contemporary seat was founded in 2012 and completed in 2014. It contains a main concert hall with a seating capacity of 1800 and a smaller one for 300 guests. It is among the largest and most modern music venues in Poland and the world. The building was designed by Polish architect Tomasz Konior and his team, while the acoustics of the concert hall were designed by world-renowned Japanese acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota. 

Just a few hundred meter further one can find another architectural symbol of the city - Spodek. In Polish it means a saucer, which refers to a flying saucer since its iconic shape resembles a UFO. The architects of Spodek, designed it as one of the first major structures to employ the principle of tensegrity. The roof uses an inclined surface held in check by a system of cables holding up its circumference.

Spodek was built from 1964 till 1971, and as described above, was given to the Polish Nation in 50th anniversary of the Third Silesian Uprising. It can hold around 11,500 people and until 2014 was the biggest indoor venue in Poland . It hosted world championships in ice hockey, volleyball, handball, WTA tenis tournaments and many music concerts.

The last symbol of Katowice on our path is the Silesian Insurgents' Monument. It was built to commemorate those who took part in the three Silesian Uprisings of 1919, 1920 and 1921, which aimed to make the region of Upper Silesia part of the newly independent Polish state after First World War.

The monument was unveiled on 1 September 1967. The wings symbolize the three uprisings, and the names of places where battles were fought are etched on the vertical slopes.

I hope that you have enjoyed our cultural trip of contemporary Katowice.

Katowice

Recently, I decided to visit another postcrossing friend of mine - Laura. Laura lives in Katowice and she runs a very interesting blog about her posctard collection.

Katowice is an industrial town in the South of Poland, in the region called Silesia. It is best known as a large coal and steel center. But it has also many cultural places of interest. Like the Silesian museum. It exhibits mainly ethnological and archaeological artefacts but you can see there also paintings of famous Polish painters like Stanisław Wyspiański or Olga Boznańska.

If you prefer moving arts, you may visit the cinetheater Rialto, the oldest in Silesia. You may have a virtual walk inside by using this link.

 Another option could be the Silesian Theater on the market square.

 Have you noticed construction works? They are everywhere! This was very unusual, as if the whole city was undergoing a kind of refurbishment. I went to see Spodek, the famous show and sports arena. And guess what I saw? Construction works again!

Katowice is also the center of education for the entire region. It has there very good high schools, e.g. the the famous High School of Adam Mickiewicz, located in a nice 19th century building.

And of course the Silesian University. Here you can see the Faculty of Philology. It is a building with a very interesting history. Before the war it was the seat of some governmental office, during World War II it was the seat of the nazi police (gestapo) and after the war - the house of the Polish communist party.



Inside it looks probably like any other biulding of any university. Here you can see where the future librarians study.

In front of the Faculty of Filology, you will notice the monument of Wojciech Korfanty, a 20 century journalist and politician who faught for Silesia to become Polish after the First World War. He is very respected in the region.

Korfanty was a member of the Silesian Parliament, a governing body of the Silesian Voivodeship between the First and Second World War. The building houses now the regional government of Silesian region.

They did not let me in saying that the odd-toed ungulates are not admitted! Well, after all pigs are even-toed ungulates. And you know what the say of polititcians ...

Finally, I was lucky to meet some more postcrossers who came for Touristic Fairs.

I guess you will not be surprised that they were not really interested in travelling. Here you can see what Laura brought home from the fairs (believe it or not but Agata had even more).

For me the most important memory for the Fairs was the dinosaur ride!

Yeah! Rick the Dinosaur Whisperer!

Thanks a lot Laura. This was a great trip!