Katowice (pronounce: Katowice.ogg, original former Polish name Kątowicze, 1953-1956 Stalinogród - "Stalin City", Czech Katovice, German Kattowitz) is an important city of the historical region of Upper Silesia in southern Poland on the Klodnica 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. Population 354,000 inhabitants (1999), with an metro area population of 3,487,000 inhabitants (2001).

History

The area around Katowice, Upper Silesia, was inhabited by ethnic Poles since the 10th century. It was ruled by the Silesian Piasts dynasty until the partitions of Poland in 1795. 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. Mainly inhabited by Poles, Katowice became part of the Second Polish Republic following the Silesian Uprisings throughout the Silesian region between 1918 and 1921.

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 smaller businesses .

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.

During 1953–1956 Katowice was named Stalinogród, which was an homage to the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, given by the totalitarian, communist authorities of Poland.

Modern landmarks

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 rebuild the old, classic town center. Several streets around the rynek and the rynek itself are now closed to traffic and have been made into a shopping promenades.

• Theatre of Stanislaw Wyspianski, a large theatre, situated next to the Rynek
• Rondo is the large square/roundabout, currently being reconstructed.
• Monument of the Silesian Insurrectionists (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 - 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.

Education

• Akademia Ekonomiczna im. Karola Adamieckiego (Karol Adamiecki's Silesian Academy of Economics)
• Górnośląska Wyższa Szkoła Handlowa im. Wojciecha Korfantego
  • Branch in Żory
• Śląska Akademia Medyczna (Silesian Medical Academy)
• Śląska Wyższa Szkoła Informatyki
• Śląska Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania im. Gen. Jerzego Ziętka
• Uniwersytet Śląski (Silesian University)
• Wyższa Szkoła Bankowości i Finansów
• Wyższa Szkoła Humanistyczna
• Wyższa Szkoła Techniczna
• Wyższa Szkoła Technologii Informatycznych
• Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania Marketingowego i Języków Obcych
• Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania Ochroną Pracy
• Wyższa Szkoła Umiejętności Społecznych in Poznań, branch in Katowice

Politics

Katowice constituency

Members of Parliament (Sejm) elected from Katowice constituency

• Blida Barbara, SLD-UP
• Błońska-Fajfrowska Barbara, SLD-UP
• Czechowski Włodzimierz, Samoobrona
• Gramała Aleksandra, SLD-UP
• Klimek Jan, SLD-UP
• Mateja Piotr, PO
• Nowak Maria, PiS
• Polaczek Jerzy, PiS
• Rzymełka Jan, PO
• Stępień Marian, SLD-UP
• Stryjak Cezary, SLD-UP
• Śleziak Czesław, SLD-UP
• Zagórny Rafał, PO

Municipal politics

to be written yet

Sports

• GKS Katowice - men football team (Polish Cup winner: 1986, 1991, 1993; Polish SuperCup winner: 1991, 1995; 1st league in season 2003/2004 and 2004/2005)

• 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.

Famous people from Katowice

• Jerzy Kukuczka

External links

• The Municipal Council of Katowice
• A webcam view of Katowice