Going to any new city is always exciting and even more so when you do a little research before arrival. If you are planning on visiting Katowice, we would highly recommend doing a city tour and learning about the city.
Here are a few interesting fun facts about Katowice…
1. Where is Katowice? Katowice is in the largest city in the Silesian region which is in South Poland.
2. Spodek in Polish means Saucer and this is the name given to the city’s super multipurpose arena complex. The complex opened in 1971 is shaped like a flying saucer or UFO.
3. Katowice is well known nationally for large expensive architectural hits and misses. The Centre of Congress structure is another example of a building that only the future will tell if it was an inspiring architectural marvel… or not.
4. In terms of industry, Katowice is Poland’s main industrial hub producing all manner of chemicals and machinery. This is the reason it is known as the grey city.
5. Are you a big reader? Among the many interesting museums, you’ll find the Zygmunt Szkocny Museum which houses the smallest book in the world.
6. Did you know Katowice was, in 1884 the site of the first conference for Ḥoveve Tsiyon (Lovers of Zion) – a pre-Zionist Jewish nationalist movement.
7. Did you know on the 11th December 2015, Katowice was the first city in Central and Eastern Europe to be recognised by UNESCO as a City of Music. They are now mentioned alongside musically inspiring cities like Kingston in Jamaica and Salvador in Brazil
8. Although referred to as the grey city, the urbanised city of Katowice is actually covered by 42% forests and 15% agricultural land. Maybe it should be called the Green city… just a thought.
9. Katowice houses on of the most modern concert halls in the Europe. The NOSPR or Narodowa Orkiestra Symfoniczna Polskiego Radia
10. There is a museum in Katowice that used to be an Old Silver Mine. The route is 1700 metres, taking place 40 metres underground. It takes almost 2 hours to complete with large portions on an old mining train.
For more information about traveling to Katowice in Poland or any of our other cities, please contact the main office.
