Katowice
Getty Images/iStockphoto
Overview
Katowice (kah-to-vee-tseh) is the largest constituent of the so-called Upper Silesian Urban Area, a vast conurbation with a population approaching three million. Built on coal wealth, the rural village that once snoozed here exploded into a modern industrial city in the 19th century.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
Katowice
A symbol of Katowice's transition from a centre of heavy industry to one of culture, the Silesian Museum sits in an ingeniously repurposed coal mine in…
-
Museum of Katowice History at Nikiszowiec
Katowice
This branch of Katowice's museum, an ethnographic exploration of working-class and industrial life in Upper Silesia, lies in the distinctive suburb of…
-
Katowice
With a base measuring 89m by 53m, this is Poland's largest cathedral. Erected between 1927 and 1955, the neoclassical sandstone basilica's progress was…
-
Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park
Katowice
This sprawling open-air museum contains scores of traditional wooden buildings spread over 20 hectares, representing architectural styles from Upper…
-
Katowice
In May 1940 popular British novelist PG Wodehouse, creator of the masterful valet Jeeves and his hapless employer Bertie Wooster, was captured by the…
-
Katowice
The city's central market square is not lined with historical burghers' houses as you’d find elsewhere in Silesia, but is instead encircled by drab…
-
Katowice
This impressive Gothic castle was first mentioned in surviving records in 1222, although some experts believe it's originally from the 12th century…
-
Katowice
This blocky, 14-storey, 60m-high apartment building was Poland’s tallest building from 1934 until 1955. Considered the purest example of functionalism in…
Build a memorable collection
Get to the heart of Katowice with one of our in-depth, award-winning guidebooks, covering maps, itineraries, and expert guidance.
-
Poland $24.99
-
Pocket Krakow $14.99
-
Pocket Warsaw $13.99
in partnership with getyourguide