Route 1 A w A lk through the City Centre

Route 1 A w A lk through the City Centre

A walk through the City Centre - route 1
1
14 Cemetery at Francuska Street – one of most important necropolises in
the city. The cemetery is divided into evangelical and catholic parts. Numerous
historical graves are worthy of attention. Among others, the following were
buried here: Wojciech Korfanty, Jerzy Ziętek, and Konstanty Wolny.
2
15 Bolesława Chrobrego Square with a monument of Marshall Józef
Piłsudski. The place of the Silesian Museum, demolished during World War II.
Rynek with a view of the “Spodek” Entertainment-Sports Arena, the
best recognisable symbol of the city. We invite you to the Tourist Information
Centre at Rynek 13, where it is possible to rent - free of charge - audioguides.
The “Ateneum” Puppet and Actor Theatre – a historical tenement
house from 1896, at 10, św. Jana Street. In the past the Freifer, the Residenz
and the Wypoczynek hotels were seated in the building.
3
The Stanisław Wyspiański Silesian Theatre – a Neoclassical building
erected in 1909 (designed by Carl Moritz). The largest dramatic stage in Upper
Silesia. Among others, G. Holoubek and T. Łomnicki performed here.
4 The Silesian Museum (branch) in the building in the former Grand
Hotel dating back to 1898. Since 2015 the main building of the Museum is
situated in the Zone of Culture, behind the Spodek.
5
The “Spodek” Entertainment-Sports Arena – constructed in 1971, up
to date it is recognisable in the whole country due to its unique architecture; it
is a symbol of Katowice. Because of recent thorough modernisation it is still
astonishing by its modernity. The largest sport events, fairs and concerts take
place here. Since 2015 it has been combined with the International Congress
Centre.
16 The building of Sejm Śląski /Silesian Parliament/ – erected in the years
1925-1929 as the office of Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship authorities. Its
monumental body, decorated with national motifs, was to symbolise the
power of the reborn Republic. In 2012 the edifice was entered into the list of
History Monuments (the second in Katowice, after the Nikiszowiec housing
estate). Inside, among others, a unique lift referred to as „pater noster”. In
front of the building - a monument of Wojciech Korfanty.
17 Katowice Garden City - the Krystyna Bochenek Institution of Culture.
The venue of concerts and important cultural events.
18 The Faculty of Philology of the University of Silesia – the building
was erected in 1937 as the office of Not-Combined Authorities. Before World
War II there was a low relief on the façade, presenting an eagle inscribed within a circle, by Stanisław Szukalski.
6
19 Villa “Korfantówka” (1909), hidden in a garden – the place where
Wojciech Korfanty lived, the dictator of the 3rd Silesian Uprising, member of
Parliament, an outstanding Silesian politician.
7
20 The Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King – constructed in the
years 1927-55. It was visited, inter alia, by St. John Paul II (1983) and by cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (1980), who founded a mosaic for the Holy Sacrament
Chapel. The Chapel of St. Barbara houses an altar from a coal solid, and memorial plaques. The largest cathedral church in Poland.
The Neo-Romanesque Church of Augsburg Confession, Evangelical the Church of Our Lord Resurrection, from 1858. The first masonry church in
Katowice. Stained-glass windows in the chancel were founded by the TieleWinckler family, founders of the city.
The Holy Mary Church – the church of the Immaculate Inception of
the Holy Mary in a Neo-Gothic style is the oldest masonry catholic church in
Katowice. The oil paintings - by Józef Unierzyski - a son in law of Jan Matejko.
8 Mariacka Street – a promenade being the centre of Katowice culturalentertainment life, the favourite meeting place for the youth.
9 The Monopol Hotel – constructed in 1902. It was the venue of Jan Kiepura wedding reception. It was visited among others by Artur Rubinstein,
Karol Szymanowski, Charles de Gaulle, Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński, and Woody
Allen.
10 The first in Silesia “Rialto” cinema-theatre built in 1912 by Martin
Tichauer. Now it belongs to the Network of Art and Local Cinemas.
11
The Museum of Katowice History – 9, ks. J. Szafranka Street, Permanent
exhibitions: “In a tenement house” and “From the Katowice history”.
12
The building of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music erected
in 1889. The oldest higher school in Upper Silesia. An example of a complex
combining historical architecture with modernity. The Neo-Gothic building
was connected by a spacious atrium with a modern building designed by Tomasz Konior. It houses, inter alia, a concert hall, a library and a restaurant.
21 Karola Miarki Square is a kind of dendrologic attraction. Yellow buckeye, honey-locust, Japanese cherries, black locusts, snow berries, and mock
oranges are growing here. The square is surrounded by historical tenement
houses and in the square there is a monument of Stanisław Moniuszko.
22 The new building of Silesian Museum – its substantial part is situated
underground; not only exhibitions are organised there, but also concerts, conferences and workshops.
23 International Congress Centre – a multifunction facility, the venue of
European Economic Congress as well as of other conferences, concerts, sport
events and banquets; houses 15,000 persons.
24 The concert hall of the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra – the
building constructed acc. to the world standards in cooperation with a Japanese acoustic laboratory; performers included Krystian Zimmerman and the
Vienna Philharmonic.
through the City Centre
13 The Silesian Library – a voivodeship public library of scientific status,
a vibrant cultural centre. Since 1999 it has been awarding the Silesian Literary
Laurel for the best book of the year.
A walk
Katowice is a city of dynamic transformations, which can offer a lot. Musical and sport events, interesting and unique on the national scale, make only
a part of a rich city offer, which is the administration, academic and cultural
heart of the Silesian voivodeship. It is also worth learning about its interesting and diversified architecture. To see it - we invite for a walk through the
Katowice city centre.
Route 1
THE CITY CENTRE route 1
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5
2
SPODEK
24
22
NOWA SIEDZIBA
MUZEUM ŚLĄSKIEGO
4
3
2
Railway
station
6
1
9
20
7
8
10
11 12
21
i
15
18
Tourist Information Centre
40-003 Katowice, Rynek 13
17
12
20
16
14
phone +48 32 259 38 08
e-mail: it@katowice.eu
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Translated by: Jerzy Wróblewski
Key:
1 Rynek (Market Square)
2 The „Ateneum” Puppet and Actor
Theatre
3 The Stanisław Wyspiański
Silesian Theatre
4 The Silesian Museum
5 The “Spodek” Entertainment-Sports Arena
6 Protestant church
7 The Holy Mary Church
8 Mariacka Street
9 The Monopol Hotel
10 „Rialto” cinema-theatre
11 The Museum of Katowice History
12 The Academy of Music
13 The Silesian Library
14 Cemetery at Francuska Street
15 Bolesława Chrobrego Square
16 The Building of Silesian
Parliament
17 Katowice Garden City - the
Krystyna Bochenek Institution of
Culture.
18 The Faculty of Philology of the
University of Silesia
19 Villa „Korfantówka”
20 The Metropolitan Cathedral of
Christ the King
21 Karola Miarki Square
22 The new seat of the Silesian
Museum
23 The International Congress Centre
24 The concert hall of the National
Symphonic Orchestra of Polish Radio