KATOWICE - In Your Pocket

Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps
KATOWICE
N°16 - 5zł (w tym 8% VAT)
katowice.inyourpocket.com
ISSN 1899-0215
July - October 2012
& THE SILESIA
CONGLOMERATION
Autonomous
Silesia
Remembering
Katowice’s inter-war
glory days
Defending
Katowice
The youth take a stand

Mediterranean C uisine
Our restaurant can be found in the ALTUS BUILDING (QUBUS), FIRST FLOOR.
ul. Uniwersytecka 13, 40-007 Katowice
mobile +48 512 020 808, tel +48 (32) 603 01 91
katowice@viatoscana.pl, www.viatoscana.pl
Contents
Arrival & Transport 8
The Basics 13
Culture & Events 16
Where to Stay 20
Restaurants 26
Cafes 40
Nightlife 41
Despite imposing rather significantly upon the urban
landscape, the downtown Silesian Parliament complex
(pictured) causes precious few people to take pause
and ponder, “Wait a minute, here – Katowice has a
Parliament?” That it does, pedestrian. Or at least it did,
and we take a brief look back at the city’s short, but sweet
stint as the capital of a sovereign province on page 8.
Photo: UM Katowice, Marian Drygas
katowice.inyourpocket.com
CONTENTS
With Katowice among the goods that Germany was forced
to give up after WWI, it took Poland’s grabby neighbours
all of 18 years to recover and try to reclaim the region by
force, staging a mock attack on nearby Gliwice’s radio
tower (p.56) to justify their invasion of Polish Silesia on
September 1st. With the Polish army retreating east to
avoid entrapment and protect Kraków, the defence of
Katowice was left to an ill-equipped, inexperienced bunch
of upstart Silesian scouts. Their essentially suicidal
effort is remembered by this monument at Plac Obronów
Katowic (C-3) and we tell their tragic coming-of-age story
on page 9.
History 50
Sightseeing
Essential Katowice 51
What to See 52
Nikiszowiec & Giszowiec 62
Further Afield
Auschwitz 64
Leisure 66
Park of Culture & Recreation 68
Shopping 70
Directory 73
Maps & Indexes
Katowice Map 74
Chorzów Map 76
Gliwice Map 77
Zabrze Map 78
Regional Map 79
Street Indexes 80
Features & Listings Indexes 82
July - October 2012
3

4
FOREWORD
As resident editor of Katowice In Your Pocket, it’s
sometimes hard to imagine how people end up with this guide
in their hands. Perhaps you’re here on business, perhaps
you’re tracing your roots, perhaps you made a mistake
and meant to go that other Polish city that starts with a ‘K.’
Whatever the case, we’re glad you found us.
If this date with Katowice was a blind one, well, no, she didn’t
get her mother’s looks, but she may yet blossom. One of
Poland’s youngest, most rapidly developing cities, in historical
and aesthetic terms Katowice is still in her awkward,
acne-pocked adolescence. Hailing from a resource-rich
background, this blue-collar miner’s daughter and her siblings
in the surrounding region were raised on coal, concrete
and steel, and as a result some of Silesia’s most alluring
assets are the very factories, foundries, mineshafts and
mechanical wreckage that tourists weaned on the postcard
panoramas of nearby Kraków, Prague and Vienna may not
want to look at. Consequently, Katowice is a great place
for renegade tourists eager to get off the beaten path and
explore something a bit more modern, edgy, unpredictable,
at times unexplainable and absurd.
While the urban scar tissue of Katowice’s city centre may not
hold the charm of historic Old Towns elsewhere, Katowice’s
young history is nonetheless just as compelling. Building upon
the rather scholarly dissection of the Silesian Uprisings we
unveiled last issue (p.6), this issue we feature two historical
episodes that followed shortly thereafter – the region’s all-toobrief
era of autonomy (p.8), and Katowice’s amateur attempt to
defend itself at the outbreak of World War II (p.9). Read together,
pages 6-9 of this guide represent a rather comprehensive
account of the city’s proudest era – the interwar period.
As the city works hard to restore the sense of civic pride lost
since those days, signs of progress abound. That the city
continues its European Capital of Culture 2016 campaign
(seemingly oblivious to the fact that Wrocław has already
been bestowed the honour of ECC 2016) with a strategy called
‘Katowice – City of Gardens’ while its two urban centres – the
market square and train station – are both construction work
craters, only illuminates the charming absurdity of living here,
something not lost on the fun-loving locals. Clearly the city’s
rubble piles and rusting industrial debris are signs of greener,
greater days ahead. While we’re all holding our breath (and
our noses) for those days to arrive, however, IYP continues
to outline all the best mineshafts to tumble down, dive bars
to duck into, and local dishes to tuck in to. It’s all here in your
hands, so get a grip and go enjoy Katowice.
Publisher
WIYP Sp. z o.o.
ul. Paderewskiego 1, 81-831 Sopot
Company office & Accounts
Basia Olszewska
58 555 08 31
katowice@inyourpocket.com
www.inyourpocket.com
Printing CGS
Published 10,000 copies,
3 times per year
Maps
Agencja Reklamowa POD ANIOLEM
ul. Wenecja 26/5, 31-117 Kraków
tel./fax 12 421 24 48
agencja@pod-aniolem.com.pl
Katowice In Your Pocket
Editorial
Editor Garrett Van Reed
Research Manager Anna Hojan
Researchers Dorota Konkel, Aneta Roszak,
Maria Rulaff
Events Klaudia Mampe, Vaughan Elliott
Design Tomáš Haman
Photography All photographs In Your Pocket
(W.I.Y.P. Sp z o.o.) unless otherwise stated
Cover Archiwum UM Katowice
Sales & Circulation
Director: Małgorzata Drząszcz 606 749 676
Kraków/Katowice/Zakopane
Manager: Anna Szumniak 668 876 351
Warszawa/Łódź
Manager: Marta Ciepły 606 749 643
Wrocław/Poznań
Manager: Anna Wyrzykowska 606 749 642
Gdansk/Bydgoszcz
Manager: Bartosz Matyjas 58 555 98 18
Introducing
the new
In Your Pocket
iPhone App...
Download Europe’s best
city guides from itunes
Copyright notice
Text and photos copyright WIYP
1999/2012. Maps copyright
cartographer. All rights reserved. No part
of this publication may be reproduced
in any form, except brief extracts for
the purpose of review, without written
permission from the publisher and
copyright owner. The brand name In Your
Pocket is used under license from UAB
In Your Pocket (Vokieciu 10-15, Vilnius,
Lithuania tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76).
Editor’s note
The editorial content of In Your Pocket
guides is independent from paid-for
advertising. Sponsored listings are
clearly marked as such. We welcome all
readers‘ comments and suggestions.
We have made every effort to ensure
the accuracy of the information at the
time of going to press and assume no
responsibility for changes and errors.
katowice.inyourpocket.com

6
SILESIAN UPRISINGS
The Silesian Uprisings hold a special place in the Polish
national consciousness, but especially here in Katowice –
the city that most benefitted from the insurrectionary effort.
Formerly the German city of Kattowitz, the town played a key
role in the Uprisings and when it became incorporated into
Poland in 1922 the Polish government rewarded Katowice
by making it the autonomous capital of the newly acquired
territories. All of a sudden, what had been a dismal industrial
border-town was the capital of an autonomous province with
its own legislative body, treasury and Parliament. The good
times didn’t last, but the memories have. Today one of the
largest and most iconic monuments in Poland honours the
heroes of the Silesian Uprisings in downtown Katowice. To
see the truly colossal Uprisings Monument, take a tram to
Rondo Gen Ziętka (B-3). To learn the story behind it, read on.
Setting the Stage
Silesia has been at the geographic and political crossroads
of Europe throughout its entire history - a position which
has seen it sitting ambivalently on the borderlands of this
or that kingdom, or continually placed in the crosshairs
of various land-grabbing empires and nations throughout
history. Going back to the Middle Ages, the region was first
recorded in the history books as a Piast duchy in the late
13th century and was part of the Kingdom of Poland before
King Kazimierz the Great conscientiously spurned it; Silesia
then slipped under the Bohemian Crown in the 14th century,
who passed it like a kidney stone to the Habsburgs in the
16th century before Frederick the Great took a liking to it
and had a little mid-18th century war over the matter until it
was in his Prussian domain. By that time Silesia had passed
hands more than any other territory in Europe, and, as such,
developed a distinctly unique and diverse cultural make-up of
Polish, German, Bohemian, Austrian and Jewish influences,
including its own Silesian dialect of the Polish language
(though some argue it has its own distinct language). By the
time modern nations were being formed across Europe in the
wake of Napoleon, Silesia couldn’t be legitimately claimed
as the byrights homeland of any particular nation (though it
remained within German borders).
Silesia’s true political relevance didn’t begin to take shape
until the 19th century when the revelation spread that the
region was rich in natural resources, particularly coal, and it
developed into a hotbed of heavy industry which would largely
enable the German war machine during World War I. When the
Allies agreed to the reconstitution of the Polish nation in the
aftermath of the war, Silesia became a bone of contention
between the two countries where the local population was
an almost even split between Germans and Poles. In drafting
the Treaty of Versailles, the Allies sought to inflict territorial
losses on Germany and lands east of the Oder River,
particularly Upper Silesia which had a Polish ethnic majority,
were a natural choice. When the Allied intention appeared
in initial drafts of the treaty, the potential loss of Upper
Silesia sent shockwaves through Germany; widespread
unrest and even famine were predicted and the Germans
found an audience with their claim that the country’s war
reparations would be impossible to repay without the
resource-rich region creating revenue for the Rhineland. After
loud German protest, it was finally decided in 1918 that the
territorial matter would be decided democratically when a
mandated plebiscite took place in two years time; until then,
German administration and police would be left in place in
the region. The decision deeply disappointed Warsaw which
had expected the Silesian territories with a Polish majority
east of the Oder River would be incorporated into the new
Polish Republic without debate, and angered the regional
Polish community eager to escape discrimination in Germany.
With the political situation in Silesia extremely precarious,
it’s curious what the Allies expected to happen in those two
years before the plebiscite if not a lot of bickering turning
to bloodshed. The unrest that the Allies sought to avoid by
delaying a decision was already in place, exacerbated by
Allied inaction. Thanks to ‘Germanisation’ in the decades
before WWI and anti-Polish legislation during it, tensions
between Silesian Germans and Poles had been high since
well before the armistice and conflict seemed inevitable.
Both sides had formed citizen militias: German war veterans
created ‘Freikorps’ (Free Corps) specifically to terrorise Polish
activists, most of whom were engaged in their own Warsawsupported
conspiratorial organization, 'Polska Organizacja
Wojskowa' or 'POW' (Polish Military Organisation) – a
precursor to Polish intelligence. In addition to the tough guy
tactics, nationalist propaganda and rhetoric were prolific on
both sides. With the reconstitution of Poland – a country which
hadn’t been on the map for 123 years – Polish nationalism
was at an all time high, spurred locally by the impassioned
speeches of Wojciech Korfanty who encouraged Silesian
Poles to unite and seize control of the region in order to ensure
it would be incorporated into the Second Polish Republic.
The First & Second Uprisings
Tensions finally broke on August 15th, 1919 when rogue
German border guards murdered ten civilians in the
Mysłowice coal mine. Polish armed insurrectionists took
several small towns in the region and opened guerrilla
warfare in the countryside against the Weimar Republic
Provisional National Army as Polish miners across Silesia
went on strike. The uprising was short-lived however, as the
German Army quickly summoned a force of 61,000 troops
and easily broke the back of the uprising within ten days. In
response to the horrible reprisals that followed - as some
2,500 Silesian Poles were rounded up and either hanged
or executed by firing squad – in February 1920 an Allied
Plebiscite Commission composed of Italians, Frenchmen
and Brits was sent to Upper Silesia to try to keep the
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
peace. It was soon apparent however that the strength of
the coalition was not enough to establish order, a problem
aggravated by divided sympathies amongst the Allies
between the two sides. While the First Uprising had been
largely spontaneous and reactionary (and ineffective), a
second, slightly better organised uprising was staged one
year later on August 19th when most industrial cities in the
region were quickly captured by insurgents or paralysed
by strikes. Polish insurgents were able to seize control of
government buildings in the districts of Katowice, Pszczyna
and Bytom, and fighting spread throughout the region
before being slowly brought to an end through Allied military
involvement and diplomatic success in getting the two sides
to negotiate terms of a ceasefire. The Polish side succeeded
is dissolving the regional police force and creating a new one
which would be 50% Polish, as well as gaining admission into
local administrative positions; in return the dissolution of the
Polish Military Organisation was guaranteed, although this
never actually took place as the Poles slyly continued with
their secret intelligence operations. As you do.
The Third Uprising
During negotiations over the fast-approaching fixed date
of the dubious plebiscite to be held March 20th, 1921,
the Polish side lobbied hard to restrict voting to Silesian
residents only. However, the near-sighted western powers
didn’t see it that way and made anyone over 20 who was
born in Silesia eligible to vote in the plebiscite. The result
was an influx of some 200,000 Germans from outside the
region taking place in the crucial vote, which - when it finally
occurred – was questioned by the Allies and deemed to be
largely inconclusive, though that’s not what the numbers said.
The results which sat before them officially revealed 59.4%
in favour of Silesia remaining in Germany, and only 40.5% for
joining the new Polish Republic. Berlin was claiming it had won
the whole of Silesia, Warsaw was crying foul, and the Allies
seemed confused or perhaps forgetful as to why they held
the plebiscite in the first place. The conversation returned
to what to do with the crucial ‘Black Triangle’ of important
industrial cities east of the Oder – Katowice, Bytom and
Gliwice. The French remained preoccupied with weakening
their aggressive neighbour and unflaggingly supported
Silesia’s incorporation into Poland; the Brits and Italians
remained recalcitrant about reparations. Day 1,000 of the
debate was sounding a lot like Day 1.
Though the Allies continued their wheel-spinning spat over
the fate of the region, rumours spread that the pro-German
position would soon prevail and the Poles prepared for what
they perceived would be their last chance to seize control
of the region and force its incorporation into the Polish
Republic. To the fore came Wojciech Korfanty, a politician
turned revolutionary, well-known for his defence of Germany’s
Polish minorities and inspiring rhetoric. Able to quickly
organise a volunteer army of 40,000, Korfanty initiated the
Third Silesian Uprising on May 2nd, 1921 with the strategic
destruction of rail bridges, which essentially severed all
connections between Silesia and Germany, thus thwarting
the potential assistance of the German government to the
local Freiburg paramilitary units his men were now pitched
against (all official military troops had been removed from
Silesia by that time). Korfanty’s surprise offensive pushed the
small German forces he faced westward and by June 4th he
had crossed the Oder River and captured the strategic 400
metre-high hill of Annaberg from which he could apparently
dominate the entire Oder Valley. As the Germans spent the
next two weeks preparing a counter-offensive, Korfanty’s
insurgents essentially seized all of Upper Silesia and had
things well enough in hand to gain some diplomatic leverage
katowice.inyourpocket.com
SILESIAN UPRISINGS
with the Allied Commission. The Germans would eventually
engage Korfanty’s men in The Battle of Annaberg - the only
proper engagement during the Silesian Uprisings, which had
up to that point featured mostly skirmishes and positional
guerrilla battles – and what ensued was a crude battle of
epic inconclusiveness (a running theme through this story)
lasting several days with large numbers of senseless losses
on both sides. The Allied Commission meanwhile made a few
speeches condemning the Uprising, but generally did little to
curb the violence. In fact in-fighting within the Commission
actually led to the active prevention of Allied troops getting
involved in the conflict to benefit one side or the other.
That Korfanty thought his uprising was sustainable is highly
doubtful. Taking the opportunity for diplomacy while he was
still in a position of strength, Korfanty offered to withdraw
his men behind a demarcation line on the condition that
the released territory be occupied by Allied troops only, not
Germans. Essentially Korfanty’s strategy forced the Allies
to enter the conflict at a time when his uprising could be
perceived as a success, the Allies agreed to Korfanty’s
proposal and the move was later given credit for earning
a more favourable Polish result when national boundaries
were finally drawn. On July 1st British troops finally began
the advance into Upper Silesia that would produce a general
amnesty and withdrawal of all the weary combatants who
foolishly expected some sort of decision regarding the
territory to have already been made while they were doing
all of that killing and dying. None was forthcoming. Finally the
Allied Commission could agree on only one solution: pass
the decision on to the council of the League Of Nations. To
continue the comic diplomacy, the League Of Nations then
handed the matter over to an investigative committee of
four representatives, one each from the apparently much
more decisive countries of Belgium, Brazil, China and
Spain. Gathering their own data and conducting their own
interviews with Germans and Poles from Upper Silesia, in
October 1921 – after a mere six week investigation - the
crack committee came down with a decision. It was their
determination that the territory should be basically be split
down the middle following ethnic lines as much as possible.
The earth shook, stars exploded, an angel grew its wings…
and Katowice became part of Poland.
At the final tally, Poland had actually obtained less than a third
of the geographic territory, but it was generally considered to
be 'the good part.' Of 61 coal mines, 50 fell to PL; of the 37
furnaces, 22 to PL; of the 16 zinc and lead mines, 12 went to
Poland along with all the iron mines, and on and on. Germany
had lost the war and to Poland went the spoils. In addition to
Katowice, the main towns of Chorzów and Tarnowskie Góry
were also incorporated into Poland, all three of which had
very small to negligible German minorities. Although today it
may not seem like such a great outcome to the disappointed
tourist walking around downtown Katowice, the Silesian
Uprisings were considered a major success for Poland and
are today an extreme point of pride for Silesians.
July - October 2012
7

8
AUTONOMOUS SILESIA
Katowice’s Short-lived Golden Age
If you’ve poked around Katowice a bit, the notion of the city
having had some kind of Golden Age may sound a bit like
the farfetched fever dream of a desperate writer up late at
night. Be that as it may, you should have noticed the imposing
Parliament buildings on Plac Sejmu Śląskiego (Silesian
Parliament Square, E-3) during your grouse about town.
Yes, that’s right, Katowice – that same city we’ve all poked
fun at like the fat kid in the class photo – once held its very
own self-governing sessions. And it did it as a baby, no less.
Indeed, it was a mercurial rise for Katowice once the ball got
rolling, and the mills and drills got churning. A relatively remote
outpost of 100 homes, Katowice exploded into a prosperous
industrial town when a railway link was added in 1847, receiving
official city status shortly thereafter in 1897 (still some 700
years behind nearby Kraków). Following Germany’s defeat
in WWI just twenty years later, Upper Silesia was left on the
fence between Germany and Poland thanks to the unhappy
cohabitation of an equal number of Poles and Germans in the
area. With both countries vying strongly for the resource-rich
region, the Treaty Of Versailles shrugged its sloped shoulders
declaring it would be put to popular vote in two years’ time.
That was long enough for two Silesian Uprisings to break out
in favor of the area’s incorporation into the Second Polish
Republic, with a third occurring just after the tardy plebiscite.
The League Of Nations, scarcely reading the results, had seen
enough violence and split the region down the middle, with
Gliwice and Bytom falling on the German side and Katowice
becoming part of Poland. Then something unprecedented in
European legislation occurred (hold your breath)...
With the now-Polish half of Upper Silesia centered around
Katowice constituting a new Polish province, the Polish
Parliament in Warsaw passed an act on July 15th, 1920
giving the Silesian Voivodeship almost complete autonomy
– a situation unique to any other province in PL. The new
province would be entirely independent in its affairs, with
the exception of foreign and military policy, and would have
its own chief legislative body and treasury. Suddenly, having
only received designation as a city 23 years prior, Katowice
was promoted to the rank of Silesian capital and had its own
Parliament. Boom, like that.
After the fireworks fizzled and the champagne was flat, one
of the first resolutions of the new Silesian Parliament was
to build itself a Parliament complex in Katowice’s centre
where future Parliament resolutions could be passed and
pizza parties held. Choosing the project of Kraków-based
architects P. Jurkiewicz, L. Wojtyczno, K. Wyczynski and S.
Zelenski, the Silesian Parliament building was completed in
1929, and the government moved in after spending its first
seven years in the former Royal School of Building Crafts on
ul. Wojewódzka (D-3). The new complex covered an entire city
block between Jagiellońska, Reymonta, Ligonia and Lompy
streets (E-3), and was the largest structure in Poland until
Stalin built that big thing in Warsaw in 1955. Consisting of
a monumental four-wing main body housing the classical
assembly hall, the western side incorporates the main
entrance leading to a grand domed vestibule reminiscent of
a Renaissance palace decorated with the coats of arms of
the towns represented by the autonomous Silesian province.
More monumental buildings were erected alongside the
Parliament building in the 1930s, emphasising Katowice’s
importance as province capital. Among these were the House
of Nonaggregated Offices on Silesian Parliament Square,
the Syndicate of Polish Iron Works on ulica Lompy and the
original Silesian Museum on ulica Jagillońska (demolished
by the Nazis in 1940).
The Silesian Parliament Jan Mehlich
The interwar period was a golden age for Katowice, with the
Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship clicking on all cylinders.
Silesia was the wealthiest and most developed of all the Polish
provinces, thanks to its rich natural resources, numerous coal
mines and steelworks. Despite the province’s small size it
was also one of Poland’s major food producers with a highly
efficient agricultural industry. It’s population density and rail
density were also the highest in the country. Ironically, after
all the ‘what country are we in’ confusion following WWI, less
than a decade later a 1931 census claimed 92.3% of Silesia’s
population identified Polish as their mother tongue, making
the province the most ‘Polish’ in Poland. Just as surprising
(and suspicious) given its blue-collared, black-fingernailed
workforce, Silesia had the lowest illiteracy rate in the country at
just 1.5% compared to the national average of 23.1%. Further
evidence of Katowice’s forward march was the erection of
Poland’s first skyscraper – the famous Cloudscraper on ul.
Zwirki i Wigury (D-2) and the country’s first artificial ice rink.
Unfortunately World War II brought the party to an end, with
Hitler occupying the province and stripping it of its gold star.
After the war Silesia’s autonomy wasn’t reinstated, with the
then power-holding Polish Workers’ Party forcibly renouncing
the province’s special priveleges on May 6th, 1945 after
Katowice failed to take the hint. The Silesian Parliament
building now houses the offices of the Silesian Voivodeship,
but the feeling just hasn’t been the same since the censusdoctors
and the treasurer moved out. Many of the buildings
in the complex have now changed function, while many others
are occupied only by wistful memories of bygone days. The
squares around the Parliamentary complex have come along
nicely however, with the opening of one of the city’s best club
venues at Plac Sejmu Śląskiego 2 (Hipnoza) and the addition
of two large monuments in the 90s. A memorial to local hero,
Polish nationalist and organiser of the Silesian Uprisings –
Wojciech Korfanty – now stands outside the Parliament on
Silesian Parliament Square (E-3); and in the adjacent Plac
Bołesława Chrobrego stands a monument to ‘First Marshall’
Jozef Piłsudski, the domineering mustache in power during
that golden era when Katowice was granted its short-lived
status as Poland’s second capital. Sort of.
Piłsudski monument Jan Mehlich
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
The Katowice
parachute tower,
istockphoto.com
katowice.inyourpocket.com
Someone really ought to stick up for
Katowice. The butt of jokes across
the country and throughout this
guide, it was the butt end of a rifle
for Silesia during World War II, with
Katowice taking it in the chest. One
of Poland’s youngest metropolises,
lacking a cache of cultural treasures,
Katowice was essentially left to the
wolves when war broke out, as the
Polish Army back-peddled to sure
up their positions around Kraków.
While the shelling of Westerplatte on
September 1st, 1939 is recognised
as the first engagement of the
Second World War, what few people
realise is that Hitler actually started
that script here in Silesia a day earlier. Dressing his SS officers
as Polish soldiers, Hitler staged a mock attack on Gliwice’s
radio tower which lay just inside the eastern border of Germany
at the time. International journalists were rushed to the scene
and instructed to be outraged when they saw dead Dachau
concentration camps victims strewn about in Nazi uniforms,
giving the deranged Fuehrer justification for his invasion of
Poland the next morning. As the Schleswig- Holstein fired
artillery at fortifications outside Gdansk, Nazi troops were
already advancing into Silesia, bearing down from the north
and south in a well-orchestrated attack. To avoid entrapment
in the region, General Szylling - commander of the Kraków
army - retreated east on September 2nd, leaving the defence
of Katowice to a ragtag team of volunteer citizens: haggard
partisans vetted in the Silesian Uprisings twenty years earlier
and pubescent Polish boy and girl scouts. One of the largest
organisations in the country in 1939, the scouts valiantly
came to the defence of Poland, making them the face of
Nazi resistance.
Dispatching themselves to the highest points in the city, the
scouts set up critical defence posts from which to await the
Germans and rain hellfire upon them. As the front ranks of
German General Neuling’s army approached Katowice from
the south on September 3rd, they were met with a spirited
resistance before even reaching Kościuszko Park. Stymied
by the rifle-wielding upstarts, the German troops spent the
night mending their egos until the morning. Upon the dawn
of September 4th, the scene had shifted and a steady
engagement of gunfire carried on around Plac Wolności (C-1/2)
with German troops being repelled from defensive positions on
nearby Gliwicka and Mikołowska streets. A noble and tenacious
effort it was, however the tide soon turned on the ill-equipped,
inexperienced and hopelessly outnumbered scouts. Camping
outside the centre seemed to have only refreshed the enemy,
redoubling their ranks and munitions, while the trembling scouts
were exhausted, cold and hungry atop their makeshift skyline
foxholes. First fell Plac Wolności. Then fell the Rynek. In fact by
noon on September 4th almost all of Poland’s underground
resistance had been rounded up and executed en masse.
Only the parachute tower in Kościusko Park remained as the
final outpost of Katowice’s independence. Exchanging fire with
German troops into the evening of September 4th, the tower
was finally destroyed when the foul-playing Germans used an
antitank gun to obliterate the whippersnappers. The tower
that stands in the park today is a 35 metre reconstruction
of the original 50 metre structure and the only parachute
tower remaining in Poland. The scouts’ heroic defence of the
position, suicidal as it was, grew so legendary it became the
popular subject of poems and songs. Today a granite obelisk
commemorates their brief but noble ascent into adulthood
atop that fabled tower, while another monument stands at Plac
Obronów Katowic (C-3).
DEFENDING KATOWICE
Wojciech Korfanty
A Polish national activist, journalist
and politician, Wojciech Korfanty
(April 20, 1873 - August 17, 1939)
achieved infamy as a paramilitary
leader during the Silesian Uprisings.
Born the son of a Polish
Silesian miner, in his early life
Korfanty studied philosophy, law
and economics at the University
of Breslau (Wrocław) becoming
involved in Polish nationalist circles as a young man and
joining the secret nationalist society “Z,” which resisted the
Germanisation of Upper Silesia’s Polish population in the
decades prior to World War I. In 1901 he became editorin-chief
of the Polish language paper ‘Górnoslązak’ (The
Upper Silesian) which he used to try to awaken the national
consciousness of the region’s Polish population. In 1903
Korfanty became Upper Silesia’s first Polish member of the
Reichstag (the German parliament) and used the position
to protect Germany’s Polish minority from discrimination
and urge them to move their political allegiances away from
the Catholic Church and towards the Polish national cause.
After World War I, Korfanty was one of the chief advocates
of joining Upper Silesia and other eastern German territories
to the new post-war Polish Republic. As diplomacy
failed Korfanty became one of the leaders of the Second
Silesian Uprising and the primary organiser of the Third
Silesian Uprising against German rule in Upper Silesia, for
which he was accused by Germans of organising terrorism
against the German population of Upper Silesia. The
revolts were successful in forcing the German authorities
to leave Upper Silesia and Korfanty was largely credited
by Poles for his role in the outcome when Silesia’s most
valuable industrial districts were granted to Poland after
the war, despite Poland losing the plebiscite vote meant
to determine the destiny of the territories.
After the war Korfanty was elected to the Polish Sejm
from 1922 to 1930, conversely defending the rights of
the German minority in Upper Silesia and opposing the
post-war autonomy of the Silesian Voivodship, which he
saw as an obstacle to its re-integration into Poland – the
very cause he had fought for. He became a political opponent
of Józef Piłsudski, who he considered a threat to
Polish unity, and after the May Coup that put Piłsudski’s
government in power he was arrested and tossed in the
Brest-Litovsk fortress with other political opponents
of the new regime. Forced to leave Poland in 1935 he
emigrated to Czechoslovakia and then France, but attempted
to return to Poland after Nazi Germany broke
with the Polish-German Non-aggression Pact, hoping
that the national threat would bring an end to domestic
political rifts. Those rifts remained and Korfanty was immediately
arrested upon entering the country. In August
1939, he was released from prison due to bad health and
died days later, only two weeks before the Nazi invasion
of Poland which began WWII; it is generally accepted
that the poor treatment he received in Polish prison accelerated
the failure of his health or directly caused his
death. Korfanty’s image was rehabilitated after WWII and
today he is remembered as a national hero. Those with
a fondness for irony should visit his monument in Katowice
on Plac Sejmu Śląskiego (E-3) outside the Silesian
Parliament building, the institution of which he strongly
opposed. Nearby on the same square is a monument to
Józef Piłsudski, the political opponent who orchestrated
Korfanty’s two arrests and political exile.
July - October 2012
9

10 ARRIVAL & TRANSPORT
The Train Station By Bus
Public Transport
As far as first impressions
go, Katowice has always
gotten itself off on the
wrong foot with visitors.
That was undoubtedly
the fault of the city train
station - a truly ghastly
abomination sheltering all
manner of strange smells,
dubious characters and
Visualisation of the train
station complex ©PKP
seriously bad juju, instantly giving credence to anyone’s
prior trepidation. Completed in 1972, this concrete
monstrosity was a textbook example of the architectural
trend aptly known as ‘brutalism’ and long divided
locals between those who despised it for being an ugly,
inefficient use of space, and those who regarded the
graceless building as a architectural artefact so unique it
should be forever preserved as a monument to bad taste.
Fortunately the former camp prevailed and designs were
approved for the complete reinvention of Katowice’s train
station. With total investment in the project estimated at
240 million Euros, the new station plans to handle 9 million
passengers per year with 520 trains running through
it every 24 hours. The development will incorporate a
large shopping complex and underground parking lot,
with additional shopping and entertainment venues on
Szewczyk Square. There will also be a re-routing of many
streets in the surrounding area in order to create a fully
integrated transport hub.
What this means for travellers is that the whole area is
going to be a major construction site until the station is
completed, something we’ve been assured won’t happen
in 2012. In the mean time the bulk of the main station
will be closed and a temporary train station (‘Dworzec
Tymczasowy’) within part of the existing complex will
be in use. This can be reached from Plac Oddziałów
Młodzieży Powstańczej (D-2) on the opposite side of the
station from the old main entrance and via Pl. Oddziałów
Młodzieży Powstańczej and ul. Tadeusza Kościuszki. In
the temporary station travellers can find all the same
facilities of the main building - cash machines, toilets,
ticket windows, etc. - albeit crammed into a much smaller
space. As such, we stress that those travelling from
Katowice by train should allow themselves some extra
time to deal with the potential for extended queues,
confusion and disorientation resulting from the construction
works. If pressed for time, remember that tickets
can be bought onboard the train from the conductor for
a small price mark-up.
The sole advantage of Katowice’s train station is its
location, right in the centre of town with taxis and buses
waiting just outside the entrance. Several direct trains
run daily between Kraków and Katowice, taking about
120 minutes to make the journey. It is also possible to
travel between the cities of the Katowice conglomeration
by local train: starting at 05:03 and running until 22:38,
trains run 2 to 3 times per hour from platforms 1 and 2;
the trip to Zabrze is about 25 minutes, to Gliwice 35 minutes.
Station departure boards (odjazdy) are indicated by
their yellow timetables while arrivals (przyjazdy) are white.
Katowice Train Station (Katowice Dworzec
Kolejowy) D-2, Pl. Oddziałów Młodzieży
Powstańczej 1, tel. (+48) 19 757, www.pkp.pl.
Q Open 24hrs. Note that due to system maintenance
seat reservations cannot be made from 00:00 to 01:30.
To call Katowice Bus Station (C-2, ul. Skargi 1) a bus station
is a bit of a misnomer. In reality travellers will find themselves
faced with a small tin shed; give a child ten minutes with
some Lego pieces and they are sure to construct something
more durable. It’s in here you’ll find a small waiting room, a
Eurolines counter and all departures (odjazdy) and arrival
times (przyjazdy) noted up on the board. Outside the few
departure lanes offer no shelter from the elements. At least
you find yourself in the heart of town: all you have to do is
walk forward and take a swift left turn at ul. Mickiewicza
(C-2) and within three minutes you’ll find yourself staring at
the principal main street, ul. Stawowa (C-2). You’ll have to
go further onto the Rynek (C-3) to find the nearest tourist
information point, however. While it doesn’t offer tickets or
phone cards, it does offer maps and advice and there is also
internet there. If you want to buy a phone card or to connect
to the Polish mobile network you’ll need to go to one of the
many kiosks dotted around. For info on local city buses see
Public Transport.
Bus Station (Dworzec Autobusowy Katowice)
C-2, ul. Skargi 1, tel. (+48) 32 258 94 65, www.pkskatowice.pl.
Q Ticket office open 06:15 - 17:45.
By Car
Poland is one of Europe’s leading nations in road fatalities,
a statistic that will surprise few who have had the pleasure
of using the roads here. A lethal combination of poor road
surfaces, networks unsuited to the volume of different traffic
and, most of all, frustrated and aggressive driver behavior
result in the common sight of mangled wrecks around the
country. Be cautious and keep a safe distance between
you and the vehicle in front. The speed limit in Poland is
generally50km/hr in cities (60km/hr between 23:00 and
05:00), 90km/hr outside urban areas, 120km/hron dual
carriageways and 140km/hr on motorways. All cars must
have their headlights
switched on at all times and carry a red warning triangle, first
aid kit, replacement bulbs, a national identity sticker and
proper registration and insurance documents. Poland also
has strict drunk-driving laws: 0.2% is the maximum blood/
alcohol limit, so forget about having even a single beer. You
can use your home driving license or an international driving
permit for six months from the entry date on your passport.
Carry your license and passport at all times when driving.
Katowice is a straight 75km drive west from Kraków along
the A4 highway, one of the better stretches of road in the
country, but it’s smooth asphalt doesn’t come free. Toll gates
can be found at either end at which you will need to pay 9zł
if driving a car. This brings you in on Al. Górnośląska (F-5).
The other major route in will bring you along route 79 onto
ul. Chorzowska (B-1). Driving around Katowice can be a bit
hellish for those uninitiated to the complexity of the city’s oneway
streets and the constant presence of roadwork, so we
recommend you ditch your vehicle at the earliest opportunity.
Car crime is not unheard of and you’ll be safest leaving your
ride in one of the guarded parking lots listed below. Street
parking is also available and generally operates under the
control of a local parking warden. He will be wandering along
his patch wearing a bib of some colour and will charge you
around 1.50zł per hour to park.
Guarded Parking ul. Wojewódzka, tel. (+48) 500
04 51 98.
Guarded Parking C-4, Al. Roździeńskiego 16 (Novotel
Katowice Centrum), tel. (+48) 32 200 44 44.
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
An extremely well developed system of trams and buses
operated by the wonderfully named KZK GOP provide a
simple and fast way of getting around Katowice and its
surrounding towns. The tickets for the network are valid
for both buses and trams. A three-zone system is used, of
which Katowice is in zone-one and Chorzów in zone-two.
Accordingly, a one-zone ticket is required for the former
and a two-zone ticket for travelling between the two. A
one-zone ticket costs 3.00zł and now also serves as
a 15min ticket allowing you to swap forms of transport
(bus to tram and onto a different tram for instance) within
that time period. A two-zone ticket costs 3.60zł and also
serves as a 30min ticket. There is also a three-zone/onehour
ticket available for 4.40zł. A 16zł 24hr ticket allows
travel within all three zones, though it’s hard to imagine
getting your money’s worth out of this without spending
the whole day on the tram. Okay, we admit, there’s not
much reason to get off.
Almost all travel within Katowice and Chorzów can be accomplished
using trams, most of which run through the
stop at the Rynek. Tram number 6 runs between the Rynek
and Chorzów via thePark of Culture & Recreation and is the
most useful tram for getting there and back. Tickets can
be bought from any kiosk, or from bright yellow machines
found at many tram stops around the city. Make sure you
validate your ticket when entering the tram or bus. The
penalty for riding without a validated ticket is 90zł (plus the
price of the ticket) on the spot.
Katowice Public Transport Company (KZK GOP),
tel. (+48) 32 743 84 46, www.kzkgop.com.pl.
The Airport
Katowice International Airport is located 34km north
east of Katowice in Pyrzowice, with frequent shuttle
bus connections to and from Katowice. Two terminals,
A and B, are situated side by side. Both feature spotless
toilets, money exchange counters, ATMs, refreshment
stops, pharmacy and car rental counters. There is an
airport information point on the ground floor of terminal
A. Phones can be found in terminals A and B and you
can buy cards for them at the Relay news kiosk there.
Taxis wait directly outside and can deliver you to Katowice
for 100-150zł. ‘Airport Bus Service’/’Matuszek’
shuttle service makes the same journey for only 25zł
(to Kraków for 50zł), and departure times from in front
of both terminals are coordinated with flight arrivals.
Dropping off at Pl. Andrzeja (D-2), you can pay cash to
the driver on the spot or book ahead on their website:
grey.turystyka.com.pl. ‘Pyrzowice Express’ is the
shuttle service bearing the Wizz Air logo, but they only
go to Katowice by request (Kraków for 55zł).
While the train station is under construction buses to
the airport will leave from Pl. Andrzeja behind the station
on the hour, every hour between 02:15 and 23:30.
Full schedules for flights, as well as other essential
travel information can be found at the user-friendlywww.
katowice-airport.com.
Katowice International Airport (Miedzynarodowy
Port Lotniczy Katowice) ul. Wolności
90, Pyrzowice, tel. (+48) 32 392 73 85, www.
katowice-airport.com.
katowice.inyourpocket.com
ARRIVAL & TRANSPORT
98
July - October 2012
11

12 ARRIVAL & TRANSPORT
Car Rental
Avis E-2, ul. Powstańców
12, tel. (+48) 32 257 20 71,
www.avis.pl. Avis is Poland’s
biggest car rental company and offers an complete
range of vehicles for rent throughout Poland. Also at ul.
Wolności 90, Pyrzowice (Airport), tel. (+48) 601 35 48
12. Open 08:00 - 00:30. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00, Sat
09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun.
Europcar B-2, ul.
Chorzowska 50, tel.
(+48) 32 209 57
45, www.europcar.
pl. Europcar offers a full range of vehicles from small
hatchbacks, through Mercedes and up to mini-bus and
vans. Check the website for additional offers. Also at ul.
Wolności 90, Pyrzowice (Airport), tel. (+48) 32 284 50
86, Open 09:00 - 23:30. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed
Sat, Sun. The offices can be staffed outside of these
hours for extra payment.
Joka C-3, Al. Korfantego
9 (Katowice Hotel),
tel. (+48) 32 350 14
50/(+48) 601 54 53 67,
www.joka.com.pl. A wide range of cars from the baby Ford
Fiesta to the spacious Audi A6. Satellite navigation systems
available. Order through the website for special rates. Q
Open 09:00 - 17:00, Sat 09:00 - 12:00. Sun open on request.
Dollar Thrifty Rent a Car ul. Gen. Jankego 15B, tel.
(+48) 662 20 82 08, www.dollar-rentacar.pl. Also at ul.
Gen. Jankego 15B, tel. (+48) 662 20 82 08, Open 08:00 - 17:00,
Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. Outside of these hours open on
request. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun.
Express A-1, ul. Chorzowska 107 (Silesia City Center),
tel. (+48) 12 197 79, www.express.pl. QOpen 10:00 -
21:00, Fri 10:00 - 22:00.
Hertz ul. Wolności 90, Pyrzowice (Airport), tel. (+48)
32 284 51 03, www.hertz.com.pl. Also at (C-3) Al. Korfantego
2, tel. (+48) 32 259 99 47. Open Mon - Fri 08:00 - 16:00.
Outside of these hours by request. Q Open 08:30 - 21:00,
Sat 09:00 - 15:30, 18:30 - 21:30, Sun 14:30 - 18:30, however
hours may fluctuate with flight schedules.
Taxis
Taxis are more honest than they were once were in Poland but
it still pays to be on your guard especially when getting into a
taxi at the main train station or airport. Make sure you choose
a clearly marked taxi with a phone number displayed as well
as a sticker showing its prices which you should find in the
window. Check the price with the driver before setting off and
make sure he turns his meter on. Taxis are now legally obliged
to give you a printed receipt for your journey. Most firms will
charge you 7zł to get in and then a further 3zł per kilometre
when travelling in the city. Travelling outside of city limits
and at night is likely to cost up to 50% more than normal.
Airport TAXI Service, tel. (+48) 784 84 68 66, www.
taxipyrzowice.pl.
City Taxi, tel. (+48) 32 203 77 77, www.citytaxi.katowice.pl.
Radio Taxi, tel. (+48) 32 191 91, www.taxi19191.com.
Tele-Taxi, tel. (+48) 32 196 21, www.tele-taxikatowice.pl.
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
Facts & Figures
Territory
Poland covers an area of 312,685 square kilometers
and is the ninth biggest country in Europe. It borders
the Baltic Sea (528km) and seven countries, namely
Belarus (416km), Czech Republic (790km), Germany
(467km), the mysterious Russian exclave of Kaliningrad
(210km), Lithuania (103km), Slovakia (539km) and
Ukraine (529km).
Longest River
The river Vistula (Wisła) is Poland’s longest river at
1,047km and flows through Krakow and Warsaw before
reaching the Bay of Gdańsk (Zatoka Gdańska).
Highest Point
The highest peak is Rysy (2,499m) in the Tatra Mountains
along the southern border with Slovakia. In comparison,
Katowice’s landscape rolls a bit more gently with the
city’s elevation between 266-352m above sea level.
Population (2010)
Poland - 38.200.037
Warsaw - 1.720.398
Kraków - 756.183
Łódź - 737.098
Wrocław - 632.996
Poznań - 551.627
Gdańsk - 456.967
Katowice - 306.826
Sopot - 38.141
Local time
Poland is in the Central European (CET) time zone
(GMT+1hr). When it’s 12:00 in Katowice it’s 05:00 in
Chicago, 06:00 in New York City, 11:00 in London, 12:00
in Paris and Berlin and 19:00 in Tokyo. Polish summer
time (GMT+2hrs) starts and ends on the last Sundays
of March and October.
Climate
Poland has a temperate climate with hot summers and cold
winters. Seasons tend to be more pronounced than in the
west and temperatures can get down as low as -20 C in winter
and as high as +30 C in summer. The coldest weather tends
to hit around February.
Customs
If you are travelling within the EU those over 18 can now take
10 litres of spirits, 90 litres of wine and 110 litres of beer.
Most countries will not allow more than 800 cigarettes from
Poland. If purchasing art or books, you need to consider
their age and value. In order to leave the country, art must
be less than 50 years old and under a certain value (varies
depending by type; photos ‹6,000zł, other art ‹16,000zł,
for example); if one of these conditions is met, the gallery
curator can then provide you with a ‘zaświadczenie’
(permission document) describing the artwork’s price and
when and where it was created. If the work exceeds the
permitted age and value, you must get permission from
the ‘Wojewódzki Konserwator Zabytków’ (Regional Curator’s
Office) to take it out of Poland; bear in mind that this
process will likely take 2-3 months. Books must be less
than 100 years old and under 6,000zł in value in order to
leave the country; if neither applies, permission must be
katowice.inyourpocket.com
BASICS
obtained from the National Library. Obviously, problems
arise when purchases are made at bazaars or flea markets
where vendors cannot provide the necessary documents; if
there is any doubt about the value or age of your purchase,
we suggest you visit an ‘Antykwariat’ (antiques dealer - see
shopping) for advice.
Electricity
Electricity in Poland is 230V, 50Hz AC. Plug sockets are
round with two round-pin sockets. Therefore if you are
coming from the US, UK or Ireland you are definitely going
to need a plug convertor. The best place to pick these up
is at home, though if you arrive without one try your hotel
concierge or reception; they should be able to point you to
the nearest electrical store if they fail to provide a convertor
themselves.
Health & Emergency
In case of an emergency those dialling from a land line or
public payphone should use the following numbers: 999
for an ambulance, 998 for the fire brigade and 997 for the
police. Mobile phone users should call 112 to be forwarded
to the relevant department. English speaking assistance
is not necessarily guaranteed, and rests on the linguistic
capabilities of the call operator.
Between June 1st and September 30th however, English,
German and Russian speakers have the option of using
a separate line specifically designed for foreigners in
distress: dial 800 200 300 from a land-line or 608 599
999 from a mobile phone for troubles during high-tourist
season.
Further help can be provided by embassies and consulates,
of which a comprehensive list can be found in the directory
section. If you’ve run out of money, however, then silly you.
No embassy will bail you out, and and your hopes will rest
on a Western Union money transfer. Most banks and many
exchange bureaus (kantors) can now carry out such transactions,
just keep an eye out for anywhere displaying the
Western Union logo.
For a list of clinics and hospitals check the directory section
at the back of this guide.
Internet
Internet access is typically free and widely available
in Poland, with practically every café and restaurant
offering wi-fi to customers with laptops and smartphones.
Getting on the network often requires nothing
more than a password, which you can request of your
favorite bartender or barista with a simple, “Poproszę
o hasło do internetu?”
Café Kontakt C-2, ul. Stawowa 3, tel. (+48) 513
01 35 73, www.cafekontakt.net. A centrally located
industrial-look place with several fast machines, CD burning
and photocopying services. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00, Sun
10:00 - 22:00. 4zł per hour.
WIC C-2, ul. Opolska 5, tel. (+48) 32 259 95 23, www.
wic.pl. Twenty-six machines inside a courtyard, staffed by
young lads in black jeans and pony tails and frequented by
kids gaming their pocket money away. Best visit here in the
evening when everyone’s at home doing their homework. Q
Open 09:00 - 16:00. From September open 09:00 - 17:00.
4zł per hour.
July - October 2012
13

14 BASICS
Market Values
Prices in Poland are still fairly competitive despite
increases over the last couple of years particularly in
the prices of cigarettes. Here are some typical everyday
products and prices.
Market values as of June 21, 2012 based on
€1 = 4.19zł
Product Price (zł) Price (€)
McDonald's Big Mac 9.30 zł € 2.22
Snickers 1.49 zł € 0.36
0.5ltr vodka (shop) 22.99 zł € 5.49
0.5ltr beer (shop) 2.89 zł € 0.69
0.5ltr beer (bar) 8.00 zł € 1.91
Loaf of white bread 3.49 zł € 0.83
20 Marlboros 11.90 zł € 2.84
1 ltr of unleaded petrol (98) 5.87 zł € 1.40
Local transport ticket (1 journey) 2.80 zł € 0.67
Law & Order
In general Katowice is far safer than most Western cities,
and visitors are unlikely to face any problems. Petty crime
does exist however, and travellers should be aware of where
their wallet is, guarding against pickpockets and opportunists.
Those travelling by car are advised to use a guarded
car park. Robberies on overnight trains are not unheard of,
especially on the routes connecting Warsaw and Kraków
with Prague and Berlin; book a couchette or a sleeper cabin
if possible. Also avoid being ripped off by opportunistic taxi
gits by using clearly marked cabs, something to bear in mind
around the train station and airport. Generally, the vagrants
and pondlife that gather around the Kato train station are
harmless and easily ignored.
Staying on the right side of the law is significantly easier for
tourists who accept that Polish beer and vodka are rocket fuel
and drink accordingly. If you’re determined to make an idiot of
yourself then make sure it’s not in front of the law. In recent
years visitors ranging from folks in Chewbacca costumes to
complete fools who’ve thought it’s perfectly acceptable to
drop trousers and urinate in a city centre fountain have tested
the patience of the local law enforcement. Their tolerance
threshold is now decidedly low so don’t push your luck.Those
who do may well be treated to a trip to Katowice’s premier
drunk tank (ul. Macieja 10), a chastening experience which will
set you back 250zł for a 6-24 hour stay. In return for your cash
expect a strip search, a set of blue pyjamas and the company
of a dozen mumbling vagrants. Those resisting arrest may well
find themselves strapped down to a bed, One Flew Over The
Cuckoo’s Nest-style. Refreshment comes in the form of limitless
coffee, though the mug sometimes comes with a smell
of urine for a reason. Credit cards not accepted.
The other well-known ways tourists can cross cops is by
jaywalking. If you are from a country which has no (or doesn’t
respect) jaywalking laws, you’ll be surprised to see a crowd
of people standing obediently at a crossing waiting for the
lights to change. This peculiarity has extra effect if you are
aware of how little Poles respect the rules of the road in a
vehicle, where it often feels like a survival of the fittest. The
reason for the obedience of this particular rule is the fact that
the local city police (Straż Miejska) will quite freely give you a
100zł fine for crossing a road at a place where no crossing
is marked or a 100zł fine when the ‘walk’ light is red. And
don’t think you are exempt by being a foreign visitor. You are
subject to the law too and your non-residency means you will
need to pay the fine on the spot (the helpful chaps will even
accept foreign currency).
Money
Thinking of paying for your tram ticket with one of the 100zł
notes in your pocket? Think again. Small shops, newsagents,
public toilets, even the occasional fast food franchise and
bar will refuse to break a large note for you. As annoying as
coins can be, do carry small change for such moments. Notes
come in denominations of 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10 złotys,
and there are 1, 2 and 5 złoty coins. One złoty equals 100
groszy which come in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 groszy coins.
Currency can be exchanged at airports, hotels, banks and
anywhere with a sign proclaiming it to be a Kantor and you will
also be able to withdraw currency at a bankomat using your
ATM card. A Kantor will often provide better value than the
banks in your home country or the ATM although for obvious
reasons be very wary of Kantors in the airports, bus stations
and close to tourist sights - by in large, these guys will charge
the earth. Shopping around will reward you with the best
rate. The Polish currency has been up and down in recent
years but the trend is that you will be receiving less for your
euros, dollars and sterling than in years past. Having said
that prices for food, drink, cultural venues and transport still
remain comparatively cheap in contrast to Western Europe.
A ticket to the cinema will rarely cost more than 20zł while
admission to most museums costs around 5-10zł.
Post
A bureaucratic nightmare buried under incomprehensible
paperwork, there is no indication that Poland’s postal service
- Poczta Polska - will be automated or computerised
during our lifetimes. There can be no doubt that the post
office is one of the most frustrating places to be a foreigner
in Poland, as you’re guaranteed to not understand a damn
thing happening there. Your best ally is the person in line next
to you; if there’s one person in the room who speaks not a
word of English, it’s the qualified clerk at the service window.
Also, don’t expect any signs to feature English translations,
though all paperwork has been mystifyingly translated into
French (and only French). When you get to the head of that
insufferably long queue, don’t be surprised to be sent to
another or back to the end, paperwork in hand.
If sending something of any monetary or sentimental
value, please, make sure you do so by using priority mail
or better; magic word: ‘Priorytet.’ Choosing the cheapest
overseas option available will ensure that your package
is used as a football, opened and resealed with or with-
Quick Currency Convertor
PLN US$ Euro Pound
3.30zł = $1 4.19zł = €1 5.20zł = £1
1 zł $0.30 € 0.24 £0.19
2 zł $0.61 € 0.48 £0.38
3 zł $0.91 € 0.72 £0.58
4 zł $1.21 € 0.95 £0.77
5 zł $1.52 € 1.19 £0.96
6 zł $1.82 € 1.43 £1.15
7 zł $2.12 € 1.67 £1.35
8 zł $2.42 € 1.91 £1.54
9 zł $2.73 € 2.15 £1.73
10 zł $3.03 € 2.39 £1.92
20 zł $6.06 € 4.77 £3.85
50 zł $15.15 € 11.93 £9.62
100 zł $30.30 € 23.87 £19.23
150 zł $45.45 € 35.80 £28.85
200 zł $60.61 € 47.73 £38.46
250 zł $75.76 € 59.67 £48.08
1 000 zł $303.03 € 238.66 £192.31
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
National Holidays
August 15 Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
also Polish Army Day
November 1 All Saints’ Day
November 11 Independence Day (Nov 11, 1918)
December 25 First Day of Christmas
December 26 Second Day of Christmas
January 1, 2013 New Year’s Day
January 6, 2013 Three Kings
March 31, 2013 Easter Sunday
April 1 Easter Monday
May 1 Labour Day
May 3 Constitution Day (May 3, 1791)
May 19, 2013 Pentecost Sunday
May 30, 2013 Corpus Christi
out all of its contents before it arrives after a minimum
90-day journey. We’re not exaggerating, and, yes, we are
still very angry.
There are several post offices around Katowice, with the
main building at ul. Pocztowa 9 (D-3) being the largest and
most incomprehensible. All post offices close early on
Saturday, if open at all, and all will be closed Sunday. Good
luck, gringo.
Central Post Office D-3, ul. Pocztowa 9, tel. (+48)
801 33 34 44, www.poczta-polska.pl. If you’re in need
of stamps, they can be purchased at any of the windows.
However there is no organised queuing system so sharpen
your elbows and brace yourself for the fight of your life. Q
Open 24hrs.
Religion
For over one thousand years Poland has been a bulwark of
Catholicism, fighting against the horrors of pagan invasion
and looking to Catholicism for a sense of social and national
unity. When Poland was partitioned in the 19th century, many
turned to the church for solace and during the communist
era, underground resistance meetings were surreptitiously
held in churches.
The deceased Polish-born Pope John Paul II remains a
genuine source of pride for all Poles, and is beloved in a
way more profound than cynics in the West can understand.
Many Poles genuinely believe that John Paul II singlehandedly
started the overthrow of Communism in Central
and Eastern Europe. Small wonder then that your average
Pole takes Catholicism very seriously. Those used to the
more easy-going habits of the West may find the Polish
enthusiasm a bit unnerving at first, particularly the solemn
and opulent processions that occur from time to time and
the droves that flock to mass.
Water
Water in Poland is officially safe to drink although the quality
of plumbing in many places can affect the quality of the
water that is delivered from your tap. We therefore recommend
that you use bottled water which is widely available
and inexpensive. The best known bottled local brands are
Żywiec, Cisowianka, Kropla Beskidu and Nałęczowianka. In
restaurants many tourists are surprised to find a glass of
water is not compulsory, and ordering some typically results
in the receipt of a tiny glass bottle that will barely wet your
whistle. Beer is often a better bet since it’s cheaper and arrives
in larger quantities, but if you’re set on having water it’s
best to learn the difference between gazowana (carbonated
water) and niegazowana (still water).
katowice.inyourpocket.com
Language Smarts
BASICS
Many Poles, particularly younger people, have a fairly healthy
command of the English language. Many will also be adept at
other European languages with German being the most commonly
spoken. Older Poles will fiercely contest that they have ‘forgotten’
the Russian taught to them at school but most will still have a
reasonable understanding.
Mastering the Polish tongue can be a terrifying ordeal and will often
result in personal degradation as shop assistants laugh at your
flustered attempts. That aside, learning a few key phrases will smooth
your time in Poland and may even win you friends and admirers.
On the positive side Polish sounds as it appears. This is a great
help once you know how to pronounce each letter/combination
of letters. Many letters represent the same sounds as they do in
English. Below we have listed those particular to Polish.
Basic pronunciation of Polish vowels
‘ą’ sounds like ‘on’ in the French ‘bon’
‘ę’ sounds like ‘en’ as in the French ‘bien’
‘ó’ is an open ‘o’ sound like ‘oo’ in ‘boot’
Basic pronunciation of consonants
‘c’ like the ‘ts’ in ‘bits’
‘j’ like the ‘y’ in ‘yeah’
‘w’ is pronounced like the English ‘v’
‘ł’ like the ‘w’ in ‘win’
‘ń’ like the ‘ny’ in ‘canyon’
‘cz’ and ‘ć’ like the ‘ch’ in ‘beach’
‘dz’ like the ‘ds’ in ‘beds’
‘rz’ and ‘ż’ like the ‘su’ in ‘treasure’
‘sz’ and ‘ś’ like the ‘sh’ in ‘ship’
‘drz’ and ‘dż’ like the ‘g’ in ‘George’
r is always rolled and stress is generally always on the last but
one syllable.
Think you’ve got that? Here are some words and phrases to get
you started.
Civilities
cześć (cheshch) hi/bye
dzień dobry (jen do-bri) good morning/
afternoon
dobry wieczór (do-bri vyeh-choor) good evening
dobranoc (dobrah-nots) good night
tak (tahk) yes
nie (nyeh) no
proszę (prosheh) please
na zdrowie (nah zdrovyeh) cheers
dziękuje (jen-koo-yeh) thank you
przepraszam (psheh-prasham) sorry
kocham cię (koham tshe) I love you
Mam na imię (mam nah ee-myeh) My name is
Jestem z Anglii
Necessities
(yehstem zanglee) I am from England
Gdzie są toalety? (gdjeh song toalety) Where are the toilets?
Czy mówi pan/pani (che moovee Do you (male/female)
po angielsku? pan/panee po
angyelskoo?)
speak English?
Nie mówię po (nyeh moovyeh po I don’t speak Polish
polsku
polskoo)
Proszę to napisać (prosheh toh
napeesatch)
Please write it down
Czy można tu palić (che mohzhnah too
paleech?)
Can I smoke here?
Jedno piwo (yedno peevo poh- One beer please
poproszę prosheh)
Numbers
1 jeden yehden
2 dwa dva
3 trzy tshi
10 dziesięć jayshench
General
Airport lotnisko
Train station dworzec pkp
Bus station dworzec pks
Right/left prawo/lewo
One ticket to jeden bilet do
First/second class pierwsza/druga klasa
July - October 2012
15

16 CULTURE & EVENTS
Vanitas
Piotr Muschalik
Photography
20.06 - 12.07.2012
Pusta Gallery
Sting
Stanisław Koba
Painting
22.06 - 22.07.2012
Centrum Gallery
Media Patronage
Krystyna Bochenek Katowice Cultural Centre
Plac Sejmu Śląskiego 2 / 40-032 Katowice
www.ck.art.pl | www.facebook.com/CKK.im.K.Bochenek
Cinemas
Amok M-2, ul. Dolnych Wałów 3 (Gliwice), tel. (+48)
32 231 56 99, www.amok.gliwice.pl.Q Box office open
08:00 - 20:00, Mon 12:30 - 20:00, Sat, Sun 15:00 - 20:00.
Closed July. Tickets 7-18zł. The Metropolitan Opera: Live in
HD tickets 45/50zł.
Cinema City Silesia A-1, Silesia City Center, ul. Chorzowska
107, tel. (+48) 32 605 05 55, www.cinema-city.
pl. Q Box office open from 09:30 to 15 minutes after last
show. Tickets 16-29zł.
Helios C-3, ul. Uniwersytecka 13, tel. (+48) 32 603
01 05, www.heliosnet.pl. Q Box office open depending
on repertoire. Tickets 16-28zł.
IMAX C-1, ul. Gliwicka 44, tel. (+48) 32 359 59 59,
www.cinema-city.pl. Q Box office open depending on
repertoire. Tickets 20-29zł.
Rialto D-3, ul. Św. Jana 24, tel. (+48) 32 251 04 31,
www.rialto.katowice.pl.QBox office open 13:00-20:00;
Sat, Sun open one hour before first showtime. In July and
August closed on Mondays. Tickets 14/12zł.
Światowid C-2, ul. 3 Maja 7, tel. (+48) 32 258 74 32,
www.swiatowid.katowice.pl. Q Box office open 14:00 -
21:00. From September box office open 10:00 - 21:00, Sat,
Sun 13:00 - 21:00. Tickets 12-16zł.
Cultural Centres
Spodek B-3, Al. Korfantego 35, tel. (+48) 32 258 32
61, www.spodek.com.pl.
Galleries
BWA Contemporary Art Gallery (Galeria Sztuki
Współczesnej BWA) C-3, Al. Korfantego 6, tel. (+48)
32 259 90 40, www.bwa.katowice.pl.QOpen 10:00 -
18:00. Closed Mon. Admission 5.50/3zł.
Rondo Sztuki (Galeria ASP Rondo Sztuki) B-3,
Rondo gen. Ziętka 1, tel. (+48) 32 720 11 32, www.
rondosztuki.pl. QOpen 11:00 - 19:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 -
18:00. Closed Mon. Admission free.
Wilson Shaft Gallery (Galeria Szyb Wilson) ul.
Oswobodzenia 1 (Nikiszowiec), tel. (+48) 32 730 32
20, www.szybwilson.org.QOpen 09:00 - 19:00. Admission
free.
Philharmonic
Silesian Philharmonic (Filharmonia Śląska) Concert
Hall, ul Pszczyńska 6 (Giszowiec), tel. (+48) 32
351 17 13, www.filharmoniaslaska.pl.QBox office (C-2,
Opolska 9) open 10:00 - 17:00 and always two hours before
performance in Sports Hall. Tickets 5-110zł.
Katowice Cultural Centre
Katowice Cultural Centre (Centrum Kultury
Katowice im. Krystyny Bochenek) E-3, Pl.
Sejmu Śląskiego 2, tel. (+48) 32 251 79 25, www.
ck.art.pl. The Katowice Cultural Centre was founded in
1991 and promotes the development of culture in the
Katowice region and holds educational courses about
the history of art and literature. The centre runs a concert
hall, 5 galleries, an education centre and a chamber
music stage. Jazz i Okolice festival and the Letni Ogród
Teatralny (The Summer Garden Theatre) are their key
events in the calendar. Q Galleries open 14:00-19:00.
Closed Mon. Admission free.
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
Opera Stages
Silesian Opera (Opera Śląska) Bytom, ul. Moniuszki
21-23, tel. (+48) 32 281 34 31, www.opera-slaska.
pl.QBox office open 10:00-18:00. Sun two hours before performance.
From September box office open 10:00 - 18:00,
Mon 08:00 - 16:00, Sat, Sun two hours before performance.
Closed July-August. Tickets 10-60zł.
Theatre Stages
Ateneum Puppet Theatre (Śląski Teatr Lalki i
Aktora Ateneum) D-3, ul. Św. Jana 10, tel. (+48) 32
253 82 21 ext. 115, www.ateneum.art.pl. Q Box office
open 09:00 - 13:00, 14:00 - 16:00, Sat 13:00 - 17:00, Sun an
hour before performance. Closed Mon. Closed July - August.
Tickets 14/19zł.
Rozrywki Theatre (Teatr Rozrywki) I-3, ul. M.
Konopnickiej 1 (Chorzów), tel. (+48) 32 346 19 30,
www.teatr-rozrywki.pl.QBox office open 09:00 - 20:00;
Sat, Sun two hours before the performance. Closed July -
August. Tickets 15-80zł.
Silesian Theatre (Teatr Śląski) C-3, ul. Rynek 10,
tel. (+48) 32 259 93 60, www.teatrslaski.art.pl. Q
Box office open 10:00 - 13:00, 13:30 - 19:00, Mon 10:00 -
13:00, 13:30 - 18:00, Sun two hours before performance.
Tickets 10-60zł.
Art Naif Festival
15.06 Friday - 17.08 Friday
Art Naif Festival
Events take place in various locations. Check
description for more information. www.artnaiffestiwal.pl.
The International Festival of ‘Native Art’ is
one of a kind in Poland. A chance to see the best native
paintings in the world, but also a way to spend free time
unconventionally. The festival has brought together
works by over 200 artists from 32 countries; there will
be also sculptures and ceramics as well as paintings.
Not just exhibitions either, there will be film shows from
6th-8th July, featuring the best films from African cinema
at the Rialto, ul. Św. Jana 24, D-3. If you miss that, there
will be another chance on 15th July at the Szyb Wilson
Gallery. Traditionally native art will appear on Nikiszowiec
Street at the 15th July Art Fair; artists will be painting
in the open air, come along and pick up a hand-made
bargain. With concerts ; concerts, workshops and fun for
children there’s something for everyone. Calling all art
collectors - remember that it’s also a chance to buy some
paintings so prepare your wallets. Q Admission free.
katowice.inyourpocket.com
CULTURE & EVENTS
Radio Symphony Orchestra
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
(Koncerty Narodowej Orkiestry Symfonicznej
Polskiego Radia) E-3, Pl. Sejmu Śląskiego 2, tel.
(+48) 32 251 89 03, www.nospr.org.pl. Considered
the leading Polish orchestra, the Polish National Radio
Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1935 in Warsaw. In
September 2000 Joanna Wnuk-Nazarowa became the
general and programme director. In January 2009 Jacek
Kaspszyk became the Music Director. For years the
Orchestra acted as a cultural ambassador representing
Poland on the international art scene and has cooperated
with some of the greatest composers of the 2nd half of
the 20th century presenting first performances of their
works. They have also recorded more than 190 compact
discs for many Polish and foreign labels (Decca, EMI,
Phillips, etc.). A must for all classical buffs.
The latest programme goes like this:
14.07 Saturday 20:00
Kilar Night - Concert for the composer’s 80th Birthday;
Music Academy Hall, ul. Zacisze 3
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra with Choir
and Orchestra of Silesian Philharmonic will present the
best compositions of Wojciech Kilar together with his
soundtracks for films.
QBox office open two days before each scheduled
event, 15:00-17:00. Closed August-September. Tickets
15-40zł.
Concerts
24.08 Friday
IAN ANDERSON (JETHRO TULL) presents
THICK AS A BRICK
P-3, Zabrze, Dom Muzyki i Tańca, ul. Gen. de Gaulle’a
17, www.dmit.com.pl. Known all over the world, the
leader of Jethro Tull in 2012 celebrates 44 years on stage,
how the time has flown. Originally from Scotland the Tull,
as fans may or may not refer to them, have recorded 30
albums with over 60 million copies leaving the shelves.
Now he’s solo, so don’t expect all the old flute-action favourites.
Q Concert starts at 20:00. Tickets 120-260zł.
Available at DMiT box office (Open 08:00 - 18:00, Sat
10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun).
15.09 Saturday
Queen Symphonically
P-3, Zabrze, Dom Muzyki i Tańca, ul. Gen. de Gaulle’a
17, www.dmit.com.pl. A two-part spectacle performed
by the Alla Vienna Orchestra with a 19-person choir, Vivid
Singers. We all know Freddie is irreplaceable, but listening to
the old songs in a different musical style might be a treat for
fans. Q Concert starts at 20:00. Tickets 70-120zł. Available
at DMiT box office (Open 08:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00.
Closed Sun).
July - October 2012
17

18 CULTURE & EVENTS
Rawa Blues Festival
06.10 Saturday
Rawa Blues Festival
B-3, Spodek, Al. Korfantego 35, www.rawablues.
com. Get ready for the 32nd Rawa festival. It’s the biggest
indoor blues event around and is the brain child of
Irek Dudek, a great blues advocate and musician, who
goes by the stage name of Shakin’ Dudi. As always
festival line-up looks most impressive and this year’s
stars include American guitarist Robert Cray and his
band. Definitely the main man this time around, he has
5 Grammies to his name. Meanwhile Roomful of blues
are an 8-person blues-swing big band from Rhode Island
who have performed with luminaries like Carlos Santana,
Eric Clapton and more. Eric Sardinas & Big Motor - this
American blues-rock guitarist revisits the festival. Interesting
fact - although he’s left-handed, he plays with his right
and this is why many critics believe he is so unique. The
splendidly named Davina and The Vagabonds come
from Minneapolis with an energetic mix of jazz, blues,
roots and rock. The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
play on authentic instruments form the 30s. Staples on
the American and Canadian scene, they now come to
Europe to show what us they’ve got. Finally Irek Dudek
Big Band - the composer, singer and bluesman will take
us on a journey through his compositions. Q Tickets 65-
300zł. Available at www.ticktpro.pl and Empik, ul. Piotra
Skargi 6, C-2 (Open 08:00 - 20:00, Sun 10:00 - 16:00).
13.11 Tuesday
Katie Melua
P-3, Zabrze, Dom Muzyki i Tańca, ul. Gen. de Gaulle’a
17. Georgian-born singer, songwriter and musician Katie
Melua requires no introduction to anyone in Poland or, indeed,
Europe, where she was the highest selling female artist in
2006 at the ripe age of 22. So absurd is her fame that she
had a tulip named after her in 2006. Her and her mates also
hold the splendidly inane record for the deepest underwater
concert ever performed, at 303m below sea level. This tour is
on the back of her 5th album: Secret Symphony. Q Concert
starts at 20:00. Tickets 120-320zł. Available at DMiT box
office (Open 08:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun).
Exhibitions
22.06 Friday - 16.09 Sunday
Women’s Art
C-3, Silesian Museum, Al. Korfantego 3, tel. (+48)
32 258 56 61, www.muzeumslaskie.pl. This exhibition
concentrates on women’s art and its development in the
second half of XIXth century.
Divided into two parts; the first concentrates on issues of
women’s education, the jobs which women did before the
First World War. The second section presents the difference
between their art before and after 1945. Q Open
10:00 - 18:00, Thu 10:00 - 19:00, Fri 12:00 - 16:00, Sat
12:00 - 18:00, Sun 12:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. Admission
12/7zł for all exhibits, 9/5zł for temporary exhibits only, 6/4zł
for permanent exhibits only. Sat free for permanent exhibits.
Festivals
Music Summer 2012 ul. Webera 18, www.dmit.com.
pl. Every Friday we have the chance to celebrate summer
by taking part in a concert. The festival will be inaugurated
with a concert of Oddział Zamknięty, then on 13th July Mrozu,
20th July tribute action with The Magic of Abba and Boney
M, 26th July Sebastian Riedel with Cree, 3rd August Basta,
10th August Golden Life, 17th Raggafaya, 24th Wesoły
Masorz and finally on 31st Disco. It’s all for free - what have
you got to lose? Q Concerts start at 20:00. Admission free.
03.08 Friday - 05.08 Sunday
Off Festival 2012
Dolina Trzech Stawów, ul. Muchowiec (Muchowiec),
www.off-festival.pl. This is definitely for all fans of a
bewildering array of genres from Indie folk, noise rock,
dubstep, jazzcore, exotica, black metal, psychodelica to
lounge. Organised by Artur Rojek of Myslovitz, one of the
most recognisable alternative music bands in Poland, it
is about promoting the music that’s new and sometimes
‘difficult’ and the 7th edition is bigger and better than ever.
Taking place on the fields of Muchowiec airport, the line-up
includes Swans, Iggy and the Stooges, Savages, Matthew
Herbert and many more. Q Tickets 80-140zł. Festival pass
120-220zł. Available at www.ticketpro.pl.
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
23.08 Thursday - 26.08 Sunday
Tauron New Music Festival
C-4, KWK Katowice, ul. Kopalniana 6, www.festiwalnowamuzyka.pl.
This festival’s location down a coal mine
should create an unusual atmosphere and for 4 days we will
have the chance to see artists that have had the biggest
influence on electronic music over the past few years. The
line-up is impressive this year and is still growing. The stars
are: The Gaslamp Killer, Lapalux, Young Montana, Theopilus
London, Madlib and many many more. Q Pass 140-170zł.
Available at EMPiK, ul. Piotra Skargi 6 (Open 08:00 - 20:00,
Sun 10:00 - 16:00) and www.ticketpro.pl. Full schedule available
atwww.festiwalnowamuzyka.pl.
Misc. Events
23.09 Sunday
Xth Potato Day
J-6, Ethnographic Park, ul. Parkowa 25. The humble spud
is the focus of attention here. Come along and learn what to
do to make them grow, enjoy a fair with regional specialities
and eat something tasty. Go on, you know you want to. Q
Admission free.
02.10 Tuesday
Chippendales - The Ultimate Girls Night Out
Show
P-3, Zabrze, Dom Muzyki i Tańca, Gen. de Gaulle’a
17, tel. (+48) 32 271 66 22, www.makroconcert.
com/pl. Beefcake!!! The story of the Chippendales goes
back to 1978 when 12 ‘incredibly handsome’ guys from
Los Angeles formed the first group. Not looking back since
in their various incarnations the band have given over
40,000 shows in 150 countries. Apparently it’s not about
nudity, squadron of porkers at 6 o’clock, but about making
women’s dreams come true. All in the best possible taste.
Q Event starts at 19:30. Tickets 90-160zł. Available at
www.ticketpro.pl and DMiT box office (Open 08:00 - 18:00,
sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun).
Sport
07.10 Sunday
Silesia Half-Marathon
L-7, Chorzów, Wojewódzki Park Kultury i Wypoczynku,
www.silesiapolmaraton.pl. Come along and try your
luck over 21,097km. To register, fill in the form on organiser’s
website. Q Event starts at 11:00. Registration fee
30/50/70zł.
Theatre
08.11 Thursday
„TANGO PASIÓN“ - De Buenos Aires Tango
Show
P-3, Zabrze, Dom Muzyki i Tańca, Gen. de Gaulle’a
17, www.makroconcert.com/pl. This show has been
a regular feature on Broadway since 1993 and now they
are coming to Poland. Tango Pasion is performed by a
group of dancers chosen from the cream of Argentinian
dance schools and the aim, as the name suggests, is to
depict a number of passionate love stories. That said,
when I think of Tango, I can’t get away from Jack Lemmon
in ‘Some Like it Hot’. “Who’s the lucky girl?” asks
Tony Curtis. “I am,” comes the reply. Q Event starts at
19:00. Tickets 115-165zł. Available at www.ticketpro.pl
and DMiT box office (Open 08:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 -
16:00. Closed Sun). 1
katowice.inyourpocket.com
CULTURE & EVENTS
July - October 2012
19

20 WHERE TO STAY
The Monopol Hotel
Katowice is first and foremost a business destination for anyone
likely to be reading this guide and while we don’t think that’s the
way it should be, for the moment that’s the way it is. Reflecting
this fact is the presence of an ever expanding choice of business
class hotels while the cheaper and hostel end of the market
simply hasn’t got off the ground. Still, you can find some decent
budget options especially if you’re willing to lay your head a bit
further from the action. With the business crowd disappearing
off home at the end of the week, most hotels offer substantial
discounts over the weekend. Don’t forget that you can now
easily compare hotel rates online thanks to a nifty function on
our website - katowice.inyourpocket.com - that scours booking
engines for the best rates based on your criteria, with results
often well below the rack rates we list here (you can thank us
later). As in other parts of this guide the hotels covered here
are located throughout the conglomeration. If the hotel is not in
Katowice town itself, we have added the name of the town it is
in to the address after a comma along with a map reference if
applicable. Districts of Katowice are shown in brackets. Bear in
mind that all the prices we list below include VAT and breakfast,
unless otherwise noted. Dobranoc!
Cream of the Crop
Monopol D-3, ul. Dworcowa 5, tel. (+48) 32 782 82
82, www.lhr.com.pl. From the original 1903 mosaic floor
in the lobby to the exquisite walnut furniture, Monopol gets
everything right and more. Taking the occasional risk such
as covering the walls in photographs of abandoned factories,
the hotel shows a confidence that most others wouldn’t
dare flaunt. The rooms are individually designed and most
make you want to live in them for much longer than a night,
with extras including a fabulous swimming pool and fitness
centre in the basement. Good enough for Paris ‘the heiress’
Hilton during her October visit to Katowice, and quite simply
the best hotel in Katowice. Also the only one in town to have
earned that vaunted fifth star. Check their website for special
deals. Q108 rooms (12 singles, 93 doubles, 3 apartments).
PTHA6UFLGKDCW hhhhh
Upmarket
angelo Hotel Katowice B-2, ul. Sokolska 24, tel.
(+48) 32 783 81 00, www.angelo-katowice.pl. Brand
new as of March 2010, Angelo is a fantastic addition to Katowice’s
feeble accommodation offerings - a market which
could use a breath of fresh air. Angelo does just that with a
distinctive and appealing colour palette of black, white, red
and gold, and modern suites and rooms which - with the
substitution of the bed for a couple drafting tables - could
competently pass for the office of an architectural firm. Inside
them find amenities such as DVD players, plasma TVs,
adjustable AC and that coveted ‘new hotel’ smell; facilities
include fitness studio and sauna, restaurant, a jazz club, underground
parking and conference facilities with something
called ‘sunlight.’ Add to it a great location and you’ve got a
winner. Q203 rooms (181 singles, 181 doubles, 5 suites, 17
apartments). PTHAR6UFGKDW hhhh
Arsenal Palace K-5, ul. Paderewskiego 35, Chorzów,
tel. (+48) 32 606 84 84, www.stylehotels.pl. In the
grand guise of Arsenal Palace, Chorzów has an exclusive hotel
that stacks up against the very best of the entire region. And
why not? With Chorzów’s high street and the immaculate Park
of Culture and Recreation within stumbling distance and the
centre of Katowice only a quick tram ride away, this four-star
effort has placed itself perfectly inside and outside the urban
tangle at the same time. Handsome hand-crafted furnishings,
carpets and wallpaper give the rooms an elegant antiquated
style, while the impressive conference facilities are
the best around. Add to that a restaurant, a bar, a summer
terrace, and full recreation centre (hello jacuzzi) and suddenly
the prospect of a visit to Chorzów is a more than welcome
one. Q115 rooms (111 singles, 83 doubles, 1 apartment).
PTHAR6UFLGKDCwW hhhh
Best Western Premier Katowice Hotel ul. Bytkowska
1a, tel. (+48) 32 721 11 11, www.bestwesternkatowice.pl.
For a city currently thriving on business
investment, the hotel market has been a bit slow to develop,
but Kato’s Best Western is good news for out-of-towners
looking for accommodation to be less of an adventure. If
you’ve stayed with the world’s biggest hotel chain before,
chances are you haven’t enjoyed it this much. That’s due
to the same familiar high-quality rooms and amenities
(including conference and fitness facilities, a library and car
park) being boosted by the absolutely excellent Restauracja
Autorska Adama Gesslera from Poland’s well-loved celebrity
restaurateur, Adam Gessler. The location near the Park of
Culture and Recreation puts you within easy striking distance
of Chorzów, Katowice and Siemianowice Śląskie while being
beyond the hubbub of all three, and makes this a great
location from which to experience the best of Silesia. Q168
rooms (61 singles, 74 doubles, 30 suites, 1 apartment).
PTHA6UFGKDW hhhh
Diament Katowice D-3, ul. Dworcowa 9, tel. (+48)
32 746 70 00, www.hotelediament.pl. A great upscale
option whose lobby even comes decorated with a few
famous ‘they stayed here’ photos. Granted you’re unlikely
to recognize any of the celebs who’ve lodged here but don’t
let that stop you from booking in. Close to the train station
and just around the corner from the Rynek, what Diament
lacks in panache it more than makes up for with the personal
touch. Extremely friendly and helpful receptionists
manage a series of simple but comfortable rooms, recently
renovated to include wifi and satellite television. If you like
the paintings on the wall then go ahead, buy them. Q43
rooms (9 singles, 30 doubles, 4 suites, 1 apartment).
PTHA6ULGKW hhh
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
Diament Plaza Gliwice N-2, ul. Zwycięstwa 30, Gliwice,
tel. (+48) 32 721 70 00, www.hotelediament.pl. The Diament
empire is responsible for some of the best hotels in the
Katowice region, and this one is the jewel in their crown. Set
inside a fairytale 19th century tenement it’s almost possible
to imagine Mr. Kipling carving the façade out of marzipan. But
while this looks like a piece of history from the outside, from the
inside it stands out as one of the most modern hotels in the
city. Recently retouched rooms come in earth tones, and feature
amenities such as free internet, satellite TV and spacious
bathrooms. The fourth floor features rooms with an even higher
standard and a new area for billiards and a currency exchange
have recently been added. Q67 rooms (29 singles, 31 doubles,
5 suites, 2 apartments). PTHA6LGKW hhhh
Hotel Szafran ul. Będzińska 82, Czeladź, tel. (+48) 32
784 31 00, www.hotelszafran.pl. This convenient venture
located midway between the city and the airport easily earns
all four of its stars with comfortable, air-conditioned single
and double rooms and apartments, free wi-fi, safes and
mini-bars. A popular choice with business travellers, here
you’ll find 4 conference rooms including a multimedia salon
for 400 people. Q116 rooms (2 singles, 85 doubles, 22
triples, 7 apartments). PTHA6UGKW hhhh
Noma Residence (Promnice Hunting Lodge) Zameczek
Myśliwski Promnice, tel. (+48) 32 219 46 78,
www.promnice.pl. Perhaps Silesia’s most opulent, intimate
and atmospheric hotel, this rustic 19th century manor is like
nothing you’ve ever seen and makes for one of the most unique
and romantic weekend getaway destinations anywhere. Formerly
host to grand hunting parties in the surrounding forests
attended by Kaiser Wilhelm I and Tsar Alexander II, today the
small castle known as Promnice Hunting Lodge hosts a hotel
and restaurant in its virtually unaltered interiors sumptuously
katowice.inyourpocket.com
WHERE TO STAY
HOTEL SZAFRAN • rezerwacja@hotelszafran.pl • www.hotelszafran.pl
ul. Będzińska 82, Czeladź • tel. +48 32 784 31 00 • fax +48 32 784 31 03
adorned with mounted beasts, rifles and weaponry, royal hunting
regalia, oil paintings, period furnishings and stained glass windows.
Guests also have access to the sauna and jacuzzi, plus
canoes and boats for enjoying the lake it overlooks. Hidden in
the forest 30km south of Katowice, you need a car to get there,
but the rates are a steal and the rewards are great. Q13 rooms
(13 singles, 13 doubles). THAR6GKDW hhhh
Novotel Katowice Centrum C-4, Al. Roździeńskiego
16, tel. (+48) 32 200 44 44, www.accorhotels.com.
The classic Novotel experience, this modern box of a hotel in
the heart of the new city development area features quality
business-class rooms with all the trimmings, add-ons such
as excellent conference facilities and a decent lobby bar. The
rooms at the top of the building provide some superb views of
the sprawling mish-mash of competing architectural styles in
the surrounding area. Q300 rooms (216 singles, 84 doubles).
POTHAR6UFLGKDCW hhhh
Park Hotel Diament F-2, ul. Wita Stwosza 37, tel.
(+48) 32 720 00 00, www.hotelediament.pl. A cut
above its city-centre sister hotel, the more business-minded
Park Diament’s slightly out-of-bounds location may make
it a less attractive proposition to those not bringing a car
to Katowice. However, this comfortable masterpiece of
minimalist straight lines has (sadly) been the highlight of
several trips to Katowice. The rooms are bright, coming with
everything you’d expect from a hotel of this calibre including
free wifi. The apartments have baths, plus there’s a top floor
bar-restaurant with a decent view of the city at the bottom
of the hill. The conference facilities see regular use and the
recently opened Golf Pub makes its claim to fame as PL’s
first bar with a virtual golf course. One of the best sleepers
in town. Q186 rooms (181 singles, 173 doubles, 5 suites).
PTHA6UFGKW hhhh
July - October 2012
21

22 WHERE TO STAY
Stalinogród
It was 1953 and an
elderly Polish woman
was settling into
her seat on a train
bound for Katowice.
She had stowed
her belongings and
set out her lunch,
including a family
heirloom, a salt
shaker, on the table.
Just before the train
was to depart she
heard a startling an-
pl.wikipedia.org.
nouncement. This
train wasn’t going to
Katowice after all. It was headed for a frightful sounding
place. Frantically she gathered her things in her arms and
rushed to get off the train. In her haste she fell and hit her
head and broke the treasured shaker. Taken to the hospital
with a bad concussion, she was revived then questioned
about her sudden departure from the carriage. She explained
her mishap to the doctor: She had only wanted to
go to Katowice not to Russia. The doctor smiled in seeing
her mistake, then replied that the woman had been on the
correct train, but that Katowice now had a new name, one
imposed by Moscow: Stalinogród.
That story from the 2009 collection “Train to Stalinogród
and Other Stories” by Andrzej Kozioł, reveals much about
life in the early days of the People’s Republic of Poland
(or PRL using the Polish acronym). It demonstrates the
confusion and chaos of Poland’s monumental post-
World War II change from fighting Nazis to coping with
Communists.
At least a dozen more cities in other Soviet satellites received
the “gift” of a name change, including Stalinstadt,
East Germany (now Eisenhüttenstadt near Brandenburg,
Germany) and plainly Stalin, Bulgaria (now Varna).
After the Red Army took over Katowice in 1945 following
the retreat of the Germans, a new Communist government
took over. They determined the city needed more
of everything – more space, bigger buildings and larger
factories. To be sure in 1953, the year of Joseph Stalin’s
death, the newly renamed Stalinogród benefited from the
internal dynamics of the Polish and Soviet Communist
parties, likely gaining support for public works and other
projects to honor the glory of the once fearsome leader.
The famous Spodek arena was conceived in 1955, the
result of a design competition for a large exhibition space.
But Stalinogród was a short-lived moment in the city’s
history. Under an intense public backlash and with the
memory of Stalin’s death fading and the Party’s attempt
to distance itself from cults of personality, Polish
authorities changed the name back to Katowice after
just three long years.
Today the city has mostly removed traces of its oppressive
Communist legacy and is now focused on
greater integration with Europe and the West. But the
heavy industrialization of the region owes much to the
Soviet Union and though the name may have long gone,
Stalinisation left its mark.
Qubus Hotel N-3, ul. Dworcowa 27, Gliwice, tel.
(+48) 32 300 11 00, www.qubushotel.com. A modern
cube of a hotel with pretty much everything you need within
walking distance from reception. Frankly, it’s the best hotel
in town, as well as the most modern. Rooms come with
air-conditioning, wifi and mini-bar, while the style is chic
and fresh. Suites come with Jacuzzi tubs, while the superior
apartments feature DVD players and computer. Q89
rooms (35 singles, 44 doubles, 6 suites, 4 apartments).
PTHAR6UGKW hhh
Qubus Prestige C-3, ul. Uniwersytecka 13, tel.
(+48) 32 601 01 00, www.qubushotel.com. Top
class modern business facilities inside the Altus Centre.
Occupying the top few floors of the unmissable city-centre
building, facilities include cable television, minibars, safes
and internet connections in every room. Cashing in on the
lofty location, as well as splendid views of the city from any
of the 150 rooms the hotel also has a great cocktail bar
on the 27th floor which is free to enter for guests staying
in the hotel. Q150 rooms (94 singles, 14 doubles, 36
suites, 6 apartments). POTHAR6UFG
KDW hhhh
Royal M-3, ul. Matejki 10, Gliwice, tel. (+48) 32
400 00 00, www.hotelroyal.com.pl. One of Gliwice’s
nicest hotels and right in the centre of the Old Town - you
really can’t do much better. A four-star affair, adorned with
an over-abundance of balustrades and Doric columns,
mirrored tables, archways and open space, Royal has a
real air of aristocracy to it. The rooms are spacious and
the suites even more so, with large luxurious bathrooms
you may be tempted to spend your entire trip in, as well
as internet, 50 channel TV, a mini bar and safe. A classy
restaurant, conference centre and fitness room are also
on site, but if you really want to treat yourself like royalty,
you’ll be scampering back and forth between the dry and
steam saunas, massage table and your insuite bathroom.
Q50 rooms (14 singles, 36 doubles). PTHAFL
GKDW hhh
Mid-range
Blues Hotel I-1, ul. Wolności 15, Chorzów, tel.
(+48) 32 771 94 36, www.blues-hotel.pl. Impressive.
These shockingly stylish rooms right on Chorzów’s
high street have to be the hippest place to hit the sack
in town. Carrying over the blues theme from the Szuflada15
restaurant and jazz club housed in the same old
tenement building, Blues has nailed the ‘birth of cool’
aesthetic; all that’s missing (gratefully) is the poster
of Miles Davis. Modern rooms in shades of steel gray,
silver and deep blue come with fashionable furnishings,
satellite TV, free wireless and slick bathrooms. Choose
between 2 singles, 6 doubles and 2 triples, all of them
handicap accessible and in danger of making you extend
your visit. Q10 rooms (2 singles, 6 doubles, 2 triples).
PAR6UGKW hhh
Campanile F-5, ul. Sowińskiego 48, tel. (+48) 32
205 50 50, www.campanile.com.pl. Great value in a
city where accommodation is still very limited in choice.
Modern, Identikit rooms come with shower room, cable
tv, wireless internet and comfortable beds. The breakfast
buffet is as good as you will find in a Polish 2-star hotel and
the competitive pricing policy means that Campanile have a
winning formula. You are advised to book ahead if planning
on staying during the week when the city’s hotels fill up with
business travellers. Q77 rooms (77 singles, 77 doubles).
PTHA6UGKW hh
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
• 76 AIR-CONDITIONED ROOMS WITH
TV AND BATHROOM
• FREE WIRELESS INTERNET HOTSPOT
• RESTAURANT WITH
INTERNATIONAL CUISINE
• COMFORTABLE CONFERENCE ROOMS
• MONITORED CAR-PARK
DeSilva Inn Katowice Airport ul. Równoległa 2,
Pyrzowice, tel. (+48) 32 393 88 88, www.desilva.
pl. With Katowice airport located some way from the city
centre, this new business hotel is ideally located for those
with an early flight. 77 air-conditioned rooms come fitted
out with all modern cons and large, comfortable beds
while the in-house bar and restaurant and impressive
conferencing facilities make it a very handy business
choice. Q77 rooms (77 singles, 77 doubles, 77 triples).
PTHA6ULGKW hhh
Diament Economy Gliwice N-2, ul. Zwycięstwa
42, Gliwice, tel. (+48) 32 231 18 21, www.hotelediament.pl.
A splendid art nouveau facade hides
some of the best value accommodation in Gliwice,
and it comes as absolutely no surprise that we’re to
thank the chaps behind the Diament brand. Expect the
uniform three star trimmings, including free internet
access and a separate floor for non-smoking fingerwaggers.
A hairdresser and beauty salon have also
been opened inside. Q27 rooms (7 singles, 20 doubles).
TA6ULGKW hhh
Diament Zabrze ul. Cisowa 4, Zabrze (Zaborze
Południe), tel. (+48) 32 721 10 00, www.hotelediament.pl.
Set inside a powder blue building the
Diament is a no-nonsense mid-ranger with a tiled lobby
that appears to double as an art gallery. Rooms come
decorated with pleasant neutral colours and feature
spotless bathrooms, satellite TV and wireless internet
access. The restaurant is one of your best chances
for a meal that won’t debilitate you. Q38 rooms (12
singles, 22 doubles, 4 suites). THA6ULG
KDW hhh
katowice.inyourpocket.com
WHERE TO STAY
SOWIŃSKIEGO 48, 40-018 KATOWICE, TEL: +48 (032) 205 50 50, FAX: +48 (032) 209 06 06
EMAIL: KATOWICE@CAMPANILE.COM
Hotel Bella Notte K-4, ul. Paderewskiego 35,
Chorzów, tel. (+48) 32 606 82 82, www.stylehotels.pl.
A stylish new hotel located next to the Arsenal Palace Hotel
on the Katowice/Chorzów border, guests are entitled to use
the facilities of their illustrious neighbour such as the swimming
pool, sauna and fitness centre. An attractive choice in
its own right, Bella Notte features 32 standard rooms, 12
deluxe rooms and a two-storey apartment is also available.
Q45 rooms (43 singles, 43 doubles, 1 suite, 1 apartment).
THAR6ULGW hhh
Hotel Rycerski (Knights Hotel) ul. Będzińska
53, Czeladź, tel. (+48) 32 763 58 88, www.hotelrycerski.pl.
Nestled on the road between Czeladź and
Będzin, this sleeper has been made to look like a Polish
mountain hut from the outside, but harbours spacious,
well-equipped, modern rooms set out on the inside.
You’ll need a car to get around, but you’re compensated
with very good accommodation at affordable rates, with
a recommended Polish restaurant and bar meaning you
don’t need to go anywhere else to eat like one of the
aforementioned knights. Modern conference, meeting
and banqueting facilities, plus an adjacent children’s
playground, seem to have made it a success from the
word ‘go’. Q26 rooms (24 singles, 19 doubles, 1 suite, 1
apartment). THARGK hhh
Ibis Katowice - Zabrze R-1, ul. Jagiellońska 4,
Zabrze, tel. (+48) 32 777 70 00, www.accorhotels.
com. Opened with a swipey card, the rooms at the Ibis are
everything one expects from these middle-bracket stalwarts.
Plain and identikit it might be, but your accommodation is
guaranteed to be absolutely pristine, with soundproof doors
and extra-strong curtains ensuring your sleep faces no inter-
July - October 2012
23

24 WHERE TO STAY
Edward Gierek
Born in Zagórze, an outlying district of Sosnowiec,
Edward Gierek (1913 – 2001) is best remembered as
the man who took Poland to the brink of bankruptcy
with his half-mad economic policies. His father died
in a mining accident when Gierek was aged four, and
soon after his mother hitched up with a new fella and
made the decision to up sticks and move the brood
to France. By the age of 17 he was a card carrying
member of the French commie party, and it wasn’t
long before his subversive activities had come to the
attention of the authorities; regarded as a political
pest he was deported back to Poland. Following stints
in the Polish national service, the mines of Belgium By
1937, and cloudy wartime action with a unit of Polish
guerillas, Gierek’s story picks up in 1948 when he
and his wife moved back to Katowice after the war,
no doubt pleased as punch that the country was now
communist controlled. It didn’t take long for Gierek to
rise through the ranks, and in 1957 he was appointed
as the regional head of the Communist party. He set
about his task with ideological zeal, approving grandiose
projects like the Spodek and Park of Culture
and Recreation (see Chorzów). He also remained
true to his mining roots, and although conditions for
Silesia’s miners remained brutal, under Gierek these
modern day Gollums at least enjoyed the benefit of
cheaper cars and housing. Championed as a man of
the people Gierek enjoyed considerable public support,
and following the violent riots of December 1970
that forced Władysław Gomułka to resign his post as
Polish First Secretary, the dynamic Gierek was the
perfect candidate – his promises of economic and
social reform being just what the masses wanted to
hear. After being elected he forged close links with
the West, and propped up by huge foreign loans set
about modernizing industry and bringing the country
out of the dark ages. His strategy was an immediate
success, and saw him hailed as an economic mastermind
by workers across the country. But the oil crash
of 1973 sent shockwaves throughout the globe, and by
1976 Poles were once more feeling the pinch. Gierek
had borrowed billions, and his creditors wanted the
money back – the cost was passed on to the people
by ways of further price increases, imports were cut
dramatically and everything which could be exported
was, leading to empty shelves and longer queues
than ever before; all this while Gierek and his cronies
continued to enjoy a high life of hunting and holidays.
By 1980 the people had had enough, and inspired
by Lech Wałęsa’s Solidarity movement strikes and
protests ripped through the country. Poland was in
crisis, and Gierek was forced to abdicate his position.
The hardline regime that followed him, led by General
Jaruzelski, pinned Poland’s mounting economic and
social crisis on him, and he was forced to resign his
party membership before being locked away for a
year. Choosing a quiet life after his ignominious exit
from politics Gierek lived out the rest of his life in the
southern town of Ustroń, and passed away in 2001
following a battle against a lung infection. The mark
he left was immense, but while the rest of Poland
finds itself still paying off the debts he racked up, the
people of Katowice remember him more fondly as
the creator of some of the regions most recognisable
cultural attractions, and the sweet stretch of highway
known affectionately to this day as the Gierkówka.
ruption. Everything here comes geared to making your visit
as smooth as possible, from the shoe-shine machines in
the corridors to windows that actually open, should you
have a natural distrust of air-conditioning. Q114 rooms
(114 singles, 114 doubles). PTHA6UGKW
hh
Olympia Spodek B-3, Al. Korfantego 35, tel. (+48)
32 606 85 85, www.stylehotels.pl. Located inside
Katowice’s most random and recognisable landmark - the
inimitable ‘Spodek’ - this is a great choice for combining
strange with style. Don’t mistake it for a Soviet throwback,
however, this new hotel is modern throughout,
combining comfortable rooms with great facilities, including
a stylish foyer with leather furnishings and a glass
ceiling, conference rooms, a fitness centre, mini-golf,
billiards, bar, club (free drink for guests), restaurant and
spa with sauna, Jacuzzi and a large indoor heated pool.
All are at your disposal and you stand a good chance of
seeing whatever sports teams or performers are in town
as you explore the premises. Q30 rooms (29 singles,
26 doubles, 1 apartment). PTHA6UGKDW
hhh
Senator D-5, ul. 1 Maja 3, tel. (+48) 32 258 60
81, www.senator.katowice.pl. All the rooms were
completely renovated in the spring of 2007 and feature
good-looking furniture, cable television, some bathrooms
with showers only and others with a bath. The spacious
apartment is an excellent value but the location means
it comes with a rather nasty view, and despite all the
improvements the rest of the hotel still needs a bit of
work. Just east of the centre on a busy tram line, Senator
offers an interesting balance of price, facilities and location.
Q48 rooms (47 singles, 47 doubles, 1 apartment).
HA6UGKW hhh
Silesian Hotel Quality and Economy G-4, ul. Szybowcowa
1a, tel. (+48) 32 606 88 00, www.silesianhotel.pl.
Yet another re-branding doesn’t really change the
fact that Silesia Hotel is more like two different hotels, with
two different standards, attached at the hip by a conference
centre. Though all the rooms have been emblazoned
with three stars, there’s still a conscientious parity in room
standard, with the new terms ‘Quality’ and ‘Economy’ now
being applied. Constantly changing nomenclature and
debatable star systems aside, this hotel still distinguishes
itself with great facilities, good value and extra perks which
include free use of the indoor pool, sauna and Jacuzzi. Eight
elegant suites on the upper floors offer panoramic views of
the surrounding area for those with the spare change. Q181
rooms (18 singles, 157 doubles, 6 suites). PTHAR
6UGKDCW hhh
Vacanza ul. Olimpijska 4, Siemianowice Śląskie, tel.
(+48) 32 606 83 83, www.stylehotels.pl. Located north
of Katowice in Siemianowice Śląskie, Vacanza is about a 7
minute drive from the Spodek, presuming you have a car.
If not, there are certainly worse places you could choose
to maroon yourself; in fact here you’ve got everything you
need for sticking out Silesia, from the infrared Finnish
sauna, Turkish bath and saltwater pool of the wellness
centre, to the glorious terrace of the bar-restaurant. The
tasteful rooms feature surprisingly handsome furnishings
and the entire hotel is done in a vaguely Mediterranean
style, meaning lots of potted plants and that sunburnt
Tuscany orange colour. Certainly preferable to the Silesiantheme
hotels in coastal Italy. Q44 rooms (30 singles, 30
doubles, 14 triples, 1 apartment). PTHAR6UG
KDwW hhh
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
Budget
Gościniec Stajnia C-2, ul. Wawelska 1, tel. (+48) 32
204 85 95, www.noclegi-katowice.com.pl. About as basic
as it gets, Stajnia offers 25 private rooms and suites of varying
quality, from the bare bones ‘hostel rooms’ (tiny room with a bed,
towel, shelf, poster tacked to the wall, bathroom somewhere
else) to the tacky ‘apartments’ (clashing colour palettes, private
bathrooms, poorly-equipped kitchenettes, unframed posters).
High-standard they certainly aren’t, but the advantages are
one of the best locations in town, plus free coffee, tea and
water anytime, and discounted dinners (5-15zł) in the Stajnia
restaurant on the ground floor. Ideal for students and budget
travellers who are eager to enjoy Kato’s nightlife and don’t care
where they pass out at the end of the party. Q19 rooms (15
singles, 15 doubles, 4 apartments). A6FGKW
Ibis Budget Katowice Centrum C-4, Al. Roździeńskiego
18, tel. (+48) 32 350 50 40, www.ibisbudget.com. The
Ibis Budget (formerly the Etap brand) presence in Katowice is
smashing news for budget travellers tired of sleeping in hotels
that smell of old socks and steamed turnips. Clean and modern
this is exactly what the lower end of the market needs, with
facilities including prim flatscreen satellite TV, air-conditioning
and bathrooms that don’t need a dose of Dutch courage prior to
entry. Great value right in the centre of town. Q124 rooms (124
singles, 124 doubles, 4 triples). PTA6ULGW h
Jopi Hostel E-2, ul. Plebiscytowa 23, tel. (+48) 32 204
34 32, www.jopihostel.pl. It what seems like it should be
(but probably isn’t) a watershed moment in the history of
Katowice tourism, here comes the city’s first, and presently
it’s only, hostel. Lacking the kind of competitive market that
might inspire it to match the quality and services of some of
the better hostels you may have bedded in around Europe,
Jopi is a basic affair: 32 bunks, a kitchen, wifi and one public
computer. The perks are primarily the cost, location (right in the
centre) and the presence of plenty of bathrooms, though we
can hardly imagine this place being packed with backpackers.
Go ahead and bogart that jam and toast breakfast. Q9 rooms
(3 singles, 4 doubles, 2 quads, 32 Dorm beds ). AGW
Katowice C-3, Al. Korfantego 9, tel. (+48) 32 258 82
81, www.hotel-katowice.com.pl. Caught somewhere
mid-way between communist-era throwback and space
station, evidence that Katowice might be slowly catching
up with the world includes the addition of such necessities
as wireless internet in the lobby and smiling receptionists.
The rooms are pleasant enough, with some offering amazing
views of the city’s less-than-amazing panorama, plus
the restaurant and conference rooms have recently gotten
a much-needed touch up. The city-centre location is made
even more convenient by the bus stop in front, which serves
as a major Silesian transit point. Q230 rooms (136 singles,
78 doubles, 16 suites). THA6UGKW hh
Ośrodek Konferencyjno-Szkoleniowy ‘INNOWAC-
JA’ (Conference & Training Centre „Innovation”)
ul. Jagiellońska 38A, Zabrze, tel. (+48) 32 278 75
55, www.oks.polsl.pl. Located in the centre of Zabrze,
Innowacja offers professional and quality service within
their tech-savvy conference centre and hotel. The Centre’s
location houses amenities including apartments, studios,
and single or double rooms for up to 78 guests. Every room
has a private bath and is fitted with LCD televisions and
refrigerators, while apartments and studios include a private
kitchenette. The conference facility amenities include air
conditioning, Wi-Fi, surround sound and high-end AV and
lighting central-control systems. Q34 rooms (1 single, 21
doubles, 5 triples, 3 quads, 4 apartments). HARG
katowice.inyourpocket.com
WHERE TO STAY
Apartments
Euro Residence D-2, ul. Kopernika 6, tel. (+48) 32
608 42 52, www.euroresidence.com.pl. Located on a
quiet street in the leafy district south of the train tracks and
geared primarily but not exclusively towards short- and longterm
foreign business travellers, these smart apartments
in a range of sizes come complete with all the necessities
you’d expect to find in an apartment. Modern and stylish,
breakfast is included in the price and they also offer extras
such as laundry service, jacuzzi and massages (which cost
extra). Q20 rooms (6 singles, 6 doubles, 14 apartments).
TAULGDW
Pałac Saturna (Saturn’s Palace) ul. Dehnelów 2,
Czeladź, tel. (+48) 32 290 13 90, www.palacsaturna.pl.
Located 7km north of Katowice in Czeladź, this historic palace
and former headquarters of the Saturn mining company has
been beautifully renovated and turned into a world-class spa
resort in the style of a Roman bath house. With the conference
facilities and virtual offices aside, 11 exclusive upstairs apartments
make this a fantastic romantic retreat for couples, who
will enjoy free access to the plethora of different saunas, pools
and baths below, plus 10% off additional spa treatments and
massages. If they don’t mind the obligatory nude policy and
group seances, that is. Still, there’s plenty of privacy to had
in the fine apartments - all of which are named after Roman
Emperors and fully equipped, with living rooms, large beds,
wifi, and whirlpool baths in most cases. An excellent choice
for business, romance and relaxation if you have a car. Q11
rooms (11 apartments). PTHAGKDCwW
United In Obscurity
Hello and welcome to the Upper Silesian Metropolitan
Union. Please, call us USMU. We are thrilled to
have you as our guest. Did you know you are currently
in the largest urban centre in Poland? The population
of our 14 officially recognised union member cities is a
combined 2.2 million people, however, calculating the
entire Upper Silesian Coal Basin the metropolitan area
consists of 3.5 million people across 30 neighbouring
cities! As a large, loose network of urban development
with primarily artificial, sometimes absurd city
boundaries, we all came together back in January of
2006 and decided we’d had enough of your-side-ofthe-street,
my-side-of-the-street disputes. We’ve
had enough of being vaguely defined, under-funded
and unappreciated and we’re tired of doing the hard,
thankless work of this country so the prima donnas
in Kraków can sip their expensive drinks with little
umbrellas in them. Silesia is the heart of Poland, dammit,
and though it may be a heart of coal, if you hold
us tight enough what will we become? A diamond! Yes,
with that in mind we decided to form a voluntary union
of the adjacent cities of Silesia with historic Katowice
as its seat. Are you aware that over 9 million people
live within 100 kilometres of Stadion Śląski (Silesian
Stadium)? Why, this is one of the biggest urban conglomerations
in the entire EU and we’re gonna get noticed,
by gosh! By pooling our resources, USMU strives
to create a common infrastructure, more domestic and
foreign investment, a competitive international profile
and to flex some economic muscle. We hope you will
recommend us to your friends and family in the place
where you are from and remember with fondness all
the amazing things you saw and great times you had
here. Enjoy your visit to Upper Silesia!
July - October 2012
25

26 RESTAURANTS
Silesian Grub French
A blue-collar region of
migrants, miners and
miners’ daughters, few
places are as well suited
to the nation’s traditional
peasant fare of potatoes,
cutlets and cabbage as
Silesia. So what have
the locals contributed to
national cuisine? Well,
you can put Silesian
noodles, knownly locally as ‘kluski śląskie’ at the
top of your culinary itinerary. Essentially a pierogi
with no filling, these pillowy potato flour doughballs
are served as a side dish almost everywhere, often
with mushroom gravy or fried fat and bacon bits on
top. With a chewy texture and typically bland flavour,
kluśki literally stick to your ribs and set like cement in
your stomach. We love ‘em. If you’re particularly down
and out, you can’t do better than a 4-6zł side dish
that stays in your stomach for two days. As for main
courses, your pervasive regional entrée for the brave
has to be Silesian beef rolades, or ‘rolada śląska’ –
a rather turd-like rolled beef patty filled with onions,
bacon and pickles. This surprisingly tasty dish with
some kluśki and red cabbage or fried sauerkraut on
the side is as Silesian as it gets and exactly how they
serve it at Bar Pod Siódemka; alternatively give it a
try at Wiejska Chatka or Chata z Zalipia. Wash it all
down with a Żywiec or Tyskie – Poland’s most popular
national beers, both from Silesia.
Tipping Tribulations
Polish tipping etiquette can be a bit confusing for
foreigners. While in other civilized countries it’s normal
to say ‘thanks’ when a waiter collects the money,
you’ll be horrified to learn that in Poland uttering the
word ‘dziękuje’ (thank you), or even ‘thank you’ in
English, is an indication that you won’t be wanting
any change back. This cultural slip-up can get very
embarrassing and expensive as the waiter/waitress
then typically does their best to play the fool and make
you feel ashamed for asking for your money back, or
conveniently disappears having pocketed all of your
change, no matter what the cost of the meal and size
of the note it was paid with. We suggest that you only
say ‘thank you’ if you are happy for the waitstaff to
keep all of the change. Otherwise we advise you to
only use the word ‘proszę’ when handing back the bill
and the payment.
Despite the fact that the average waitress in PL only
makes a paltry 10-15zł/hr, a customary tip is still
only around 10% of the meal’s total (though being
a foreigner may make staff expectant of a bit more
generosity). As such, we encourage you to reward
good service when you feel it’s deserved. Finally,
it is not common to add the tip to your credit card
payment because waitstaff are forced to then pay
tax on the gratuity; most likely you will not even be
able to leave a tip on your card. Have some change
handy so you can still leave a cash tip, or ask your
server for change.
Unfortunately for your palate, Silesia is better known as
an agglomeration of undesirable industrial towns than a
centre of world-class cuisine for connoisseurs. However,
with the gradual improvement of the service industry now
joining the esteemed ranks of the coal and steel industries
in the area, the restaurant scene has been buoyed as well.
Katowice is certainly seeing its offerings improve, though in
many ways it’s still slim pickings - especially when it comes
to ethnic food which, regardless of claimed country of origin,
will invariably contain cabbage and shredded carrots. As
in other parts of this guide the places covered here are
located throughout the conglomeration. If the venue is not
in Katowice town itself, we have added the name of the
town it is in to the address after a comma along with a map
reference if applicable. Districts of Katowice are shown in
brackets. The prices we list here reflect the cheapest and
most precious main dishes on the menu. Tipping at least
10% for table service is customary, though it may not always
be deserved. Smacznego!
American
City Rock B-2, ul. Chorzowska 9b, tel. (+48) 32
201 05 05, www.cityrock.pl. If you crossed Hard
Rock Cafe with a classic American diner in a Polish
laboratory, you might end with something like City Rock,
where motorbikes, guitars, 50s pinups, Elvis and even
a full-sized Formula 1 car are attached to the walls. The
pre-pubescent boy in you will love it and that’s before
the team of local beauties appears to present you with
the easy English menu of Tex-Mex, fried food, ice cream
sundaes, milkshakes, pasta, pizza and obligatory Polish
dishes - choose from lame-named items like ‘Easy Chick’
and ‘Grinch Spaghetti,’ or why not try to push your luck
and ask the Miss Polska serving you for a ‘Porky Party?’
The food is uniformly average, but includes comforting
seldom seen perks like half-litre Cokes and barbecue
sauce. Incredibly popular and kind of great for all the wrong
reasons. QOpen 13:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 13:00 - 24:00.
(17-59zł). TA6UVXSW
Caucasian
Fantasmagoria C-1, ul. Gliwicka 51, tel. (+48) 32
253 00 59, www.restauracjafantasmagoria.pl. A bit
geographically perplexing for those of us who haven’t
gotten the history lesson, Fantasmagoria specialises in
‘zakaukasko-wileńska’ cuisine, which would refer to the
Caucasus region and the Lithuanian lands around Vilnius
(a journey between which would take several days as far
as we can tell). The restaurant itself has the homely feel
of a grandmother’s kitchen and the wood-burning oven
where various meat dishes are grilled to perfection adds
to the atmosphere. Expect generous portions cooked
simply and well with a range of Georgian wines available
to wash it all down. QOpen 13:00 - 22:00. (15-43zł).
TAGBSW
Chinese
A Dong C-2, ul. Matejki 3, tel. (+48) 32 258 66 62,
www.adong.com.pl. Equally ostentatious and tatty, this
huge and decidedly strange restaurant comes complete
with a coat-check grandpa, groups of office workers tucking
into plates of good-looking food, red lanterns and authentic
Chinese music. The menu is large and packed with equally
authentic Chinese dishes at bargain prices. Highly recommened
for both its novelty as well as serving the sort of food
you’ll find all over China but almost never in the UK. QOpen
11:00 - 23:00. (18-44zł). PTAVGSW
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
C’est Si Bon E-2, ul. Ligonia 4, tel. (+48) 32 781 68
48, www.cestsibon.pl. Certainly one of Katowice’s finer
restaurants, the service may not be as cheerful as the
interior full of lavender plants, lilac tableclothes, dried flowers,
candleholders and sun icons, but the food is top-notch,
as testified by the long list of companies C’est Si Bon does
regular catering for. The menu is in Polish, French and English,
and still full of rich, delicious dishes from the French onion
soup with croutons and Gruyere cheese, to veal escalopes
served with foie gras. A great way to forget you’re in Katowice.
QOpen 12:00 - 22:00, Sun 12:00 - 20:00. (34-59zł).
PTAVGSW
Fusion
Restauracja Sunlight B-2, ul. Sokolska 24 (angelo
Hotel Katowice), tel. (+48) 32 783 81 56, www.
angelo-katowice.pl. Located on the ground floor of the
Angelo Hotel, it’s worth getting a room upstairs just for
convenient access to this exquisite restaurant. A perfect
cure for seasonal Silesian depression, Sunlight justifies
its slightly hokey name with a modern, spirit-lifting interior
of warm colours and wall to floor length windows. No effort
is spared with the food, including regularly reinvented
seasonal menus which we heartily recommend taking
advantage of, in addition to the regular card full of creative,
locally-inspired fusion dishes like ‘duck breast with prune
puree and apples caramelized in estragon.’ Each dish is
presented as a work of art and the menu even includes
accompanying wine recommendations. Two or three course
business lunches (Mon-Fri 12:00-16:00) are a bargain for
32 or 39zł respectively, and the entire experience is one
worth basking in. Q Open 06:30-10:30, 13:00-22:00.
(25-90zł). PTAUGW
German
WunderBAR D-3, ul. Plebiscytowa 2, tel. (+48) 32
781 76 90, www.wunderbar.pl. A pleasing bar-restaurant
kitted out with pots, pans, chiming clocks and all manner of
assorted country trumpery. The menu here is pretty much
as you expect from a Bavarian themed eatery, hunks of
deceased animal served in masculine portions. If you really
mean business then look no further than the Trough Wunderbar;
a monster meal that includes pork, ribs, bratwurst,
sauerkraut and potatoes. QOpen 13:00 - 23:00. (33-69zł).
TAGBS
Hungarian
Zaklęty Czardasz D-2, ul. Kopernika 9, tel. (+48)
32 257 01 32, www.czardasz.com. Certainly one of
Katowice’s finest and most unheralded restaurants,
this aromatic Hungarian effort serves excellent ethnic
cuisine in elegant surroundings hung with garlic and
pepper garlands, wicker lampshades, latticework and
vines. The enticing menu offers a dozen ways to enjoy
their delicious goulash (trust us, you’ll be licking the cutlery),
plus stuffed peppers, potato pancakes, pork loin,
fish and more - all complemented ideally by Hungarian
wines and tokajs from their adjoining shop. Portions are
positively huge, with food practically spilling over the
edges of the plate, and it’s worth noting that you can ask
for many of them in a smaller amount. A new year round
patio and cellar wine bar only make us more enthusiastic
to recommend this place than ever before. QOpen
10:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 23:00, Sun 12:00 - 22:00.
(28-49zł). PTAUIGBSW
katowice.inyourpocket.com
RESTAURANTS
Polish Food
Those wanting to take a quick foxtrot through the world
of the Polish kitchen should consider putting the following
to the test:
Smalec: Fried lard, often served complimentary before
a meal with hunks of homemade bread. It sounds evil,
but it works like a miracle any day, especially an arctic
one. Ideally partnered with a mug of local beer. Any Polish
restaurant worth its salt should give you lashings of this
prior to your meal. You only need ask.
Soup: Keep your eyes peeled for Poland’s two signature
soups; żurek (sour rye soup with sausages and potatoes
floating in it) and barszcz (beetroot, occasionally with dumplings
thrown in). Table manners go out of the window when
eating these two, so feel free to dunk bread rolls in them.
Bigos: You’ll either love it or vomit. Bigos, a.k.a hunters
stew, is made using meat, cabbage, onion and sauerkraut
before being left to simmer for a few days. If you have
second helpings then consider yourself a Pole by default.
Gołąbki: Boiled cabbage leaves stuffed with beef, onion
and rice before being baked in a tomato sauce. Urban
myth claims Poland’s King Kazimierz fed his army gołąbki
before his victory outside Malbork in a battle against the
Teutonic Order. The unlikely victory was attributed to the
hearty meal his troops had enjoyed before hand.
Kiełbasa: Sausages, and in Poland you’ll find several varieties
made primarily with pork, but sometimes using turkey,
horse, lamb and even bison. Few varieties to watch for including
Krakowska, a Kraków specialty which uses pepper and
garlic, kabanosy which is a thin, dry sausage flavoured with
carraway seed and wiejska; a monster-looking u-shaped
sausage. Kiełbasa was also the nickname of one of Poland’s
most notorious gangland figures of the 90s.
Pierogi: Pockets of dough traditionally filled with meat,
cabbage or cheese, though you will also occasionally
find maverick fillings such as chocolate or strawberries.
Placki: Nothing more than potato pancakes, often paired
with lashings of sour cream. Again, all your traditional
folksy Polish restaurants will have these on the menu, if
not you have every right to raise a few questions in the
direction of the kitchen.
Zapiekanki: Also known as Polish pizza. Take a stale
baguette, pour melted cheese on it and then cover it
with mushrooms and ketchup from a squeezy bottle.
Best eaten when absolutely plastered. Where to buy it:
various fast food cabins dotted around the city centre.
Dessert: Few things in life get a Pole more animated than
a good dessert. Sernik (a kind of cheesecake) being a
must if you want to even attempt to convince a Pole you
have visited their country.
Kaszanka: This is the Polish variation of blood sausage,
in this case pig’s blood mixed with groats, and is generally
served fried with onions. Unlike in other countries it is not
served in the form of a sausage. A variation on the blood dish
is Czernina, a soup made of duck’s blood mixed with poultry
broth. An interesting tale is attached to this dish as it was the
dish served by the parents of young women to her suitors
as a sign that their proposal of marriage was not accepted.
July - October 2012
27

28 RESTAURANTS
ul. Dyrekcyjna 3 • tel: +48 781 373 000 • cherry@cherry.katowice.pl • www.cherry.katowice.pl
Indian
Bombaj Tandoori ul. Partyzantów 5, Sosnowiec,
tel. (+48) 32 266 83 48, www.bombaj-tandoori.pl.
Located in Sosnowiec, Bombay is one of the longest
running ethnic restaurants in the entire country and a
pleasure from start to finish, from the comprehensive
menu to the polite, English-speaking staff. All the
signature Indian dishes are there and spice levels
are automatically set at levels connoisseurs would
expect, a fact you shouldn’t take for granted when
ordering food with a bit of zing in Poland. Some lowkey
furnishings add to the overall authentic experience
with Kingfisher beer as the finishing touch. If you love
a great offer, visit between 12:00 and 17:00 Mon-Sat
to take advantage of their happy hours. Depending
on where you are, you may or may not need a cab to
get there, but you’ll definitely need one to get home
again as the portions could stop a baby Indian elephant
in its tracks. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. (24-80zł).
PTAUBXSW
Buddha E-2, ul. Drzymały 9, tel. (+48) 32 608 00 50,
www.buddha.info.pl. Surely a landmark event for Katowice,
the Indian owned and operated Buddha introduces
authentic ethnic food to a region known more as ‘culinarily
bizarre’ than a culinary bazaar. Richly furnished with elegant
antiques, wall hangings, ceramic tiles and gold silk placesettings,
Buddha has a head start before the food even
arrives and fails to disappoint in that department as well. If
it says it’s spicey (gasp!) it actually is, though slightly small
portions mean you’d be wise to take a side of rice. Overall
a fine effort and worth the total on the check, which arrives
in a hand-crafted box. QOpen 12:00 - 22:30. (20-50zł).
PTAGBSW
International
Akolada D-4, ul. Zacisze 3, tel. (+48) 32 201 03 46,
www.akolada.pl. Set inside a glass-roofed red brick atrium
in the Music Academy this is a splendid venue in which to enjoy
the finer side of life. The cooking is modern international,
and the menu features corkers like ‘pork tenderloin on potato
pancakes with a chanterelle sauce’ and ‘spinach gnocchi
served with pesto’. Q Open 09:00 - 19:00. From September
open 08:00 - 21:00. (10-50zł). PTAUGBSW
Bierhalle A-1, ul. Chorzowska 107 (Silesia City Center),
tel. (+48) 32 605 01 61, www.bierhalle.pl. Dining in a shopping
mall usually consists of being queue barged by tracksuited
teens ordering burgers and putting the finishing touches to their
acne, so Bierhalle is quite a bonus for all who find themselves
exploring the guts of the Silesia City shopping mall. The best
beer in Katowice should be the primary reason for your visit,
but the food is by no means a poor relation; especially in a city
where eating out is usually followed by a prompt and painful
trip to the toilet. The menu here is pretty much as you’d expect:
big piles of dead animals, perfect for lining the innards before
putting their range of microbrews to the test. Order the likes of
sausages, herring, and even tortillas, delivered without incident
by staff dressed like they’ve just finished milking cows. QOpen
12:00 - 22:00, Fri 12:00 - 23:00, Sat 11:00 - 23:00, Sun 11:00
- 21:00. (15-40zł). PTAGBSW
Bohema F-2, ul. Bratków 4, tel. (+48) 32 202 51 80,
www.restauracjabohema.com. Entirely elegant, there’s
little bohemian about Bohema - with its wine glasses and
white tablecloth approach to fine dining - except maybe the
surprisingly moderate prices. Appear in-the-know by taking
your date to this obscure restaurant on the south side and
choose from a wide range of Polish and European meat and
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
fish dishes; curiosities include the goose stomach in Provencal
sauce (has to be specially ordered), tenderloin in forest
mushroom sauce and an entire page of veggie side dishes
entitled ‘Vitamins’ at the top - indicative of the character of
the main courses. Classy with a creme interior of black and
white photos of 50s starlets, the separate downstairs bar
offers something a bit more relaxed and the open upstairs
terrace is a delight in summer. QOpen 12:00 - 20:00, Sun
12:00 - 18:00. (17-60zł). PTAVGBSW
Camelot D-2, ul. Batorego 2, tel. (+48) 32 781 80
62, www.camelot-katowice.pl. Not a round table in
sight, but there is a vague knights-in-armour theme to this
large, highly likable restaurant and pub. Dimly-lit and full of
dark colours over two floors with a small garden out back,
Camelot hits the right balance as one of your best options
in town for casual dining, a business meeting or beer with
friends. The menu of solid, affordable pub grub includes
regional favourites (salmon and spinach stuffed crepes,
17zł), pasta, and steak fillets. QOpen 12:00 - 22:00. (15-
35zł). PA6BXS
NEW
Cherry Restaurant & Caffe D-3, ul. Dyrekcyjna 3,
tel. (+48) 781 37 30 00, www.cherry.katowice.pl.
Put on your pumps, ruby red lipstick, maybe give yourself
a little mole near your upper lip, and channel your inner
starlet before sashaying into Cherry - Katowice’s attempt
to capture the atmosphere of a cinematic 1960s Manhattan
cafe. With large bright red diner booths and portraits
of Audrey and Marilyn looking on, this would be the perfect
place to imagine yourself having ‘breakfast at Tiffany’s’
if Tiffany’s had been a cafe or if Cherry served breakfast,
that is. Instead, drop in for their daily luch specials or get
chatty with a date over coffee and dessert. There’s even
a large smoking area if you have a suitably long enough
cigarette holder. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Fri 10:00 -
23:00, Sat 12:00 - 23:00, Sun 12:00 - 21:00. (18-48zł).
PA6EBXSW
Cinnamon D-1, ul. Mikołowska 9, tel. (+48) 32 701
55 94, www.restauracja-cinnamon.pl. Smart looking
restobar located close to the centre of Katowice. The barebricks,
comfy sofas and black-clad staff give the venue a
classy feel and the laid-back sounds, shiny bar and eclectic
menu all win points if you like the place you’re in to look as
good as you. The food ranges from steaks to pasta, and the
duck breast baked in honey with carmel sauce and potatoes
comes recommended. Food is prepared in an open kitchen
which tends to fill the place with cooking smells, but shows
off the skill of the chef. The skills of the barmen are also on
display via a great cocktail list and on weekends people come
out to party as much as to clean their plates. QOpen 12:00
- 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 03:00. (18-59zł). PTAGSW
Felicidad C-1, ul. Sobieskiego 10, tel. (+48) 507 04 27
61, www.felicidad.pl. Overseen by a team of older women,
Felicidad’s strange, somewhat tatty interior incorporates
elements of an Irish pub (including the misleading four-leaf
clover they use as a logo), a medieval tavern and a granny’s
attic before the yard sale. Supposedly this is an opportunity
to taste some Portuguese cuisine, but the overpriced
Polish-only menu hardly makes Portugal seem the exotic
culinary destination you might expect, with highlights being
the small selection of port wines and the garlic soup - strong
enough to set you right after smoking a pack of cigarettes
the night before and vamp-proofing you for the night ahead.
Very popular with businessmen incessantly answering
their phones. QOpen 11:00 - 21:30. Closed Sun. (38-59zł).
PT6VGBSW
katowice.inyourpocket.com
RESTAURANTS
Marek Kamiński
Born in Gdańsk on March 24th, 1964, Marek Kamiński
ranks as Poland’s greatest living explorer, and in 1995
became the first person in the world to reach both Poles
unaided in the same year. It was a childhood accident
that originally inspired him to travel the world; having
nearly lost his arm, the blank days spent recuperating in
hospital saw him make a personal pledge to live a life of
adventure. And so he did. His expeditions have seen him
become the first Pole to make the 600km trek through
Greenland, circle the Baltic (approximately 2,000km) in
a rubber dinghy in a time of five days and scale Mount
Vinson – the highest peak in Antarctica. His most high
profile moment, however, came in 2004 when he set off
to conquer both Poles once more, this time with 15 year
old Jaś Mela from Malbork. Mela managed the feat in
spite of losing an arm and a leg after being electrocuted
a couple of years prior. Battling temperatures of –30 degrees
Celsius, and winds of 200km per hour, the pair just
managed to hit their target, arriving at the South Pole on
December 31st. In the process Mela became the youngest
and first disabled person to conquer both Poles in one
year, and the expedition raised funds to provide artificial
limbs for around 65 Polish children and adults. Awarded
the Order of Polonia Restituta for his travels, Kamiński
is also the co-author of three books and the founder of
the Marek Kamiński Foundation (www.kaminski.pl) - an
organization set up to promote exploring the Poles and
planet in general, as well as increasing environmental
awareness in young people. The foundation also runs an
educational project (www.nabiegun.pl) aimed at helping
those less fortunate.
July - October 2012
29

30 RESTAURANTS
characterised by family traditions and culinary experience
Fenix C-3, Al. Korfantego 5, tel. (+48) 32 206 40 44,
www.restauracjafenix.pl. Since taking over for Sphinx, this
budget sit-down restaurant in a dumpy building at a major busstop
has gone international, redoing the decor a bit to reflect
that with European maps and African animal prints. The menu
hits several continents with cheap, speedy Asian, Mexican and
American offerings, Polish, Italian and European mainstays,
and you can round it all off with creme brulee for dessert. In
the end, the less-than-authentic food and atmosphere aren’t
that dissimilar from what Sphinx used to be: hardly a revelation,
but you could do worse in these parts; we know we have.
Also at ul. Chorzowska 107 (A-1, Silesia City Center). QOpen
12:00 - 23:00. (17-50zł). PTA6UGBS
Grill Bar ul. Będzińska 82, Czeladź (Hotel Szafran), tel.
(+48) 32 763 80 13, www.szafranowydwor.pl. A part of
the Szafranowy Dwór complex offering a canteen style grill
for those on the move. Located between downtown Katowice
and the airport, it makes a perfect stop if you are on your
way to or from the airport in your own transport. All manner
of meat is grilled up including steaks, pork and chicken fillets
and fish. A range of salads and a kids menu make this one of
the better family options in the conurbation as well. QOpen
07:00 - 24:00. (12-50zł). PTAUGSW
Kamienny Kasztel Al. Główna 3, Chorzów (Park of
Culture & Recreation), tel. (+48) 501 78 05 30, www.
kamiennykasztel.pl. Inside the Park of Culture & Recreation,
the astonishing interior features nods to everything
from the Stone Age to the Renaissance. Bursting with oil
paintings and boasting a wonderful garden during the summer,
food comes courtesy of a large selection of Polish dishes
plus a few international favourites. By far the best place to
eat when enjoying the sights and attractions of the park.
QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. (16-120zł). PTAUGBS
NEW
Latająca Świnia (The Flying Pig) D-3, ul. Staromiejska
3, tel. (+48) 530 32 85 58, www.latajacaswinia.pl.
This modern bistro-pub offers a compelling
selection of local pork delicacies and an excellent array
of local microbrews to complement them. Specialising in
upscale appetisers for carnivores, the Polish-only menu
will pose a challenge for foreigners, but perseverance
is well rewarded by the quality and taste of all on offer.
The grilled pork loin is great and the cold platters of
mixed meat snacks can be ordered in portions for 1-4
people. In addition to what we could essentially describe
as ‘Polish pork tapas’ there are several dishes for the
vegetarian you might be dating as well, not to mention
one of the best beer lists around. The small, cheekily
decorated interior is a bit cramped, but wall-length
windows allow you to prop up your elbows and do some
people-watching, or take a seat in the seasonal garden.
QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 02:00, Sun 15:00
- 22:00. (20-40zł). AGBW
Mañana Bistro & Wine Bar I-1, ul. Wolności 15,
Chorzów, tel. (+48) 508 29 36 40, www.bistromanana.
pl. Another excellent destination in Chorzów, this ace cafe
bistro hits all the bases with delicious coffee, fine wines and
a great menu that’s presented as a magazine full of savoury
sandwiches and creative mains like eggplant and zucchini
rolls stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and ricotta, mozzarella
and parmesan cheeses. It’s all stylishly presented and the
modern Parisian atmosphere of the small casually elegant
interior makes this a great spot to stop for a light lunch or
some after work down-time with a friend. Recommended.
QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 22:00, Sun 12:00 -
20:00. (17-40zł). PTAGBSW
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
Pan de Rossa ul. Trzech Stawów 23 (os. Paderewskiego),
tel. (+48) 32 256 05 52, www.panderossa.com.
pl. Located in the Valley of Three Ponds (just east of F-5 on
the map) - one of the city’s most popular recreation areas,
Pan de Rossa makes more than just an appetising diversion
for those creaking around on their bicycles. Unfortunately
it’s given up its fantastic terrace overlooking the pond and
moved across the road and into the trees. However it has
substituted the views for a fresh, modern décor with lots of
light through its large windows. The menu remains a dissertation
on local grilled fish and game dishes but has upped the
Polish selections, likely to cater to a more local audience.
The interior is certainly more upscale and business oriented,
so cyclists and walkers in the warmer months are likely to
stick to the covered outdoor patio. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00.
(20-50zł). PTAUGBS
Patio C-2, ul. Stawowa 3, tel. (+48) 32 781 55 55,
www.restauracjapatio.pl. One of Katowice’s most popular
restaurants with an extensive menu of pizzas, pastas,
grilled meats and fish, Patio’s provisions are now offered in
English, making it much easier for you to successfully order
what some claim to be the best steak in town. The interior is
designed to look like an exterior, with a wooden lattice ceiling
full of lights, fake flowers, bird nests, pinecones, twigs and
other things you’d sweep up from the yard; though when the
summer terrace is open, it’s a bit of mute point. For a bargain,
visit between 11:00 and 16:00 Mon-Fri, when lunch is only
20zł. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Sun 13:00 - 23:00. (16-52zł).
PTAVGBS
Patio Park G-1, ul. Kościuszki 101, tel. (+48) 32 205
30 77, www.patio-park.pl. An exquisitely decorated and
refreshingly spacious restaurant at the edge of Kościuszki
Park. Reflected light above the faux trellises give the impression
of daylight and cut branches hang from the trellises so
as to give the impression of dining in a forest on a starry
night. Country-style furniture, a rustic-themed mural, antique
objects and elegantly simple table settings sustain the impression.
Wait staff are pleasant and speedy to respond.
The chef takes a creative turn with entrees, adding garnish to
some to resemble trees. The menu is long, but you may not
have to venture past the chef’s recommendations on the first
page to find something tempting. A good choice for business
lunches or a stop off before or after a walk through the park.
QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. (20-70zł). PTAUBXSW
Restauracja Bergamo ul. Olimpijska 4 ,Siemianowice
Śląskie (Vacanza Hotel), tel. (+48) 32 606 83
83, www.stylehotels.pl. It’s rare that a hotel restaurant
would warrant the trip for those not staying upstairs, but
Silesian dining is precisely the kind of perfect storm that
makes Bergamo an oasis of taste in the midst of a culinary
wasteland. Warm Mediterranean interiors include a fireplace
and sunny timber-beamed terrace, and it merely follows
suit that the excellent menu be an exploration of southern
European tastes and ingredients. With several banquet
rooms on hand, it’s also worth considering if you’re planning
more than a casual dinner. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. (15-99zł).
PTA6UIGBSW
Restauracja Bonaparte K-4, ul. Paderewskiego
35, Chorzów (Arsenal Palace Hotel), tel. (+48) 32 606
84 40, www.stylehotels.pl. Not much surprise that in
Chorzów’s finest hotel you would also find its finest restaurant.
Wonderfully elegant French interiors feature pristine
antique furnishings with a few columns and credenzas to
match the fine table settings. The menu of Mediterranean
and Polish dishes is such a masterpiece that it even makes
delicacies out of the local Silesian fare. Start things off with
katowice.inyourpocket.com
RESTAURANTS
characterised by
family traditions
and culinary experience
ul. Stawowa 3, Katowice
tel. 32 781 55 55, fax. 32 259 98 65
Open 10:00 - 23:00, Sun 13:00 - 23:00
www.restauracjapatio.pl
biuro@restauracjapatio.pl
July - October 2012
31

32 RESTAURANTS
salmon Carpaccio, fois gras fried in butter with honey and
apples or cold borsch with shrimp before graduating on to
a range of juicy steaks, veal, venison, lamb loin chops or a
fillet of grilled salmon in caper sauce: hats off to the chef. The
desserts are to die for and you can finish the evening in the
cellar cigar bar. Very impressive start to finish. Q Open 07:00
- 10:00, 12:00 - 23:00. (25-110zł). PTAUGSW
Secesja M-3, ul. Grodowa 5a, Gliwice, tel. (+48) 32
332 18 51, www.secesja.gliwice.pl. Relive the time of
Art Nouveau inside this masterpiece. The decorations could
have been taken straight from a game of Cluedo what with all
the parlour plants and Tiffany lamps, and it’s almost tempting
to dust off the smoking jacket before bowling up here.
For dinner pick from the likes of rabbit, duck, boar and other
regional and European dishes. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Sun
12:00 - 24:00. (35-59zł). PAIBXS
Stara Szkoła S-1, ul. Grunwaldzka 46, Zabrze, tel.
(+48) 32 273 01 30, www.stara-szkola.pl. A superb
garden with a landscaped pond and bbq pit make this a
great summer destination. Conversely the interior is a warm
warren of timber rooms that include wood-beamed ceilings,
a fireplace and salvaged antique detritus, from rusty cogs
to abacuses. The food served leaves no gap for seconds
with buckle-bursting portions of regional specialties, Ruskie
dishes and the usual collection of animals skewered and
cooked in every way imaginable. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00.
(13-42zł). TAIGBSW
Stek House Dada E-1, ul. Gen. Zajączka 17 (entrance
from ul. Poniatowskiego), tel. (+48) 32 205 61 03. If
there were such a thing as the beaten path in Katowice,
Stek House would certainly be off it, but it’s worth seeking
out if you’re feeling particularly rapacious. With a variety of
choice cuts for carnivores, including the Argentine variety
and beef carpaccio; the soups are also delicious, highlighted
by the goulash and creme of broccoli with smoked salmon
and roasted almonds. There’s now an English menu, and the
pleasant staff are happy to help out. The intimate courtyard
in front of this ivy-covered building is a delightful spot to dig
in and drink the German beer on tap (Tucher), making an
excursion to Dada even more worthwhile during the warm
weather months. QOpen 12:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 13:00 -
22:00. (33-115zł). TA6GBSW
Supernova M-3, ul. Górnych Wałów 42, Gliwice, tel.
(+48) 32 400 42 30, www.supernova.gliwice.pl. Supernova
reminds us of the aroma and anticipation that hits
your senses when you’re opening the package of something
tasty. The décor and interior style combine soft-toned earth
colours with smart and ultra-modern art-deco trimmings.
You’ll find everything to be smart and fresh, from the art
gallery/studio style to the handy outdoor play area for those
who are far too young to enjoy the subtle touches of Feng
Shui. The menu is, once again, heavy on the Italian side, with
a touch of French to complement the theme of the décor.
The prices are modern as well, so we recommend you take
advantage of the 20zł lunch menu served weekdays. QOpen
11:00 - 23:00. (7-66zł). PTAUGBSW
Szafranowy Dwór ul. Będzińska 82, Czeladź, tel.
(+48) 32 763 80 00, www.szafranowydwor.pl. Found
13km from downtown Katowice, the Saffron Manor (to give
it its English name) forms part of an attractive, modern
complex including a hotel. Inside you’ll find a series of rooms
of which this is the more formal dining area. Find a rather
impressive menu consisting of meats, pastas, salads and
fish dishes with the steaks and the desserts both receiving
top marks, in a modern, rustic setting with a fireplace and
fountain setting off the whole look. QOpen 13:00 - 22:00.
(35-70zł). PTAUGSW
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
Tatiana D-3, ul. Staromiejska 5, tel. (+48) 32
203 74 13, www.restauracjatatiana.pl. A long,
thin restaurant with elegant, cleverly designed wooden
floors and ceilings, the organic design is enhanced with
enough bamboo and random reeds to attract a wild
panda. One of Katowice’s finer and suitably popular
establishments, the new menu features an extensive
range of Slavic and European dishes including steaks,
Moscow borscht and braised rabbit in cream sauce.
QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Sun 11:00 - 22:00. (20-90zł).
TAUVEGBSW
Za Kulisami C-3, ul. Teatralna 8, tel. (+48) 32 258
50 80, www.za-kulisami.pl. We were told this place
had been given a facelift under new ownership but we’ll
be buggered if we could spot the difference in décor. Bare
bricks. Check. Wicker seating. Check. Dim lighting. Check.
The one thing that did appear to have changed was the
menu. A decent selection of dishes considering that this
is a restaurant/cafe/bar in Katowice, ranging from salads,
pastas and seafood to a selection of meat dishes that
saw our chicken stuffed with mushrooms and bacon get a
thumbs up while the T-Bone for 65zł looked like a decent
enough value. Located opposite the theatre this is clearly
one of the city’s more trendy resto-bars and a welcome
break from the adjacent ‘Rynek’. Q Open 12:00 - 22:00.
Closed Sun. From September open 12:00 - 22:00, Sun
16:00 - 22:00. (17-65zł). PTAGSW
Zaks C-1, Pl. Wolności 9, tel. (+48) 88 708 05 86,
www.restauracjazaks.pl. Located right on Plac Wolnosci,
Zaks is a corner of tranquillity and a nice contrast from
the hectic bump and grind outside. The old-fashioned and
quaintly cosy interior fools you into thinking the menu will
only have a few of grandma’s favourite dishes, but they
manage to have an enormous selection in a comparatively
small restaurant. Daily specials let you try the local cuisine
affordably, and there is a small bar if you decide to spontaneously
upgrade your dinner plans. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00,
Sat 12:00 - 22:00. Closed Sun. (17-40zł). PA6VGS
Italian
Buon Cibo D-3, ul. Mariacka 4, tel. (+48) 32 228 50
33, www.buoncibo.pl. Seems we need to have a meeting
about whether or not to start a new category for all these
Polish-Italian restaurants. Joining the parade of similar establishments
across PL, Buon Cibo offers good, simple nosh with
a menu in English, Italian and Polish that’s as straightforward
as the food. Our pork medallions in green pepper sauce
were thoroughly enjoyed, and the nondescript underground
interior of wooden furnishings does well to diminish the fact
that you’re in what could under other circumstances be a
rather dim, depressing grotto. There’s even a great outdoor
seating area for those three weeks of the year when the sun
is actually out (okay, four). QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. (14-38zł).
A6VGBSW
Cristallo D-3, ul. Dworcowa 5 (Monopol Hotel), tel.
(+48) 32 782 82 09, www.lhr.com.pl. Climb a grand
marble staircase to reach Cristallo, the stunning show-piece
restaurant of the Monopol Hotel. A glass roof allows guests
to watch the evening unravel above them, while the discreet
interiors of bare brick walls and steel tubing lend a minimalist
aesthetic to the experience. Select from the imaginative
Italian-inspired menu with choices such as beef sirloin with
ginger sauce and confit vegetables. You pay for the quality
here, and it comes as no surprise that diners trek across
Silesia to do so. QOpen 17:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 -
23:00. (50-85zł). PTAUEGSW
katowice.inyourpocket.com
RESTAURANTS
July - October 2012
33

34 RESTAURANTS
Mediterranean
Cuisine
THE BEST MEDITERRANEAN
RESTAURANT IN THE REGION
Let us take you to a Mediterranean
climate where you can feel the
rhythm of a sunny day.
Our restaurant can be found in the
ALTUS BUILDING (QUBUS),
FIRST FLOOR.
ul. Uniwersytecka 13, Katowice
mobile +48 512 020 808
tel +48 (32) 603 01 91
katowice@viatoscana.pl
www.viatoscana.pl
La Grotta C-2, ul. Wawelska 3, tel. (+48) 512 51 74 36,
www.lagrotta.co. Though La Grotta doesn’t quite live up to
its lofty reputation, it has a lively, family-friendly atmosphere
that helps keep it buzzing with diners throughout the week.
The multi-level interior comes cluttered with bottles, old
adverts and black and white photos of Italy, while the small
but diverse menu features everything from their over-rated
pizza to ravioli to fresh clams. QOpen 11:00 - 22:30. (17-
49zł). TAVGBSW
Sicilia D-2, ul. Kochanowskiego 2, tel. (+48) 32 251
79 90, www.sycylia.com. Moody waitresses, three sizes
of pizza plus soup and pasta inside a Mediterranean-feel
restaurant with colourful tiles on the walls and a fairly
decent wine list. The service is far from fast and efficient
and the food isn’t going to win any awards, but if you don’t
mind waiting as well as being made to feel like you’re giving
the staff work they’d rather not be doing, this isn’t such a
bad place for a spot of lunch when exploring the area. Also
at ul. Chorzowska 107 (Silesia City Center, A-1). QOpen
12:00 - 22:30. (22-75zł). PTAVGSW
Via Toscana C-3, ul. Uniwersytecka 13, tel. (+48) 32
603 01 91, www.viatoscana.pl. A sensory delight inside
Altus Tower with interiors touting archways, lampposts, vines
and even mock balconies. It’s every much as delightful on the
palette as it is on the eye, with a menu featuring New Zealand
lamb, Argentinean beef, a great pickled salmon carpaccio and
seafood. Equally suited to romantic trysts or hushed business
dinners, Via Toscania is further proof of Katowice’s growing stature.
QOpen 12:00 - 23:00. (26-115zł). PTAUXSW
Japanese
Hana Sushi A-1, ul. Chorzowska 109, tel. (+48) 32
605 09 77, www.hanasushi.pl. A former swimming pool
attached to one of Katowice’s closed coal mines, this lovely
brick building has been refitted to house the city’s best sushi
house and Japanese restaurant. With the added advantage
of being at the Silesian City Centre, yet sovereign over its
own independent space and atmosphere (they even have
their own separate parking), Hana Sushi boasts a rich menu
rife with Japanese delicacies and hot dishes for those still
suspicious of the sushi fad. If you don’t feel like making your
way to Silesia’s biggest shopping mall, enjoy free delivery
by picking up the phone, chop-chop. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00,
Sun 12:00 - 21:00. (28-68zł). PTAUVGBSW
Hobu D-3, ul. Plebiscytowa 10, tel. (+48) 32 203 00
10, www.hobusushi.pl. A trendy venue with green, seethrough
plastic seats, pieces of origami and some zebra-print
fittings. It looks hi-tech and minimal, and the sushi sets play
their part in winning return customers. Those squeamish of
raw-fish (particularly hundreds of miles from the sea) haven’t
been overlooked, and the menu includes numerous cooked
dishes including teriyaki duck and teppanyaki. QOpen 12:00
- 22:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 24:00, Sun 13:00 - 22:00. (35-
66zł). TA6VGBSW
Kyoto Sushi C-3, ul. Uniwersytecka 13, tel. (+48)
32 603 01 66, www.kyotosushi.com.pl. Located up
the first set of escalators inside the swanky Altus Centre,
this large, excellent Japanese restaurant comes with lots of
wood trimmings, a tinkling tranquility pond in the centre and
a sushi canal built into the fine wooden bar, behind which
the masters are at their work. Choose from Nigiri, Maki,
Sashimi and classic Japanese dishes, washing it down with
a Japanese beer or a carafe of sake. QOpen 12:00 - 22:00,
Fri 12:00 - 23:00, Sat 13:00 - 23:00, Sun 13:00 - 21:00.
(42-63zł). PTAUGSW
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
A large selection of hot dishes
Ul. Chorzowska 109, 40-101 Katowice
tel. 32 605 09 75 • silesia@hanasushi.pl
Narada Sushi Club E-1, ul. Barbary 13, tel. (+48) 795
59 44 65, www.narada-sushi.pl. We don’t profess to be
experts on sushi, but we’re fairly certain this isn’t the best
you’ll find. The simple white interior resembles a hotel lobby
and has about the same amount of atmosphere, anchored
by ambient music, a fountain, some lousy murals and a long
stooled bar: don’t expect to see sushi being prepared behind
it, but the recent addition of a liquer license has gratefully put
the barman to work. Asked if our sushi could arrive before
our appetiser (hmm), when it was brought to the table our
waitress then inexplicably asked if we’d like some kind of
massage. In the moment’s uncertainty, we declined and now
have to live with that regret (don’t make our mistake, it may
be the best part of your evening). QOpen 12:00 - 23:00.
(27-67zł). PTAUVGBSW
Sushi Arigato M-3, ul. Wodna 5, Gliwice, tel. (+48)
32 231 60 47, www.sushiarigato.pl. Gliwice might seem
an unlikely spot to provide for your sushi needs, but the
raw fish here certainly comes up to scratch. A stark white
interior punctuated by some Japanese artwork is the setting,
while the menu involves a run down of all your staple sushi
hits. Also on offer is a brief selection of sashimi, as well as
cooked dishes like fried king prawns. QOpen 12:00 - 22:00.
(12-43zł). PTAVGSW
Mexican
Kartel I-1, ul. Wolności 11/1, Chorzów, tel. (+48) 32
241 25 54, www.kartel-mexican.pl. One of the most
popular restaurants in Chorzów, Kartel benefits from a good
location and creates a classy understated dining atmosphere
by not acting like every day is Cinco de Mayo. While
the Mayan-inspired tiles, gaucho graphics and sombreros
don’t exactly jive, they’re subtle, and the red-clay interior
katowice.inyourpocket.com
RESTAURANTS
is probably Kartel’s least offensive attribute. In addition to
the tasteless name, the food is completely flavourless and
unimaginative. While we admire the use of corn tortillas,
what’s inside them is hardly authentic; generally we could
do better at home, as the coleslaw (!) was the best thing
on our plate. The margaritas are simple and strong, but
the closest thing to Mexican beer on hand is the ‘tequilaflavoured’
Desperados (produced in France). The outdoor
terrace is great in summer and Kartel has proven itself to
be a huge success with the locals, but a bit of effort towards
authenticity would go a long way here. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00.
(12-35zł). PTAGBS
Polish
Bar Pod Siódemka C-2, ul. Stawowa 7, tel. (+48) 32
258 66 18. A good place to sample the traditional nosh on
one of Katowice’s most peopled streets. Decked with netting,
frayed ropes and funny cariacatures of potential patrons
on the walls, here you’ll find little more than honest people
eating honest food and a cute, chirpy blonde collecting the
orders. Q Open 09:00 - 20:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 20:00. From
September open 09:00 - 19:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 19:00.
(10-20zł). VGBS
Bryka H-1, ul. Wolności 4, Chorzów, tel. (+48) 32 241
47 47, www.bryka.com.pl. How could anyone resist a restaurant
covered in clashing carpets and fabrics, including the
tables, floors, walls and even some columns? With one of the
most truly unique and baffling interiors we’ve seen - including
a chandelier the size of Belgium and a very cute minstrel
gallery - this veteran restaurant does possess some charm
and class, maintaining its solid reputation with a huge menu
of expertly prepared regional dishes. QOpen 08:30 - 22:00,
Sun 11:00 - 22:00. (10-62zł). PTAUVGBSW
July - October 2012
35

36 RESTAURANTS
Quick Eats
Pizza Hut C-3, ul. Korfantego 9a, tel. (+48) 32
258 37 63, www.pizzahut.pl. Also at ul. Chorzowska
107 (Silesia City Center, A-1). QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Fri,
Sat 10:00 - 23:00. (10-43zł). PTAUGBSW
Wezyr Doner Kebap D-3, ul. Mariacka 7. The first
proper kebab place to open up on Katowice’s main drag,
the owners have made a surprisingly serious effort to
make Wezyr appear much more upscale than you’d
expect from this sort of venture, with a large stylish
interior that includes marble floors and some other fine
touches. Almost makes you expect the food to be equally
above-average, but sadly that’s not the case: you will not
be telling your friends back home about the great kebab
you had in Katowice. Open till 3:00 on the weekends,
we’re pretty sure it was later when we dropped in, but
maybe it was just ‘black-out’. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Fri,
Sat 11:00 - 03:00. (9-17zł). PW
Złoty Róg (The Golden Horn) D-3, ul. Mariacka
2, tel. (+48) 32 253 78 48. A combined delicatessen
and place to stand at a table and eat in the style of a
train station buffet, this humble-looking establishment
churns out a large array of outstanding dishes ready to
eat in an instant from pierogi to roast beef, all served with
a superb choice of side dishes and salads. If you don’t
mind the peculiar dining arrangements you won’t find
it easy to get a better and tastier bargain than in here.
Q Open 07:00 - 18:00, Sat 08:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun.
(10-23zł). PA6UVGS
Polish Name Days (Imieniny)
In Poland, name days (imieniny) are widely celebrated
and have traditionally been given a greater importance
than birthday celebrations, particularly as one gets on
in years. Printed in every local calendar, these name
days represent the feast days of Catholic saints. Every
day of the year is assigned two saints – one male, one
female – and chances are if you share a name with a
saint (as almost all Poles do), you too have a name day.
Some names are even repeated more than once in a
calendar year, in which case you celebrate the first name
day after your birthday.
Name Day celebrations in Poland are social events,
traditionally involving the gathering of friends and family
at the celebrant’s home or in the bar of their choice.
Differing slightly from western birthday celebrations in
which the celebrant is often seen as a ‘guest of honour’
and might expect to be bought drinks all night, in name
day gatherings the celebrant traditionally plays the role of
host, buying drinks for friends and ensuring that guests
are taken care of. In return, guests should bring small gifts
(typically chocolate, flowers or vodka) as you would on
someone’s birthday. The Polish birthday song ‘Sto Lat’ (A
Hundred Years) is sung, and its mindless simplicity might
be tempting for foreigners to criticise until they reflect on
just how dreadful the English happy birthday song actually
is. Name Days are so important to Polish culture that they
are prominently displayed in most of the country’s trams
and buses, thereby ensuring that you know who you should
be buying flowers for that day; information that you’ll find
less readily available on public transport is the name of
the line or the destination of its next stop.
Chata z Zalipia D-3, ul. Wojewódzka 15, tel. (+48)
32 205 33 00, www.chatazzalipia.pl. Paying homage
to the specific folk art tradition of the far-away Małopolska
village of Zalipie, the rustic cottage interior of this pleasant
peasant offering features elaborate flower murals on the
white walls, garlic garlands hanging from timber beams
and plenty of other farm fittings. If you’re not familiar
with Poland’s famous Bolesławiec folk ceramic, you will
be after a trip here where filling, Polish home-cooking is
served on the beautifully decorated dishware, including
the prerequisite pre-meal smalec (animal lard spread on
bread). Waitresses in traditional dress and atrocious disco
folk music round out what serves as a great introduction to
Polish cuisine. QOpen 12:00 - 22:00, Sun 12:00 - 21:00.
(8-42zł). PTA6UEGSW
Gazdówka N-3, ul. Dworcowa 30, Gliwice, tel. (+48)
32 301 98 76, www.gazdowka.pl. This Góral chata, or
Polish mountain lodge theme restaurant, is all rough-hewn
timber and large wooden tables. Carved-wood menus reveal
a menagerie of meats, edible animals and hearty mountain
specialties presented in the Polish góral dialect as well as
proper Polish, German and English. A warm escape from
sometimes gloomy Gliwice, meals are preceded by bread
with animal grease (smalec) and a veggie herb spread for
those who somehow lack an innate love for lard. Our pork
with honey-mustard sauce was a delicious departure and
the garlic soup enough to thwart any potential vamps
from entering our personal space for the next 24 hours.
QOpen 11:30 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 11:30 - 01:00. (16-49zł).
PTAGS
Pierogi Świata E-3, ul. Jagiellońska 4, tel. (+48) 32
733 25 51, www.pierogiswiata.pl. Not the greatest looking
venue from the street (but then what is in Katowice?),
Pierogi Świata puts a creative spin on that staple of the Polish
menu, filling their dough pockets with something other
than meat, cabbage, cheese or potato (the four essential
Polish food groups). In an interior that weakly attempts to
suggest the Far East, explore such exotic ‘world’ fillings as
chicken, vegetables and spicy sauce, an ‘Egyptian’ version
containing musaca and a ‘Norwegian version’ containing
salmon and risotta cheese. There’s also a range of other
standard Polish dishes such as fried chicken fillets, and a
handy English menu makes it intelligible enough for informed
dining decisions to take place - rare in a place with prices
this low. QOpen 12:00 - 23:00, Sun 13:00 - 22:00. (18-
26zł). PA6GSW
Polski Smak C-2, ul. Wawelska 1, tel. (+48) 602 12
61 26, www.polskismak.info. Very similar to Kraków’s
popular Polakowski, but even cheaper, Polski Smak offers
good, affordable food in a clean, classy setting. Here you
can fearlessly introduce yourself to all the staples of Polish
cuisine, with the advantage of seeing them in the buffet line
first. Prices are by weight: 3.10zł/100g, with a bowl of soup
going for 4.50zł. Though on paper Polski Smak looks like
an unsavory Soviet era milk bar, anyone who’s been there
knows that the atmosphere, interior and food are all better
than that, which is why it’s become popular with everyone
who enjoys a tasty bargain, from students to local business
owners. QOpen 11:00 - 19:30, Sat 11:00 - 17:00. Closed
Sun. (By weight: 3.10zł/100g). AGS
Restauracja Autorska Adama Gesslera ul. Bytkowska
1a (Best Western Premier Katowice Hotel),
tel. (+48) 32 721 11 66, www.bestwesternkatowice.
pl. We’ve been a fan of Gessler’s from the beginning,
and the arrival of his now well-established and well-loved
brand at Katowice’s Best Western Hotel is probably the
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
most exciting Silesian culinary event since the discovery
of the potato. Unfortunately if you’re not staying upstairs
you’ll have to make a special trip to experience it, but the
location near the fringe of Chorzów’s Park of Culture and
Recreation has it well-placed to be part of a splendid day
out. Serving delicious regional fare, Gessler’s trademarks
are all intact here, including the open kitchen and excellent
service from the chefs themselves, who personally
bring the food straight from the pan to your warm plate.
Elegance, atmosphere and a memorable experience are
virtually guaranteed. Certainly the best way to experience
Polish food, and highly recommended. QOpen 13:00 -
23:00. (35-60zł).
Restauracja Monopol D-3, ul. Dworcowa 5 (Monopol
Hotel), tel. (+48) 32 782 82 82, www.lhr.com.
pl. It’s hard to imagine you could go wrong by choosing
the flagship restaurant of the finest hotel in town. Indeed
there’s nothing to be disappointed about at the Monopol
- a name which has become reliably associated with high
quality dining, design and service across southern Poland.
Choose from a changing menu of local and European
delicacies that literally make the mouth water - ‘roe deer
saddle with buckwheat pilaf and cumin cabbage’ - and
features an excellent wine list. The formal belle epoque
interior of wooden floors and marble finishing is adorned
with pre-war black and white photographs of Silesia, giving
Monopol an appealing air of the old days; you know,
the good ones. Q Open from September 12:00 - 23:00.
(65-80zł). PTAUGSW
Restauracja u Romana D-2, ul. Kochanowskiego
13 (entrance from Pl. Miarki), tel. (+48) 32 204 82
44, www.uromana.com.pl. Similar to Polski Smak, but
with set prices and more of a university dining hall feel,
this large cafeteria on Plac Miarki is a decent setting for a
cheap self-service meal where your fellow diners are more
likely to be young students stretching their money than
middle-aged alchy shop vagrants pouring hot barszcz on
the fire in their bellies (- essential criteria when restaurant
hunting in Kato). Cheery and clean with exactly the same
menu as you’re likely to find in most Polish lunch bars (pork
cutlets, pierogi, stuffed cabbage rolls), U Romana is hardly
worth seeking out, but certainly satisfactory if you need a
quick hot meal in the neighbourhood. Also at ul. Francuska
34. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Sat 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun.
(11-25zł). P6GS
Rycerski ul. Będzińska 53 (Hotel Rycerski), Czeladź,
tel. (+48) 32 763 58 55, www.hotel-rycerski.pl.
Located in what appears to be a wooden mountain chalet
(but is in fact the Hotel Rycerski), this is a very decent
place to take in the Polish food experience. Heavy wooden
bench-style furniture, waitresses dressed up as mountain
wenches and large servings of well-prepared Polish grub are
actually worth the trip out here, even if you’re not staying
in the adjacent hotel. Lots of seating and a well-stocked
bar mean that the atmosphere often develops into that
of a thriving beer hall. QOpen 07:00 - 22:30. (20-60zł).
PTAUXSW
Skarbek E-2, ul. Powstańców 25, tel. (+48) 32
255 46 00. Smashing home-made żurek, roast duck
and gołąbki (cabbage leaves stuff with meat) in the
restaurant that time forgot. Check your hat and coat
on entry, don’t be surprised to find yourself sat next
to a former top Party official, and spend a delightful
time conversing in sign language with one of several
over-ripe waitresses. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00. (22-
35zł). GS
katowice.inyourpocket.com
RESTAURANTS
Late Night Eats
Lorneta z Meduzą D-3, ul. Mariacka 5, tel. (+48)
32 200 06 60, www.lornetazmeduza.pl. Modern
European in style, stubbornly Soviet in concept, Lorneta
z Meduzą has revived the 1975 business plan of flat rate
prices pegged at 8zł and 4zł for food and drink, respectively.
Your drink - be it beer, coffee, vodka, wine, tea or
juice - comes in a quantity proportional to that price, while
the limited food options would all appear to be answers
to the Jeopardy category ‘Snacks That Go With Vodka’:
namely, herring in oil (‘śledz), bread smeared with lard
(‘smalec’), and the Double Jeopardy winner - pig trotters
in gelatin (‘galaretka’). Egads. Though the interiors are
respectable enough - with two old maps of ‘Kattowitz’
dressing up the walls and the stools of the window bar
making a decent place for people watching - the takeaway
coffee would seem the safest bet for food or drink if
it’s too early to start boozing. Q Open 24 hrs. (8zł). GS
Stajnia C-2, ul. Wawelska 1, tel. (+48) 32 204 85
95, www.noclegi-katowice.com.pl. If you find yourself
in need of a more substantial, even sit-down meal in the
middle of the night, these folks are right in the centre and
ready to accommodate you at all hours. Home to an enormous
year-round terrace with a few rural touches, Stajnia
isn’t a bad spot to stop by in the afternoon either, though
the food is pretty straightforward and unlikely to win any
awards: burgers, zapiekanki and quick eats in addition to
local and Euro main courses. There’s beer from Germany’s
Tucher on tap as well, though when we stopped by on the
way home on a Saturday night we didn’t find any reason to
hang around. Q Open 24hrs. PAUBXW
July - October 2012
37

38 RESTAURANTS
U Babuni E-1, ul. Kilińskiego 16, tel. (+48) 32 250 01
03, www.restauracjaubabuni.pl. Old farming implements
on the walls, a huge spiderweb made from rope and a few
charming folk-art paintings create a very non-Katowice atmosphere
in one of the few traditional restaurants in town. The
waiters have eschewed the ethnic look in favour of something
altogether more penguinesque, and the food features the
usual Polish dishes as well as a few vegetarian options. As one
would expect in a traditional Polish country-style restaurant,
the music comes courtesy of Bob Marley. QOpen 11:00 -
22:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 22:00. (11-35zł). TAUIVXS
Wiejska Chatka (The Rustic Hut) A-3, Pl. Grunwaldzki
4, tel. (+48) 32 350 30 10, www.wiejskachatka.com.pl.
A cavalcade of over the top, country-style
adornments such as old farming tools and painted flowers
on the walls inside a fairytale interior make Katowice’s only
truly classic traditional Polish restaurant the place to head to
if you’ve not experienced such nonsense before. In true Polish
style the music policy was devised by a steering committee
of five-year-olds, but the overall kitsch effect and the decent
local dishes on offer make Wiejska Chatka an experience not
to be missed when in town. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. (15-50zł).
PTA6GBSW
Russian
Fanaberia D-3, ul. Dyrekcyjna 1, tel. (+48) 32 609 87
84. A beautifully decorated, sumptuous cellar restaurant
with an extraordinary glass-fronted, white teracotta stove as
its centrepiece, featuring immaculately turned-out waiters on
hand to ferry dishes including potato pancakes with caviar
and sour cream, delicious casseroles in earthenware pots
and the prerequisite blini offerings to your table. QOpen
12:00 - 24:00. (22-67zł). PTAGBS
Thai
Sekrety Tajlandii (Secrets of Thailand) D-3,
ul. Wojewódzka 21, tel. (+48) 32 254 66 42, www.
sekretytajlandii.pl. Frogs’ legs in garlic sauce, a
galaxy of phat phet, rice, noodles and french fries
amidst vaguely Oriental splashes such as a dragon
on the wall, served by young Poles to the strains of
a soundtrack featuring everything from Thai hits to
Michael Jackson. The menu is in something not unlike
English, and despite the heavy Polish influences the
food isn’t bad at all. QOpen 12:00 - 22:00. (20-36zł).
PTAVGS
Vegetarian
Dobra Karma D-4, ul. Św. Jacka 1, tel. (+48) 784
90 36 62, www.dobrakarma.com. Combining healthy
food with hospitality, Good Karma’s vegetarian kitchen
follows the principles of the Five Transformations - an
age-old Chinese eating philosophy that endows their
food with good energy. Fear not, there’s nothing selfrighteous
or spiritual about the atmosphere, which
has found favour with families, students and hipsters
alike. Set over two levels, the brick interior full of folk
touches and worn timber feels more like a home than
a restaurant and makes for a great place to work or
relax. The menu is mostly veggie reinterpretations
of Polski classics (lentil-stuffed pierogi, the popular
veggie cutlets), pastas and some surprisingly stellar
pizzas, while to drink there’s delicious coffee, organic
sodas, and some primo beers from the Czech Primator
brewery. Well-hidden, but certainly worth seeking out.Q
Open 12:00 - 22:00. From October open 09:00 - 22:00.
(7-24zł). T6GBSW
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
Złoty Osioł (The Golden Ass) D-3, ul. Mariacka
1, tel. (+48) 501 46 56 90, www.wegebar.com. We
often judge a city’s merits on whether or not it has a proper
vegetarian restaurant, and in this regard Katowice scores
some much-needed points. The cheekily named ‘Golden
Ass’ features laidback music, bright psychedlic wall patterns
and tablecloths, and fertile murals wherein zodiac
characters, Buddha and Grecian urns are able to coexist
as peacably as the aging hippies, young activists, punk
rockers, and school teachers that make up the clientele.
The budget food shows a lot more creative flair than the
rest of the local cuisine, and here you can pick up flyers on
everything from yoga classes to alternative rock concerts.
Also at ul. Grota Roweckiego 20, Sosnowiec (Open 10:00-
20:00. Closed Sun) and ul. Kłodnicka 2, Gliwice (Open
11:00 - 22:00. Closed Sun). QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Sun
12:00 - 22:00. (12zł). TA6GSW
Vietnamese
Little Hanoi...and more! D-3, ul. Staromiejska 4,
tel. (+48) 886 62 33 88, www.littlehanoi.pl. Set on a
pedestrianised street in the heart of Katowice within walking
distance of the train station and Katowice’s ‘Market
Square’ Little Hanoi is one of the best new places of recent
times. Granted, the minimal décor containing the obligatory
lanterns, decent Vietnamese dishes and friendly staff are
not unique in Poland, but as far as eating options in central
Katowice go, this is a definite step in the right direction. The
spicy soup was, the ribs were delicious and the beef Bo Luc
Lac was excellent. Wash it down with a Lime Nuoc Chanh and
like us you’ll be fortified for the evening ahead with hardly a
dent made in your wallet. QOpen 11:30 - 22:00. (20-60zł).
PAUGBSW
katowice.inyourpocket.com
RESTAURANTS
Władysław Szpilman
Born in Sosnowiec, Upper Silesia, in 1911, Wladyslaw
Szpilman studied the piano in Berlin before embarking on
a successful career as a composer and concert pianist for
Polish National Radio. By the time German bombs fell on
Warsaw, he had achieved the status of a musical celebrity.
Imprisoned inside what was to become the largest ghetto
in Europe when the Nazis occupied Warsaw, Szpilman
continued to scrape out a living as a musician in ghetto
cafés before he and his family were rounded up during a
‘selection’ in August 1942. Szpilman managed to escape
the transportations to Treblinka death camp when he was
hauled out of a cattle truck by a policeman who recognized
him as the famous pianist; the rest of his family was not so
lucky. Szpilman slaved away in a labour camp before escaping
and hiding in various locations around Warsaw. The
dying days of the war saw him living in increasing despair,
weakened by starvation and ill health, and he was only
saved from certain death when a Nazi officer discovered him
scavenging in the ruins and fed and watered him. In a surreal
twist of irony, Szpilman resumed his career as a successful
composer after the war - even founding the Sopot Song
Festival in 1961, while his German guardian angel died in the
captivity of a Soviet labour camp. Szpilman’s book, originally
titled ‘Death of a City,’ was published shortly after the war
but censored by the communists and was soon forgotten.
It was only when his son, Andrzej, discovered his father’s
dusty manuscripts that the book was re-published in 1998.
In 2002, Roman Polański brought it to the screen as The
Pianist, which won three Oscars and was nominated for
four others, including Best Picture. Szpilman passed away
in Warsaw on July 6th, 2000.
July - October 2012
39

40
CAFÉS
Bellmer Café C-3, ul. Warszawska 2 (Silesian
Theatre underground), tel. (+48) 607 94 20 19. This
hidden gem in the basement of the Silesian Theatre is
where elegantly dressed young people go to drink beer in
the afternoon. Paying homage to local gothic/erotic surrealist
Hans Bellmer through an abundance of seriously
oddball paintings and posters, mismatched furnishings and
fabrics, this isn’t the ‘nachtkabaret’ one might wish for, but
Bellmer Cafe still stands out as a curious cult venue, the
likes of which Katowice could use a few more of. QOpen
12:00 - 24:00. GW
Café Paterman I-1, ul. Wolności 18, Chorzów, tel.
(+48) 32 241 43 43, www.cafechopin.pl. A comfortable,
classy café off Chorzów’s high street, Cafe Chopin
makes a perfect diversion for those with a sweet tooth.
Serving decent coffee, good cakes and deliciously extravagant
ice cream concoctions, chocolate is a proven
pacifier of the stress attributed to a trip to Chorzów, so we
suggest you take a time-out here. The spirits and beer will
also do the job. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sun 12:00 - 21:00.
PUEXS
Chopin Frykasy Fryderyka D-3, ul. Dyrekcyjna 6,
tel. (+48) 32 253 77 55, www.chopin.katowice.pl.
A microscopic venture popular with elderly ladies and
their laptop-wielding granddaughters in need of a quick
caffeine injection, the coffee here is some of the best to
be found in the city. There’s also a fine selection of cakes,
which they will give you a 10% discount for take-away
and, best of all, a large refrigerator full of good-looking
and even better tasting ice cream. Also at ul. 3 Maja 40
(H-2). Open 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun. Q Open
09:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 18:00, Sun 11:00 - 18:00.
PTAGBS
Fanaberia E-2, ul. Wita Stwosza 6, tel. (+48) 32 200
01 67, www.fanaberia.katowice.pl. Swap your shoes for
a Turkish water pipe and a backgammon board, lounging
on the colourful carpets and cushions of the glass atrium,
or drink a Polish microbrew in one of the fantastic hanging
wicker basket seats of this groovy tea house. Full of oriental
ambience, Fanaberia features bright red and blue walls,
elegant chandeliers, curtains and wall-hangings and offers
coffee, cakes and a large selection of teas from all over the
world. If you’d rather steep yourself in alcohol, you won’t find
a better selection in the city than here with meads, wines and
sake available alongside the regional beers. And now there’s
a comic book library; honestly, Katowice makes us proud
every time we walk in this place. Recommended. QOpen
10:00 - 23:00, Fri 10:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 15:00 - 24:00.
From September open 10:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 24:00.
PA6GSW
Gaudi C-2, ul. Wawelska 2, tel. (+48) 32 253 87 75. Colourful
reptiles, freaky chairs, mosaics galore and weird, white
moulded walls inside a fitting tribute to the Spanish genius.
Strip away the fun and you’re left with a good cellar café serving
strong coffee, sticky cakes and a large range of herbal teas.
QOpen 09:00 - 22:00, Sun 10:00 - 22:00. PAGBS
Kawiarnia Wawelska C-2, ul. Wawelska 1, tel. (+48)
505 89 80 61. On what has developed into Katowice’s coffee
and cakes corridor, this cafe is favoured by big-haired varicoseveined
clients who look as if they dressed for church but the
preacher wasn’t in so they came here for a coffee instead. The
wide range of coffee drinks and tantalising ice cream concoctions
can be enjoyed in the red interior or seasonal terrace,
but you’ll have to specify whether you want espresso or a
Turkish toothbrushing: apparently they’re equally popular here.
QOpen 09:00 - 22:00, Sun 10:30 - 21:00. T6GBSW
Kremowa D-3, ul. Św. Jana 14. This unique (ie, strange)
establishment has a little something for everyone by
completing the unlikely trifecta of delicious desserts and
sundaes, above-average Polish grub at below-average
prices, and tasty beer. Special mention goes to the Italian
ice cream, which along with the homemade desserts seem
to be the most popular reasons for dropping in, but Kremowa
also does beer connoisseurs a solid by only offering beer
from the Raciborz brewery in southwest Silesia - and making
it only 5zł; try their honey lager, dark bock, or find out what
‘green’ beer is all about. The boring, unoriginal interior and
mainstream radio don’t help the atmosphere any, but this is
still a worthwhile stop for satisfying the sweet tooth or tying
off the first of the evening. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat
10:00 - 23:00, Sun 14:00 - 20:00. PXS
Monopol D-3, ul. Dworcowa 5 (Monopol Hotel), tel.
(+48) 32 782 82 82, www.lhr.com.pl. Inside the hotel
of the same name the Monopol’s in-house café bar offers
decent coffee and plenty of class with an interior that recalls
Katowice’s golden age. Here it’s all parlour palms, marble
surfaces and sepia images of the city in its industrial heyday.
Floor-to-ceiling windows encourage hurrying passersby to
gaze in with envy. Hotel guests receive a 10 percent discount
on their bill. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. PTA6UGSW
o’joj C-2, ul. 3 Maja 20, tel. (+48) 32 203 44 39,
www.o-joj.prv.pl. Hidden away inside a small courtyard
and down a little flight of steps, o’joj is overflowing with
art, junk, students, an upright piano, the soothing songs of
Marilyn Monroe and a choice of herb teas and beer. Beautifully
bizarre, the fact that it’s overseen by a couple in their
50s makes o’joj seem like an unlikely place to find students
skipping class, but there you have it. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00,
Sat, Sun 16:00 - 22:00. G
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
Bars & Pubs
Archibar C-3, ul. Dyrekcyjna 9, tel. (+48) 32 206 83
50, www.archibar.pl. This is as cool as Katowice gets, so if
you don’t like it you may as well take the rest of those sleeping
pills. Groovy little Archibar is set inside the Architects Union
with an interior that makes use of green lighting, lots of plastic
and black and white photos. In the background it’s all ambient
grooves, arty projections and a load of Meccanno-style
contraptions supporting the lights. It looks good and so do
the patrons, many of whom appear to be businessmen trying
to impress babes half their age. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Fri,
Sat 10:00 - 02:00, Sun 14:00 - 23:00. AGBW
BOB C-2, ul. Chopina 8, tel. (+48) 32 726 10 65, www.
bob.katowice.pl. A bit of a legend round these parts, BOB’s
interior is reminiscent of an American rocker bar and you
almost expect everyone to be drinking out of pitchers. There’s
a good, cheap selection of pub grub on hand - including tacos
and nachos - to complement the cheap beer and a foosball
table for showdowns with the shaved heads that favour this
place. Known for its lunatic Friday karaoke nights, weekend
benders end at BOB and you’ll find high-heeled casualties
stumbling around the city centre asking strangers where it
is. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 05:00, Sun 14:00
- 24:00. PABXW
Cafe Iglo M-3, ul. Rynek 18, Gliwice, tel. (+48) 32 231
42 36, www.gwarek.gliwice.pl. A Gliwice landmark, it’s
hard to miss this domed beer garden squatting squarely on
the Rynek year round. Owned by the same people as the
legendary Gwarek nightclub, aside from the subpar service
the two have almost nothing in common: Iglo is a thoroughly
relaxing oasis of wicker furnishings and palm trees, ideal for
a beer with friends any time. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00, Thu, Fri,
Sat 09:00 - 04:00. AGBW
Cafe Zaszyta C-2, ul. 3 Maja 19, tel. (+48) 603
59 81 42, www.cafezaszyta.pl. Confusingly touting
two names - Club Roc and Cafe Zaszyta - this two-level
establishment is your quintessential Polish rock bar: very
dark with no ventilation, a jukebox playing Polish rock hits,
a guitar on the wall, and a slightly alternative crowd in
leather or denim. Though the idea of rolling up to a rock bar
full of bikeless bikers and their busty dames in Katowice
may sound like a decidedly daunting prospect, the young
patrons plays nice and the barman is always up for a game
of chess. QOpen 11:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 05:00, Sun
16:00 - 24:00. BXW
Carpe Diem C-2, Pl. Wolności 14, tel. (+48) 669 99
85 81, www.carpediem.pl. With continents painted on
the walls and antique motorbikes with sidecars you can
drink in, Carpe Diem seems to embrace a sense of travel.
Ironically, you’re in Katowice; and while you could probably do
better than this bar in the cities where its sister venues are
located (Kraków, Tarnów), you could certainly do worse here.
This candlelit dive possesses a grotty charm and youthful,
devil-may-care attitude befitting the name, keeping its sticky
tables and floor populated with students early evening to
late night. The upside is neverending drink specials (3.50zł
beers on Mondays); the downside is it took about 2.5 minutes
for someone to spill beer on us (at 19:30!). QOpen 12:00 -
04:00, Sat, Sun 16:00 - 04:00. PUEBX
City Pub C-2, ul. 3 Maja 23, tel. (+48) 32 253
97 99, www.citypub.pl. The pub that always comes
up when enquiries are made about the best places to
drink in town, City Pub has an impressively long door
queue, but its legendary status doesn’t really fit what’s
katowice.inyourpocket.com
NIGHTLIFE
Nightlife At a Glance
Katowice’s nightlife is improving steadily, with more and
more bars and clubs opening that hold themselves to a
higher creative standard. While there was a time when
a Saturday night on the town felt like creeping quietly
through a cemetery, that has all changed in a hurry with the
emergence of ul. Mariacka (D-3/4) as the city’s nightlife
headquarters. A pedestrianised three-block stretch that
was once all strip clubs and shady gay saunas (ok, those
are still there), the city has put a lot of energy into cleaning
it up and turning it into the high street it should be. Despite
some dreadful urban design decisions including ugly,
uncomfortable benches and some imbecilic sculpture art
(if we can even call it that), the city is finally seeing results
with a plethora of restaurants, cafes, cocktail bars and
clubs moving in to give the city centre some buzz. In summer,
Mariacka is full of outdoor seating and flooded with
people, but there are plenty of other hedonist hideouts to
discover elsewhere with the help of this guide. The venues
we list below are located throughout the Silesian urban
conglomeration, with the name of the town added to the
end of the address after a comma (with a map reference
if applicable) if it is not in Katowice proper; districts of
Katowice are shown in brackets. The opening hours we
list are flexible; basically if people are drinking, the barman
is pouring. Below is a list of recommendations depending
on what you’re looking for.
ELITE
Katowice isn’t exactly the place to take your twentysomething
arm trophy for a romantic weekend, but you
can probably pick one up while you’re here. To that end try
the smart Archibar, sophisticated Cocktail Bar, sexy Oui
Music Club or taxi out to Chorzów’s catty Czekolada. Early
evening recs go to the always classy Monopol (see Cafes)
and sunset views from the top of Altus Tower in Sky Bar.
LADS
Foreign funboys can mix with the locals in the context of
their own culture in the likes of Longman and Spencer,
before drinking enough Guinness to lurk across the lively
dancefloors of City Pub (more Guinness!), Genesis or
Lemoniada. Bierhalle microbrewery is also ideal for
team piss-ups.
STUDENTS Not the most discerning demographic,
students will go anywhere there’s fun music and cheap
drinks, namely Klub Pomarańcza, Carpe Diem and
Cotton Club; those with more intent to impress will try
Lemoniada, City Pub, Genesis or Trendy Club.
COUPLES
Couples looking for romance should find it by sneaking up
to 27th floor of the Altus Tower for a sunset drink in Sky
Bar, or ruby your lips in Chorzów’s Manana (see International
Restaurants), before retreating to the fashionable
confines of Cocktail Bar, cosy cushions of Fanaberia
(see Cafes) or a candlelit corner of Bellmer Café.
ALTERNATIVE
Katowice has a fair number of cult venues with the hardliving
Śruba i Przyjaciele, careless Gugalander, sepiaspirited
Kredens and artsy-DIY Kato being among the
best offbeat boozers in the city. Leatherheads and rockers
will flock to Café Zaszyta and Kultowa, while those with
more elevated musical tastes will find few finer clubs than
Hipnoza, whether there’s a live concert on or not.
July - October 2012
41

42 NIGHTLIFE
Polish Friends of Beer Party
Sure, it started out as
a joke: In 1990 satirist
Janusz Rewinski formed
the Polish Friends of
Beer Party (Polska Partia
Przyjaciol Piwa
or PPPP in Polish) to
promote the country’s
second most beloved
polskapartianarodowa.org
beverage during the
new shift in government. The concept was popular
enough, in fact, to inspire a similar party in Russia as
well. And thanks to some disillusionment with Poland’s
democratic transition after the end of communism a
number of Poles voted for the prank party, and in the
1991 parliamentary elections 16 seats were nabbed
by the PPPP. What started out as a joke – their slogan
regarding the party running Poland: “it wouldn’t be
better but for sure it would be funnier” – evolved into
a semi-serious platform thanks to the newly acquired
seats. Of course, the divided cannot conquer, so when
the party split into Large Beer and Small Beer factions
it signalled the end of the jokey era, and eventually
the Large Beer faction transformed into the far less
humorous Polish Economic Program. Today little
remains of the group except for well-earned entries
in top ten lists of most ridiculous political parties and
Facebook groups celebrating the original idea: that
consuming quality beer is a symbol of freedom and a
better standard of living.
essentially a series of large rooms stitched together
with a collection of bored-looking people. On the plus
side, the two bars both serve Guinness, and it’s an asadvertised
heaving den of sweaty delinquency on any
Friday or Saturday night; however it must be said that
the place is a bit gloomy and could do with some fresh
air. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 03:00, Sun
14:00 - 24:00. PAUBXW
Cocktail Bar D-3, ul. Mariacka 6, tel. (+48) 32 250
30 49. A more pragmatic albeit unimaginative name would
be hard to find. Long and narrow like a fashion runway, the
dark drapes, white leather upholstered walls and limited
seating give Cocktail Bar that extra air of exclusivity that
the expensive and expansive list of expertly prepared
drinks just couldn’t accomplish on its own. Utterly elegant,
sophisticated and civilised, Cocktail Bar is for those who
value the art of a good drink, the virtue of being able to hold
and hear a conversation among friends and makes a great
escape from the drunken din just beyond the threshold. Recommended.
QOpen 14:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 14:00 - 04:00.
PAGBW
Drink Bar ul. Bytkowska 1a (Best Western Premier
Katowice Hotel), tel. (+48) 32 721 11 11, www.bestwesternkatowice.pl.
Located inside the Best Western
Premier Katowice Hotel, the creatively monikered Drink Bar
offers an ideal place to relax and take a load off, whether it
be via a coffee and the international press in the morning,
or a cocktail and a little conversation after work. The staff
is capable and the bar stocked with a selection of teas and
tinctures from around the world. Another plus is the small
separate lounge which allows you to organise your small
business meeting, not only without leaving the building, but
at the bar. QOpen 13:00 - 01:00. PAUGW
Gugalander E-3, ul. Jagiellońska 17a (entrance from
ul. Królowej Jadwigi), tel. (+48) 505 82 89 88, www.
gugalander.art.pl. A cult venue draped in darkness and filled
with wobbly tables and chairs, Gugalander is an ideal place to
meet Katowice’s idle artists and queens of the scene. With a
sporadic repertoire that includes club nights, jam sessions and
proper rock concerts, it’s a veritable cultural centre, though the
main occupations remain heavy drinking, chain-smoking and
fierce foosball matches. It’s also one of the cheapest places to
drink, highlighted by 6zł mad dog shots, and the Katowice bar
we long for on those nights when we’re running around writing
about places we can’t stand. QOpen 10:00 - 01:00, Fri 10:00
- 02:00, Sat 12:00 - 04:00, Sun 16:00 - 24:00. UBXW
Hemingway M-3, ul. Raciborska 2, Gliwice, tel. (+48) 32
332 74 60, www.hemingwayclub.pl. The best bar in town
comes with maritime paraphernalia attached to the vaulted walls,
and even a bust of the man himself. Absurdities include a metal
shark head sticking out of a wall, while the club downstairs has
been known to get seriously lively. Though it’s hard to imagine
Hemingway overly enraptured by the mojitos served here, its most
certainly a destination to stick on your agenda. QOpen 08:00 -
24:00, Fri, Sat 08:00 - 04:00, Sun 10:00 - 24:00. PABXW
Kato C-1, ul. Mariacka 13. Once a discreet DIY bohemian
art bar, since moving from the city fringes to front and centre on
Katowice’s main street, this hipster hangout has become the
place to be seen, losing some credibility and sensibility in the
process. Despite being inside a perfectly sound structure, the
bar is made almost entirely of unpainted plywood, from the tables
to the wheat-pasted walls covered in graphic nonsense, all in an
attempt to convince the shabby-chic clientele that they haven’t
gone mainstream on Mariacka, but are merely squatting. Since
a recent expansion, tattooed, counter-culture queens and their
jacks continue to spill onto the seasonal sidewalk tables as Kato
has developed into one of the most defining alternative nightlife
venues in town, bolstered by a solid selection of Czech and Polish
microbrews. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00, Sun 15:00 - 24:00. GBW
Kredens (The Cupboard) D-4, ul. Św. Jacka 9, tel.
(+48) 32 785 91 63, www.kredens-pub.com.pl. Stuffed
with broken-spined books, old luggage, dusty sewing machines
and springy sofas, Kredens’ dishevelled bohemian
spirit wouldn’t be out of place in jazzy Kraków, where antique
furnishings, candlelight and newsprint collages have become
par for the course. In Katowice it stands out as one of the
most interesting places in town, and one of the few that you
might actually want to return to. With a menu of low budget
eats from pierogi to pizza and shockingly cheap Murphy’s
on draft, you may not have any reason to leave. Q Open
16:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 16:00 - 02:00. From September 16
open 08:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 08:00 - 02:00. PAXW
Kultowa D-2, Plac Miarki 6, tel. (+48) 32 733 05 83,
www.kultowa.pl. This brick beer cellar pays tribute to legendary
Polish anti-establishment rockers Kult, displaying the
obsession through a surplus of photos, clippings, posters and
lyrics stenciled all over the walls. With regular live concerts by
Polish rock and punk acts, after Gugalander and Kato it’s as
close to a local alternative scene as you’ll likely find in Katowice.
The playlist isn’t exclusive to Kult or other Polish acts,
with tribute nights featuring the likes of Pearl Jam, Hendrix,
the Ramones and other fan faves. Local live acts perform
Wednesday to Saturday, but legends are made during rockin’
dance parties in the unique ‘Rockoteka’ which absurdly stretch
well into morning on weekends. Since the smoking ban it’s
one of the only places you can light up in front of the bar, and
in the warmer months the seating across the street in Plac
Miarki is one of the city’s best outdoor drinking sites. QOpen
17:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 17:00 - 06:00. Closed Sun. EBXW
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
London Pub J-3, ul. Katowicka 58, Chorzów, tel. (+48)
32 771 31 00. A traditional British policeman complete with
a pointy hat guards the door of this small bar celebrating
the sights and sensations of Old Blighty’s smokey capital.
Cheeky barmaids pour Guinness and other drinks for a
friendly local crowd in a sea of miniature telephone boxes,
paintings of the Houses of Parliament, red double-decker
buses and other Londonesque detritus. Recommended.
QOpen 16:00 - 02:00. PAGW
Longman Club C-1, ul. Gliwicka 10, tel. (+48) 32 253
78 62, www.longman.katowice.pl. Katowice’s likeable
London-theme pub, Longman has all the requisite trappings,
from those bloody red telephone boxes to the double-decker
bus, plus that well-deserved pint of Guinness you’ve been
working towards since you made that first fateful step into
the local train station. There’s even a menu of proper local
pub grub if drinking your dinner is ill-adviced (not by us, mind
you). Weekends see Longman come to life with scores of
students descending to take advantage of the cheap alcohol
and quite often each other; keep an eye out for occassional
theme parties. QOpen 14:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 14:00 - 02:00.
Closed Sun. PABXW
Lorneta z Meduzą D-3, ul. Mariacka 5, tel. (+48)
32 200 06 60, www.lornetazmeduza.pl. Since the
emergence of ul. Mariacka as Katowice’s main nightlife
thoroughfare, this Soviet throwback to the days of set
prices (4zł for all drinks, 8zł for all food) for low-quality food
and booze has become one of the huge beneficiaries, with
people spilling out of the front doors and onto the street with
their plastic cups. Popular as an early evening vodka fuel-up
spot and late night stomach liner, in between it’s simply the
place to be seen. We have to presume it’s the huge windows
that are perfect for people-watching, plus the perception of
good prices, but we’re gonna spill a secret that the owners
won’t like: paying 4zł for a 0.4 litre beer isn’t actually a better
bargain than paying 5zł for a full 0.5 litre beer elsewhere, but
bottoms up anyway. Q Open 24 hrs. GB
Mały Kredens D-3, ul. Św. Stanisława 5, tel. (+48)
509 49 46 51. A great little bar in the spirit of its sister
venue, full of wobbly furnishings, candlelight, clutter and
clippings on the wall. Less space means there are less
intriguing nooks to fold yourself into, and the slightly more
central location means it can get absolutely packed. No
surprise considering Mały Kredens offers one of the best
bar atmospheres in Katowice, with two enormous additional
incentives: Murphy’s and Paulaner - on tap and at the lowest
prices we’ve ever seen. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat
10:00 - 02:00, Sun 10:00 - 24:00. PABX
Negresco C-2, ul. Wawelska 6, tel. (+48) 693 52
36 63, www.negresco.com.pl. One of Katowice’s most
eclectic drinking dens, this maze of strange mismatching
rooms, furniture and lighting is slightly too cool for school
with its Fashion TV and funky techno music, but still fun
to explore. Find couples drinking in dark corners in what
is essentially a dive bar with a trendy lounge attitude.
Groovy, but a bit off-kilter, causing true hipsters to head
elsewhere. Q Open 08:00 - 01:00, Fri 08:00 - 02:00, Sat
10:00 - 02:00, Sun 12:00 - 01:00. Hours subject to change
in October. BXW
Piwiarnia Warka M-3, ul. Średnia 10, Gliwice, tel.
(+48) 32 231 00 24. A large bar owned by the Warka
brewery, there’s a certain comfort to be had from this Polish
take on an English sports pub full of exposed bricks, wooden
booths, beer and sports signage and several TVs. How long
before it turns to discomfort may depend on your ability to
katowice.inyourpocket.com
Hans Bellmer
The shortlist of notable
persons from
Katowice is short indeed
and you can put
Hans Bellmer near
the top of it, though
the provocative Surrealist
artist famous
for his influential and
controversial ‘doll’
sculptures is hardly
associated with the
city. Born in Kattowitz
in March 1902,
Bellmer soon left the
NIGHTLIFE
Photo coutesy
of Bellmer Society.
slagheaps for Berlin where he lived in isolation in a
city suburb working as a draftsman for his own advertising
company. A talented, if disturbed, engineer
and graphic artist, Bellmer embarked on the project
that would obsessively occupy him for the rest of
his life in 1932, spurred by three now legendary
events in his personal life: the arrival in Berlin of a
beautiful, unattainable teenage cousin; his viewing
of a performance of Jacques Offenbach’s Tales of
Hoffman, in which the protagonist falls hopelessly in
love with an automaton; and his mother’s shipment
to him of a box of his childhood toys. Overcome with
nostalgia, his loneliness and longing aggravated,
Bellmer quit the drafting table and began constructing
his first ‘doll’ – an artificial, life-sized pubescent
female companion made of fragmented parts, which
when combined allowed for an almost infinite number
of perverse permutations. Rotating on ball-socket
joints, arranged and photographed in an array of
distorted, dismembered, highly sexualised positions,
Bellmer’s doll was grotesquely lifeless and
lifelike simultaneously, seeming to occupy a slightly
menacing world of death, decay, obsession, abuse,
anxiety, longing and loss of innocence. The images
and their implicitly excited, at times indecent, accompanying
essay were deliberately unpublished
in Germany where the Nazis had risen to power and
would eventually declare Bellmer’s art ‘degenerate’,
but made their way to Paris where they were met
with much enthusiasm by Surrealist circles for their
obsession and sexualisation of the femme enfant
(very much in vogue at the time). Proclaiming that
his disturbing, mutated art was a reaction against
fascism and deliberately against the Reich’s idealisation
of the perfect body and notion of a master race,
Bellmer inevitably fled Berlin in 1938, living the rest
of his life in Paris where his work was welcomed and
widely published. During World War II Bellmer was
active in the resistance, producing false passports
and was later imprisoned in Aix-en-Provence until
the war’s end. In 1954 he met the talented, clinically
schizophrenic German writer Uriza Zurn, who became
his muse, model and companion until she leapt to her
death from their shared apartment in 1970. Bellmer
died five years later and today his artistic legacy
remains strong, though the only trace of it you’ll
find in Katowice is the Bellmer Café. Though not
the fetishistic night cabaret you might expect, this
artsy bohemian bar aptly located in the basement
of the Silesian Theatre is one of the better drinking
venues in the city.
July - October 2012
43

44 NIGHTLIFE
The Maluch
Like the Czech Škoda and
the East German Trabant,
the Polish Maluch has
served several purposes
during its lifetime; a Godsend
for families behind
the Iron Curtain, source of
amusement for smirking
© Christophe Gruszka
foreigners and now, as a
cult icon for nostalgists. Through the years Polish exports
have won world acclaim, from expertly cut glass to dangerously
delicious vodka, so this flimsy tin deathtrap on wheels
is something of an unlikely hero of Polish engineering.
Manufactured between 1973 and 2000 in Bielsko-Biała and
Tychy, the car was produced under the Italian Fiat license
with its official title being the ‘Polish Fiat 126p’. Its diminutive
size earned it the moniker of ‘Maluch’ (Little One), a name so
widely used that the manufacturers officially re-christened
the brand in 1997. When first produced in June 1973 it was
priced at 69,000zł (approximately three times the average
annual wage), and became the first popular family car in Poland,
despite being the size of a small refrigerator. Throughout
communist times the car could only be purchased by
joining a lengthy waiting list, though diligent workers would
often be rewarded with special vouchers allowing them to
jump the queue. Though production came to a halt in 2000,
the surprisingly reliable cars have achieved a remarkable
staying power, and you’ll still find scores of them coughing
smoke as they zip around Polish cities. Today a used Maluch
retails for about 300-500zł, so there’s little stopping you
from becoming a proud owner yourself.
Have Your Say
If you have an opinion about any of the venues listed
in this guide, let the two million regular unique visitors
to our website, www.katowice.inyourpocket.com,
know about it. Every venue on our website now has a
function for comments, be they critical, complimentary
or comical, so spill it.
Church of St. Michael the Archangel
There happened to be a wedding going on at the church
when we went by to see it so we were able to sneak in
after the wedding and see the inside. Really beautiful
and quaint!
Linda Pudalov from Massapequa Park, New York, USA
Patio
Good food and excellent value. Coming from Warsaw we
were astonished that we could get tasty main courses
for 20zl each in the centre of town. Good service, nice
atmosphere.
Adam from Warsaw, PL
Ceramika Bolesławiec
Some of the lowest prices for Bolesławiec that I’ve seen
in Poland. Definitely worth stocking up here.
Adam from Warsaw, PL
Fanaberia
Some of the best food in Katowice and great beer too.
Despite its proximity to the station best not to eat here before
a train as the excellent chefs do not like to be rushed.
Adam from Warsaw, PL
resist the gratuitous quantities of beer available here by
the pitcher or even the metre (as measured out in pints for
60zł). The guaranteed hangover begs the question of how
much you like the taste of Warka in the first place. QOpen
18:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 18:00 - 02:00. PAXW
Pub Gramofon M-3, ul. Średnia 12, Gliwice, tel. (+48)
32 270 40 80, www.pubgramofon.pl. One of Gliwice’s
best venues, Pub Gramofon follows the Krakowian model of
hip hangouts with eclectic antique furnishings, candlelight,
classic wallpaper and newspaper clippings all over the walls.
Add to that a large menu of local food and two bars over two
levels, with a small upstairs dance-floor that gets hot and
heavy on weekends. As you might expect, the bohemians
have come to roost beneath the battered lampshades
and strange chandeliers in such numbers that finding a
table might prove impossible. With so much atmosphere
in one place, you kind of wish Gramofon would spread the
love around the region a bit. QOpen 13:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat
13:00 - 04:00. PAXW
Sky Bar C-3, ul. Uniwersytecka 13 (Qubus Hotel Prestige),
tel. (+48) 32 601 01 00, www.qubushotel.com. A
display of model aeroplanes, cocktails galore and impressive
views of the city from the 27th floor of the Altus Centre mark
this interesting adventure inside the Qubus Prestige hotel
out as one worth further investigation. Though entry is free
on weekends between 16:00 and 18:00, note that there’s
generally a 10zł fee for non-hotel guests. QOpen 18:00 -
02:00, Sat, Sun 16:00 - 02:00. PAGW
Spencer Pub D-3, ul. Wojewódzka 21, tel. (+48) 32
251 54 73, www.spencerpub.com.pl. A stylish English
pub with smart wood furnishings, classic black and whites
and plenty of green, Spencer is an ideal place to loosen
the tie after a grueling week of powerpoint presentations,
whiteboard marker fumes and breathmints. Making the
decision easier is the amiable English-speaking staff, solid
line of pub grub like steaks and fish and chips, one of the
best selections of whiskey in town, and the black gold commonly
referred to as Guinness on draught. Weekends see
live bands entertaining a full house, so get there early to
get a seat. Q Open 12:00 - 01:00, Sat, Sun 14:00 - 01:00.
Closed Sun. From September open 12:00 - 01:00, Sat, Sun
14:00 - 01:00. PAGW
Śruba i Przyjaciele (Screws and Friends) D-3, ul.
Mariacka 16, tel. (+48) 504 06 79 03. Katowice’s official
dive bar seems to be one of the last sauce-slingers standing
on what was once a street full of sleaze and spirits. Three
basic brick rooms with chairs on the ceiling, shot glasses
and ashtrays glued upside down above the bar, darts, a
foosball table and small garden out back, this rocker bar
of friends throwing their hair to Aerosmith, Korn and Polish
punk bands is a great place to meet people you won’t
remember in the morning. QOpen 10:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat
10:00 - 03:00. GBW
Stary Port I-2, ul. Rynek 13 (entrance from parking
lot), Chorzów, tel. (+48) 32 760 67 67, www.staryport.
com.pl. Seems the further one gets from the sea, the more
passionately one pines for it, which might explain this shipwrecked
sailor bar in landlocked, industrial Chorzów. Not quite
as salty as its sister bar in Kraków, Stary Port Chorzów is still
a welcoming walk off the plank into good company, cheap
beer and shanty singalongs. Decked with old nautical maps,
fishing nets, lanterns and torn sails, this ship-in-a-bottle is
great for getting stuck in on a Friday night when the stage
gets rummy with rogues and rovers. QOpen 15:00 - 24:00,
Fri, Sat 17:00 - 02:00. AUEXW
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
Szuflada 15 I-1, ul. Wolności 15 (Chorzów), tel. (+48)
32 771 94 35, www.szuflada15.pl. Our favourite place to
go out in Chorzów and certainly one of the best in the region,
this veteran music club and restaurant still feels as fresh as
ever. Modern and understated in design, half-open psuedoshelves
protrude from the dark walls, while the upstairs
smoking section (dubbed the Ice Lounge) features some
creative touches with silver icicles angling across the room
and a sweet roof deck. The downstairs is given over more for
dining from the extensive menu of international dishes with an
emphasis on Mexican (nachos, chili, quesadillas), pasta and
pizza, as DJs spin Girltalk-esque mashups from the stage area
on weekends. With no proper dance-floor, the patrons dictate
the energy level, though occasional live acts do come through.
Worth reserving a table on crowded weekends. QOpen 15:00
- 24:00, Fri, Sat 15:00 - 02:00. PABXW
Wściekły Pies (Mad Dog) C-2, ul. Słowackiego 16,
tel. (+48) 518 46 94 59, www.wscieklypies-pub.pl. Full
of bare bricks and dangling chains, drawings of blood-drinking
rottweilers and other canines too menacing to be kitsch, it’s
a pretty docile atmosphere for a place desperate to bare its
teeth. The streetside terrace never seems to be open and
it’s mostly couples drinking the cheap beer in the basement
bar interior which has absolutely no romantic value, leaving
one to wonder who’s going to drink all those 6zł mad dog
shots. Drop the leash, please. QOpen 13:00 - 23:00, Fri
13:00 - 02:00, Sat 13:00 - 01:00. BX
WunderBAR D-3, ul. Plebiscytowa 2, tel. (+48) 32
781 76 90, www.wunderbar.pl. German restaurant by
day, lively bar by night. Trust the Paulaner and Warsteiner
lager to get your night rolling, and don’t be shy in checking
out their food menu either - feast-sized helpings of pigs and
cows. Clink your tankards inside a homey interior featuring
the obligatory rustic keepsakes and antique trappings.
QOpen 13:00 - 24:00. AGBS
Clubs
2B3 E-3, Pl. Sejmu Śląskiego 2 (entrance from ul.
Henryka Sienkiewicza 28), tel. (+48) 32 785 78 77,
www.2b3.com.pl. 2B3 has undergone a recent style
‘renovation’, and the new design is sharp and suits the vibe
quite well, especially if you are a huge fan of Absolut vodka.
While adding a second bar and graduating from student club
to yuppie abode, 2B3 has remained a popular nightspot.
QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Fri 12:00 - 04:00, Sat 16:00 - 04:00,
Sun 16:00 - 24:00. PAUGBW
Club 80 N-1, ul. Dubois 22, Gliwice, tel. (+48) 601 93
29 23, www.club80.pl. Trading 80s Soviet nostalgia for
80s western pop nostalgia, this space has reopened larger
and looser than ever, becoming one of the hottest weekend
rave-ups in Gliwice. The all-ages definition-defying crowd is
essentially comprised of every local looking for a ludicrous
night out, and the familiar mix of 80s anthems (Madonna,
MJ, Modern Talking) and cheap beer seems to be the perfect
tonic. Absolutely massive with no lack of lasers and disco
balls, check your hang-ups at the door and proceed to let it
all hang out. QOpen 16:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 16:00 - 05:00.
Closed Mon, Sun. PAUBXW
Club Garage C-1, ul. Dąbrówki 10, tel. (+48) 32 781
08 60, www.clubgarage.pl. Essentially three venues in
one, Club Garage is the flagship of the enormous underground
entertainment centre that also includes the Kręgielnia
Galaktyka bowling club and Black 8 billiards hall (see Leisure
for both). Designed with a clever-corny automotive theme, the
dozens of actual car seats remounted on platforms, plus a
katowice.inyourpocket.com
Polish Vodka
NIGHTLIFE
Proven masters of make-do with the potato as their
primary resource, the Poles have been producing and
drinking vodka since the early Middle Ages, distilling
their skill into some of the best vodka blends available
in the world, many of which date back centuries. The
two most highly regarded clear Polish vodka brands
must be Belvedere and Chopin, both of which you’ll find
in any alcohol shop. But you won’t find many tipplers
throwing them back at the bar. While clear vodkas are
generally reserved for giving away at weddings and mixing
in cocktails, the real fun of Polish vodka sampling is
the flavoured vodkas. Unlike beer with juice (regarded as
highly emasculating), flavoured vodkas are embraced by
both sexes and imbibed copiously.
Wiśniówka
Undoubtedl y the most common flavoured vodka,
wiśniówka is a cheap, dangerously easy to drink,
cherryflavoured variety. You’ll see students and
pensioners alike buying trays of it at the bar, as well
as toothless tramps sharing a bottle in corners of
tenement courtyards. A splash of grapefruit juice is
often added to cut the sweetness of this bright red
monogamy cure.
Żołądkowa Gorzka
Due to its very name, which translates to something like
‘Bitter Stomach Vodka,’ Żołądkowa Gorzka gives even the
most infirm of health an excuse to drink under the guise
of its medicinal properties. An aged, amber-coloured
vodka flavoured with herbs and spices, Żołądkowa has
a unique aroma and sweet spiced taste unlike anything
you’re likely to have tried before. Incredibly palatable, it’s
best enjoyed when sipped on ice.
Krupnik
Popular in Poland and Lithuania, Krupnik is a sweet vodka
made from honey and a multitude of herbs. Buy a bottle
for Mum – drinking vodka doesn’t get any easier than this.
In winter, hot krupnik is a popular personal defroster with
hot water, lemon and mulling spices added.
Żubrówka
One of Poland’s most popular overseas vodka
exports, Żubrówka has been produced in Eastern
Poland since the 16th century. Flavoured with a type
of grass specific to the primeval Białowieża Forest
that straddles the border (a blade of which appears
in each bottle), Żubrówka is faint yellow in colour,
with a mild fragrance of mown hay and a subtle taste
which has been described as ‘floral’ or having traces
of almond or vanilla. Delightfully smooth as it is on
its own, Żubrówka is most commonly combined with
apple juice – a refreshing concoction called a ‘tatanka.’
Goldwasser
A celebrated Gdańsk tradition since 1598, Goldwasser
is a unique alchemic elixir characterised by the 22 karat
gold flakes floating in it. One of the oldest liqueurs in
the world, Goldwasser’s secret recipe contains some
20 roots and herbs, combining to create a sweet, but
spicy flavour with touches of anise, pepper and mint.
While we thought turning the potato into vodka was an
example of creative ingenuity, we’re not sure what sort
of statement the practice of turning gold into vodka
makes about Polish culture...
July - October 2012
45

46 NIGHTLIFE
Katowice For Beer Lovers
After a dozen or so hangovers (and extra trips to the
shop for bog roll), Polish beer generally leaves one with
an understanding of why vodka is so popular in Poland.
Silesia has the honour of being home to the two worst
offenders – Tyskie and Żywiec – which enjoy ubiquitous
national distribution and sadly also bear the mantle of
Polish beer abroad. Put a half-litre of each in front of you,
blindfold yourself and we doubt your palate can discern
the difference. Locals will argue that since international
buyouts the quality of both has declined, but that’s beside
the point. Basically a diet of these two gets boring fast
for anyone with a real affinity for beer. What too often
goes unrealised is that Poland actually has hundreds
of independent microbreweries that produce delicious
beer. In the last few years, Kraków and Warsaw have
finally caught on, with the beer culture of those two cities
happily changing to make Polish microbrews readily
available in many bars and shops. Katowice, being a bit
closer to home, and hardly known as a trendsetter on
the nightlife front, has yet to proliferate alternatives to
Tyskie, Żywiec and other mass market beers, but there
are a growing number of exceptions.
One of our favourite places in Katowice is Fanaberia
(see Cafes) and we’re not going to pretend that it’s not
because of their great beer selection. The widest variety
we’ve seen in the city, it changes often but generally
includes beers from Gdańsk’s Amber Brewery (Żywe
and the excellent Koźlak), Olsztyn’s Kormoran Brewery
(cherry and plum-flavoured beers), Ciechan Brewery from
north of Warsaw (offering wheat, honey, porter and even
stout), and the excellent Witnica Brewery near the German
border, which produces a wide variety of styles – try
their curiously named Piwo Keltyckie (Celtic Beer) if you
have the chance (look for the blue label).
A rather low-key locale, you may be in the minority drinking in
Fanaberia and they also close early, so your next best option
is the super trendy Kato on ul. Mariacka. Kato’s selection
of bottled microbrews is always in flux but there are plenty
to choose from; we recommend Magnus, a sweet dark beer
from the Jagiełło Brewery in far eastern Poland. If you’re
looking for something more local, head to Kremowa (see
Cafes) or Latająca Świnia (see International Restaurants)
to try a draft from the Castle Brewery in Raciborz. 80km
southeast from Katowice, Raciborz is about as far from the
city as you can go without leaving Silesia, but Silesian beer
it is. Their quality brews include a honey lager, dark bock
beer and the mysterious ‘green pilsner’, which is even on
tap in Kremowa so you can appreciate the full absurdity of
drinking a half-litre of green liquid. In addition to Raciborz
brews, Latająca Świnia also offers Fortuna Porter (from
outside Poznań) and fruity ales from the aforementioned
Kormoran Brewery and Cornelius Brewery’s ‘Grapefruit
Wheat’ beer (produced south of Łódż).
If you want to stack these national ales against their
Czech counterparts, Dobra Karma (see Vegetarian
Restaurants) offers beers from the Czech Primator
Brewery, including a pale ale, wheat, and double porter.
Finally, we have to mention that Katowice actually has
two microbreweries of its own - Bierhalle and Spiż -
where the beer is produced on site and certainly worth
drinking (see Microbreweries). Unfortunately, the former
is located in a shopping mall, and the latter is a dreadful
student disco, which is currently being renovated. Still, in
Katowice there are plenty of ways to stay off the Żywiec,
so take advantage or start conditioning yourself to be
a vodka drinker. Na zdrowie (‘to your health’); literally.
mock convertible you can actually climb inside with a drink
are nice touches, though there’s nothing original about the
ubiquitous chrome, leather, license plates and airbrushed
corvettes on the walls. Tons of seating, a large stage and a
dance-floor with a projector (being used for FIFA ‘10 during
our visit) make Garage a versatile venue for concerts, weekend
student rave-ups and their legendary Thursday karaoke
nights with a live band (start 21:00). QOpen 17:00 - 24:00,
Fri, Sat 17:00 - 04:00. PAEXW
Cooler Club D-4, ul. Mariacka 20, tel. (+48) 508 24
91 98, www.coolerclub.pl. Is it? Not particularly, no, but
not for lack of trying. If by cooler you mean louder and more
self aware, then this is the coolest joint in town, bro. Typical
of most fancy fashion clubs we’ve finessed our way into the
last few years, Cooler treads a familiar line of indulgent ornate
extravagance and modern minimalism in violet, silver and
black, with illuminated liquor shelves, fabric covered walls
and original bricks. Small, without anywhere to escape the
deafening hip-hop and r’n’b pop noise that carries throughout
the entire building and down the street on weekends, some
(like ourselves) would be better suited to enjoy it in the early
evening when it serves quite nicely as a sexy cocktail lounge
and place for a lite bite with some solid nachos and quesadillas
on the menu. QOpen 14:00 - 01:00, Fri 14:00 - 05:00,
Sat 16:00 - 05:00. Closed Sun. PAGXW
Cotton Club C-2, ul. Matejki 2, tel. (+48) 664 14 55
73, www.cotton-club.com.pl. A huge club hailing itself as
a modern speak-easy, the decor delivers a muddled homage
to gangsterism full of anachronisms, Italian/American/
Caribbean confusion and questionable political correctness,
with a long wraparound bar and a plethora of nooks to hide
out in during the next unexpected Prohibition raid. Overall, a
decent design idea that falls flat, unlike the patrons who have
plenty of bounce. The decibel levels are drum-shattering and
the dance-floor is packed full of wasp-waisted sweeties who
should probably be home studying for the Polish equivalent
of the SATs. QOpen 17:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 20:00 - 05:00.
Closed Mon, Tue, Sun. PABXW
Czekolada H-1, ul. Dworcowa 6, Chorzów, tel. (+48)
32 771 84 46, www.klubczekolada.pl. Absolutely the
last thing you’d expect to find in Chorzów, it’s easy to be
sceptical of a place that tries as hard as Czekolada. A ‘lookat-me-please’
lounge featuring Fashion TV and a barstaff that
seem to have borrowed their dispositions from the catwalk,
Czekolada backs it up with expertly made chocolate drinks.
Dark patterned walls and no overhead lighting create an
intimate atmosphere, offset by street-side wall-length windows.
Thoroughly impressive, it doesn’t take long to realise
that this modern, seductive locale is the real deal. QOpen
16:00 - 05:00, Mon, Sun 16:00 - 23:00, Tue 16:00 - 01:00,
Wed, Thu 16:00 - 02:00. PAUXW
Genesis Music & Dance Club C-2, ul. Matejki 3,
tel. (+48) 602 71 71 22, www.klubgenesis.pl. Genesis
has grown up a bit without really changing at all. While the
shenanigans next door at Pomarancza now siphon off most
of the students, a slightly more mature crowd heads here
to hike it up, let it hang out and have some real fun. A 20zł
cover gets you into this amazing multi-coloured assault on
the senses with strobing lights, a receded dance-floor and
a very sexy VIP section; alternatively you can escape to
the adjoining Sofa Club for a bit more space and pseudosophistication.
In Genesis, the music may not be cutting edge
but that’s no reason not to get armpit deep in the action,
joining the neighbourhood nymphs who go epileptic on the
dance-floor deep into the pink daze of dawn. Q Open Fri,
Sat only 21:00 - 05:00. PAXW
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
Gwarek M-3, ul. Rynek 18, Gliwice, tel. (+48) 32 231
42 36, www.gwarek.gliwice.pl. Spot on the Rynek, this
is probably the most notorious club in Gliwice. Absolutely
massive with lots of black lights, chrome piping and extraterrestrial
textures, there are plenty of nookie nooks
amongst the red booths and the dancefloor is impressively
huge, but overall the dated design is hardly deserving of
an award. As such, you’d have to judge it on the merits
of the clientele, who we were stood up by at 22:00 on a
weeknight; this after paying a small cover to get in, plus 2zł
for the obligatory coatroom. We’ll assume something goes
down here on the right night, but given the circumstances
it’s hard to know if Gwarek is a proper club or a practical
joke. QOpen 21:00 - 03:00, Thu, Fri, Sat 21:00 - 06:00.
Closed Mon, Tue. PAXW
Inqbator D-3, ul. Dworcowa 2, tel. (+48) 668 37 24
33, www.inq.pl. Hit them on a Saturday and you’ll struggle
to find a better venue in town for electro sounds. As such
it’s a highly charged crowd you’ll find staring into space with
cartoon smiles while repetitive beats shoot fireworks into
what is left of their brain. The walls quite literally drip with
sweat, while the murky interiors look like they’ve been thrown
together as an afterthought by a stoned student with time
on his hands. Completely excellent. Q Open Fri, Sat only
16:00 - 06:00. AXW
Klub Pomarańcza C-2, ul. Matejki 3, tel. (+48) 513
60 03 00, www.klubpomarancza.pl. Continuing the
Katowice trend of mistaking a club for an airport, this megafun
factory may have the most intimidating security we’ve
seen. But if club hoppers can get past the metal detector,
the cover-charge turnstile and jackbooted guards redirecting
the herd to the mandatory coat check, their senses will be
overwhelmed. A massive dance floor beset with all manner of
synchronized lighting effects greets guests. Dancers wiggle
away on a central mini stage, lovely ladies watch from the
balcony above and couples cuddle in the plush booths. At the
top, tucked inside a glass-enclosure is the ‘RNB Klub,’ home
to another DJ, a second bar and deafening bass amps. A
third DJ spins in the ‘Tropicana Room’ somewhere a half-level
below. Enough entertainment to justify the effort at the gate
and the line spilling onto the street. QOpen 21:00 - 06:00,
Thu, Sun 21:00 - 04:00. Closed Mon, Tue. PAUXW
Lemoniada D-3, ul. Mariacka 4, tel. (+48) 883 99
53 72, www.lemoniada.pl. The cult of Lemoniada has
captured Kato’s party crowd. After conquering Wrocław
and Warsaw, the club has newfound flocks willing to wait 90
minutes in a queue stretching onto the Mariacka promenade.
Professional security patiently weeds out the impatient
and the underdressed even as VIP-card members and the
moneyed who’s who float up the stairs and through the glass
door with ease. Inside, the cellar-style labyrinth is pimped out
with bright, trance-inducing colours, the dance floor is packed
wall to wall and a team of bar staff struggles to understand
shouted orders. Velvet curtains screen off privately reserved
rooms tucked into nooks and corners all around. A passage
allows access to the Fashion TV lounge. Bring loads of cash
and your A-game. QOpen 21:00 - 05:00, Thu 21:00 - 04:00.
Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. PAUBX
Mega Club B-1, ul. Żelazna 9, tel. (+48) 605 21 89
30, www.megaclub.pl. Established in 1993 this venue
is a dinosaur in clubbing years, though still manages to
stand out as the Big Boss in terms of Katowice club options.
Let the list of performers who have appeared here
speaks for itself, with cult names like Smolik, Gus Gus,
New Model Army and The Legendary Pink Dots all having
taken the stage. Vast, and though some may accuse the
katowice.inyourpocket.com
Smoking
NIGHTLIFE
After holding out to be one of the few remaining EU
countries with no or very few prohibitions on smoking, a
new law brought in on the 15th November 2010 aimed to
limit the activities of smokers in public places.
Smoking is now completely banned on public transport including
taxis, trains, company cars, public transport stops,
children’s playgrounds, schools, universities, workplaces,
sports arenas and other places where the public gather.
Owners are obliged to clearly place a clear and visible ‘No
Smoking’ sign and anyone caught smoking by either the
police or local city guard is subject to a 500zl fine.
There are, however, exceptions. It is possible to smoke
in some bars, clubs, restaurants and other public places.
The law states that there can be a SEPARATE ROOM
created for smokers as long as it is properly ventilated
and closed off from the other public areas (originally this
was only going to be permitted in premises over 100m2,
but that make the final version of the law). As many
places listed in this guide are simply too small to allow
for a separate room, this has automatically made them
subject to the ban. To help you to find or avoid places
which will continue to allow smoking on the premises we
have used the following symbols throughout the guide
G This place has a complete ban on smoking on the
premises
X This place has a smoking section on the premises
Having now had some time to gauge reaction it appears
that owners have followed one of three courses of action.
Firstly they have through choice or necessity obeyed the
law and the whole premises are now non-smoking. A
second group, generally those with bigger premises, have
exercised their right to build a smoking room. The third
group have examined the wording of the law and then driven
an articulated lorry through the holes left by incompetent
legislators. We have seen examples of entire bars allowing
smoking by making the vast majority of the place smoking
with a small area in the front, back or downstairs, set aside
for non-smokers. We have even seen an example of two
restaurants joining together and claiming the smoking area
is in one restaurant while the non-smoking area is in the one
next door. The latest twist is some bars openly flouting the
law by allowing smoking due to the lack of enforcement. A
regular in one bar told us that everyone has agreed to be
fined making it impossible for the owner to be punished and
difficult for the city police to enforce. The looseness of the
wording of the new law and the apparent inability or will to
police it suggest that while it will certainly reduce smoking
in many public places, it will still allow it to continue in a lot
of others. Choose carefully.
July - October 2012
47

48 NIGHTLIFE
Jazz Clubs
4Art Klub Muzyczny ul. Wieczorka Józefa 22,
Gliwice (Śródmieście), tel. (+48) 32 337 54 70,
www.4artgliwice.pl. Visually 4Art is about as stimulating
as a snail race, so it’s something of a surprise
that this transpires to be one of the best nights out in
town. This is where the local beatniks come to do their
drinking, their journey to enlightenment made all the
easier by fantastic live jazz performances - some of
the biggest names in Polish jazz have graced the stage
here, so it’s well worth checking out what’s in store in
advance. QOpen 15:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 15:00 - 02:00,
Sun 13:00 - 24:00. PAUBXW
Hipnoza Jazz Club E-3, Pl. Sejmu Śląskiego 2, tel.
(+48) 32 785 71 31, www.jazzclub.pl. This intimate,
laid-back concert venue books some of the city’s best
international gigs, the reputation and subsequent turnout
for which often exceeds the size of the space. Packed
with interesting characters sitting on truly comfortable
couches and lazyboys beneath foil-wrapped ducts and
rotating psychedelic spirals on the walls, there’s also
a decent food menu and DJs Weds-Sat from 19:00 if
the stage is empty that night. Recommended. Q Open
12:00 - 02:00. From September open 10:00 - 02:00,
Sat, Sun 12:00 - 02:00. PAUXW
Ilujza Jazz Club ul. Gdańska 22, Zabrze (Stare
Zabrze), tel. (+48) 32 273 07 67. Drink away an
afternoon in their fantastic seasonal garden or head
indoors to simple crimson interiors decorated with
splashes of brickwork. Musical instruments hang from
the walls, a saxophone has been shaped into a beer
tap and pics of jazz gods keep a watchful eye on the
patrons. Not the most inspiring of venues but well worth
consideration, particularly on occassions when they have
live music. QOpen 14:00 - 24:00. Be aware that the
club may be forced to close at the end of September.
PAEGBW
Katofonia D-3, ul. Mariacka 18a, tel. (+48) 32
201 01 84, www.katofonia.pl. If you’re looking to
catch some live music in Katowice, it’s worth dropping
by this solid jazz and blues venue on the high street to
see what’s on for the evening. From 25zł entry for top
touring blues rock bands to free entry for student jazz
jam ensembles, you never know who’ll be rocking the
large stage in the corner of this dimly lit bar, but the
autographs of all of them are scribbled on the wall as
you head up the stairs. As you might expect, the decor
consists of guitars, trumpets and photos of BB King on
the wall, though there are a few nice touches like the
saxophone beer tap and drum light fixtures. Overall the
vibe is chill and the crowd primarily students and musicians
supporting their pals, plus older couples seeking a
relaxed evening of entertainment. QOpen 14:00 - 01:00,
Fri, Sat 14:00 - 04:00. Closed Sun. PAEBXW
Śląski Jazz Club M-3, Rynek 18 (entrance from
Pl. Inwalidów Wojennych 1), Gliwice, tel. (+48) 503
80 65 35, www.sjc.pl. Much like 4Art the Śląskie Jazz
Club looks like it’s had ten złoty spent on it. That’s surely
because the bulk of the budget has gone on booking
some of the top names in Polish jazz, a fact that frequently
leads to momentous nights. In business since
1956 this place has seen it all, and the concerts here are
the stuff of legend. Q Open during concerts only. EG
interiors of lacking imagination, the parties and concerts
that go off here are the stuff of legend. Years of experience
have contributed to a smoothly run operation, with
everything in place from a bite-yer-ears sound system to
seriously impressive lighting. Check out their facebook
page to see what’s on tap while you’re in town. Q Open
from September during events only, hours depend on
concert schedule. AUEXW
Oui Music Club C-2, ul. Sokolska 7, tel. (+48) 500
60 06 84, www.ouiclub.pl. One of the best new clubs in
Kato, Oui seems to set off the sexbomb in every young lady
almost immediately upon entry. Whether it’s the pulsating
lights or the pounding bass, we can’t be sure what sets them
wild but if you could put it in a can the owners of Oui would be
in a different business. Intimate in size with booth seating,
grey fabric walls and neon rope lighting, the club’s popularity
with hen parties reinforces the advantageous ratio of boys
to centrefolds, and there’s nothing left to the imagination on
‘Erotic Thursdays’ when the pole in the centre of the club is
greased with skin, sweat and the gazes of gawking guests
who’ll wish they’d been in disguise when they see themselves
on facebook in the morning. How could we not recommend
this place? QOpen 21:00 - 04:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Wed,
Sun. PAX
Poziom 3 (Level 3) D-5, ul. 1 Maja 33, tel. (+48) 32
782 34 90, www.poziom3.pl. You don’t have to spend a
bucket of coins to create a successful club and Poziom 3 is
the evidence. You won’t find the interior design winning any
gongs, the owners here have decided brick walls and a couple
of photos will suffice. Good job too, you’ll find your eyes have
more than enough to focus on once this place starts packing
out. Gorgeous creatures aplenty here, as well as a healthy
smattering of ape-like animals to court them. Depending on
your luck you’ll find anything from karaoke to chart tunes. Q
Open 09:30 - 01:00, Fri 09:30 - 04:00, Sat 17:00 - 04:00, Sun
17:00 - 01:00. From July 15 till September 15 open 17:00 -
01:00, Fri, Sat 17:00 - 04:00. PAGBW
Rock’a Music Club M-3, ul. Rynek 18, Gliwice, tel.
(+48) 32 231 42 36, www.rocka.gliwice.pl. This industrial
space full of bricks, beams and steel railings under
Gliwice’s market square, carries a bit more class than your
typical dive bar, but you still get the impression that were it
completely empty it would look more like a shady dark alley
than a club. Not a bad effect and the chain-smoking rockers
that hang out here obviously think it’s the coolest place
around. When not hosting local concerts, DJs deliver classic
jams, heavy rock and reggae through the thundering soundsystem.
A good place to find a more hard-living, alternative
crowd in the centre of Gliwice. QOpen 20:00 - 05:00. Closed
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun. PAEBXW
Sofa Club C-1, ul. Sądowa 9, tel. (+48) 600 92 78
27, www.klubgenesis.pl. This club/lounge connected to
Genesis employs a strict face- and especially shoe-check,
so take a pencil-eraser to your once-white sneaks before you
face those humourless bouncers. Next comes the obligatory
coat-check before entering the promise of the posh, slightly
pulsating pink and gold interior prominently displaying Fashion
TV above dark leather sofas and booths. For moneyed
locals who fancy themselves fashionistas, Sofa also has a
gay-friendly reputation, but the apex of the action is in the
adjoining Genesis club, where you stand a better chance of
being rubbed the right way regardless of your orientation.
With its lounge layout, Sofa would provide a nice escape
from the madness of Genesis if one were able to talk over the
table-rattling techno music, but alas. QOpen 18:00 - 04:00.
Closed Mon, Tue, Wed, Sun. PAEGW
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
Trendy Club C-2, ul. Opolska 8, tel. (+48) 604 87 36 39,
www.trendyclub.pl. Trendy Club has hit the Katowice scene
with black-light abandon. You’ll be struck by the juxtaposition of
modern cocktails and decor with what seems like a late 1980’s
homage to what we could imagine it would be like to hit an
after-party at Prince’s house. The first-floor lounge area has a
cool cosmic aquarium feel and the dance floor upstairs is like a
Caribbean oasis in Silesia. Open Thurs-Sat only, expect typical DJ
dance-mixes, with an occassional live surprise. With the kitchen
open until 04:00 on weekends, you won’t need to make a food run
in the middle of your night out. Q Open only Thu 22:00 - 02:00,
Fri 22:00 - 03:00, Sat 22:00 - 04:00. PAEXW
Microbreweries
Bierhalle F-1, ul. Chorzowska 107 (Silesia City Center),
tel. (+48) 32 605 01 61, www.bierhalle.pl. No
matter how many hangovers you endure drinkers will find
themselves returning to the scene of the crime, Bierhalle,
time and time again. The reason for this is the best beer in
the city. There’s a number of brews to choose from, ranging
from pilsner to Dunkel with the wheat standing out as our
personal fave, but we encourage you to have a go at them
all. Primarily a restaurant, the design is all heavy timber, bare
brick and industrial flourishes, while efficient staff dressed
as peasant wenches work miracles hoisting heavy tankards
and keeping track of the deluge of food and drink orders. You
won’t want to leave. QOpen 12:00 - 22:00, Fri 12:00 - 23:00,
Sat 11:00 - 23:00, Sun 11:00 - 21:00. PAGBW
Wine Bars
La Passion du Vin A-1, ul. Chorzowska 107, tel. (+48)
32 605 01 68, www.la-passion.pl. An elegant looking winery
stroke shop found in the depths of the Silesia City Centre
mall. The wine racks here offer the most comprehensive
choice of wine to be found in the city, and white-shirted girls
are on hand to guide the less-educated through. Decorated
with dark woods and padded seating this place looks every
bit as posh as it should, and there’s an upmarket menu to go
alongside the tipple of your choice. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00,
Fri 10:00 - 22:00. PAGW
Winiaria Burgundia C-2, ul. 3 Maja 23, tel. (+48) 32
253 75 19, www.burgundia.com.pl. Hidden away down
the same dark alleyway as City Pub, Wineria Burgundia
features both a shop and bar in which to indulge one’s taste
for the grape. By far the best of the city’s wine bars, find a
slightly snobby albeit enjoyable and relaxed atmosphere. A
really admirable selection of world wines for all tastes and
budgets. Another location in the Altus Centre (H-3, ul. Uniwersytecka
13). QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Sat 11:00 - 22:00,
Sun 15:00 - 22:00. PAGW
Adult Entertainment
Queens ul. Ceglarska 35, Gliwice (Ligota Zabrska),
tel. (+48) 32 305 30 20, www.queensnightclub.com.
This well-regarded club featues two bars, one wherein girls
go-go dance on a table in the middle and it would be difficult
to stand up from some of the seats without picking a stripper
up on your shoulders. In summer there’s also a Jacuzzi,
sauna and outdoor pool, but the highly suggestive massage
services are year round. Queens also seems to operate an
escort service, making their girls, who have been charmingly
described as “no pros, simply girls of next door, study or are
housewives,” available for business and family functions,
movie dates and birthdays (their suggestions). This could be
the way to finally become the ‘cool uncle’ at the next family
barbecue. QOpen 18:00 - 05:00. PAUBX
katowice.inyourpocket.com
Gay & Lesbian
NIGHTLIFE
Milk Club D-4, ul. Damrota 6, tel. (+48) 690 08 32 88.
Katowice has boldly come out of the closet with Milk Club - a
gay tolerance club that welcomes all creeds and persuasions
to the confines of its creamy palace. Wearing its colours unabashedly,
the mostly milky interior includes rooms covered
in zebra print, rainbows, and erotic cartoons; there was even
an impressive table display of dildos, condoms and vibrators
during our visit. Upstairs a mixed crowd of liberated young
folks eye each other over their drinks, while downstairs boys
do their sailor-gone-ashore routine by gyrating on the metal
bars in the middle of the dance-floor. Devoid of any shady side
rooms, the atmosphere here is open, fun, friendly and full of
sexual tension. Given the cultural context, this venue should
celebrated for its very existence. QOpen 14:00 - 02:00, Fri,
Sat 14:00 - 05:00. PX
Tropicana Sauna Club I-3, ul. Mariacka 14, tel.
(+48) 32 206 94 10, www.tropicana.katowice.pl.
Probably the biggest clue that Tropicana is more than just
a regular sauna is the fact that it looks completely shady.
Minimally illuminated in dark blue, red and green, this otherwise
straight-forward seeming two-floor sauna club offers
massages, a steam bath, Finnish sauna, Jacuzzi and a bar.
Oh, and a ‘dark room’ about which their website says nothing
except to always use a condom. So pack those along with a
towel and flip-flops and off you go for only 30zł Mon-Thurs,
35zł Fri-Sun. If you’re a veteran over the age of 25, that is.
Fresh meat (25 and under) gets in for only 10zł if you bring
a towel and flippers, 16zł if you need to rent them. Now we
understand where the words ‘steamy’ and ‘seedy’ got their
connotations. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Fri 14:00 - 06:00,
Sat 16:00 - 06:00, Sun 16:00 - 24:00. PARDXW
Błędowska Desert
Here’s sand in your eye: 38.3 kilometres away, smack
between Katowice and Kraków, lies Pustynia Błędowska
- a bonafide, genuine, centuries-old desert. The largest
sand-pitch in Central Europe covers an area of 32 square
kilometres, about 9km long and 4km wide, between
Klucze, Chechło and Błędów. Like all strange geographic
phenomena, the sand was purportedly dumped by a
migrating glacier – at which point the wasteland was
considerably larger. With 150 square metre origins, the
desert had shrivelled to 80 metres at the beginning of the
19th century. In the 70s, as an accidental consequence of
mining in the area (coal, zinc, silver), the desert appeared
primed to expand again and the near-sighted government
put the kibosh on it. Fearing encroachment into neighbouring
farmlands, a programme of forestation was undertaken
and today the wasteland finds itself disappearing
even more rapidly, strangled by the pine and willow trees
that were planted around it. If left unchecked, the desert
could shrink to the size of a sandbox or vanish altogether
like some sort of mirage that was never there. [In fact, as
recently as the 60s, visitors were able to witness strange
desert phenomena here like sandstorms and mirages.]
Fortunately, action is now being taken to restore the
natural area, with the EU even flipping them some coinage.
Naturalists plan to strip the encroaching vegetation from
the southern edge of the desert and weed out plants which
were able to take hold on their own in other areas. Steps
will also be taken so that the pristine dunes of the north
will be overrun not by vegetation, but by camels. Actually,
camels were never mentioned.
July - October 2012
49

50
HISTORY
Katowice can count itself
as one of Poland’s newer
cities, and a direct result of
the industrial age. That’s not
to say the region was a barren
wasteland prior to the
age of steam. The history
books suggest the area was
inhabited by ethnic Silesians
centuries earlier, with the
first recorded settlement
being the village of Krasny
Dab, whose existence was
officially chronicled in 1299.
In 1598 a village called Villa Nova was also documented to
stand in the area now taken up by Katowice. By this time the
region had changed from Bohemian hands to the domain of
the Habsburg dynasty.
Things started hotting up in 1742 when the area changed
hands once more, this time as the property of the Prussians.
1788 saw Karolina - the area’s first mine - opened,
and by 1822 historic documents note 102 homesteads
in the village of Katowice. Two years later the first school
was opened and Katowice started making its first steps
into adulthood. What really set the ball rolling was the
construction of a railway station in 1847. Industrialist and
mining mogul Franz Winkler saw this as an opportunity to
build up the mines he owned in the region, and Katowice
was quickly developed as an industrial town. September
11, 1865, saw Katowice awarded municipal rights and by
1875 it had grown to hold over 11,000 residents, of which
half were of Polish ethnicity. The city continued to prosper
as an industrial heartland, with coal and steel industries
flourishing. By 1897 it was officially designated as a city,
though the streets were anything but a happy place; the
even split in population between Germans and Poles was
already causing friction.
After the defeat of Germany in WWI, and the founding of a
newly independent Polish state, native Poles - inspired by
the rhetoric of Wojciech Korfanty - staged three uprisings
between 1919 and 1921 in a bid to have the Silesia region
incorporated into the Second Polish Republic. To prevent
outright war from breaking out the League of Nations
finally intervened and in 1922 divided the region beween
both Poles and Germans. Kattowitz, as it was known
before this date, fell on the Polish side of the divide and
inexplicably became an autonomous voivodeship - a privelege
unique from any other province in PL. The inter-war
years marked a golden age for the city, with the building
of the Silesian Parliament complex and one of Poland’s
first skyscrapers (Cloud Scraper) being symbolic of the
march into the future.
Bad news was lurking around the corner though, and in spite
of a heroic defence the city fell under German control on
September 6, 1939. Aside from the savage destruction of the
synagogue and the Silesian Museum, physically speaking the
city escaped the fiery fate of many eastern cities, and found
itself used as a major centre of manufacturing by the Nazis.
Liberation came in the form of Soviet tanks in 1945, and the
city was once more Polish - in theory. Between 1953 and
1956 it was renamed Stalinograd, and a period of thoughtless
development followed; the primitive exploitation of the region’s
natural resources saw it marked out as an environmental
blackspot with horrific pollution problems. Although there was
plenty of work in the mines and steel mills, popular unrest with
the communist system was growing fast. Living standards had
plummeted, with empty shop shelves and round-the-block
queues a common sight. In 1980 a series of strikes inspired by
the Gdańsk born Solidarity movement quickly spread around
the country. Demands for better living conditions were initially
met, but Solidarity continued to lobby for further reforms and
free elections. The Kremlin was furious, and with Soviet invasion
a looming threat, appointed communist president Jaruzelski
declared a state of martial law on December 13, 1981.
Tanks roared into the street, subversives were arrested and
telephone lines were cut. On December 16 a military assault
was launched on striking miners in Katowice’s ‘Wujek’ mine,
resulting in the deaths of nine workers. With Solidarity officially
dissolved and its leaders imprisoned, discontent was growing.
John Paul II visited Poland, and Katowice, once more in 1983,
his mere presence igniting hopes and unifying the people in
popular protest. The people would not back down. Over the
next few years - buoyed by a Gorbachev-inspired relaxation
of Soviet foreign policy - the Polish people continued to batter
on the door of freedom.
Renewed labour strikes and a faltering economy nosediving
towards disaster forced Jaruzelski into initiating talks with
opposition leaders in 1988, and the following year Solidarity
was once more granted legal status. Participating in Poland’s
first post-Communist election the party swept to victory, with
former electrician Lech Wałęsa leading from the soapbox.
Fittingly it was Wałęsa who unveiled a monument in Katowice
to the miners killed in 1981 on the tenth anniversary of the
event. Poland’s transition to a market economy has since
been tough, though the signs seem to point to a bright future
for Poland. Katowice itself has done much to repair the
environmental damage caused in the post WWII years, and
the city is once more booming, with a huge influx of foreign
investment marking a reversal of the city’s recent fortunes.
Katowice Historical Timeline
1299: First recorded settlement in Silesia, ruled by
Polish Silesian Piast dynasty
1335: Territory becomes part of Crown of Bohemia
1526: Territory passed to Austrian Habsburg Monarchy
1598: First documented settlement in Katowice area
1742: Territory becomes part of Prussian empire during
First Silesian War
1788: Area’s first mine opens
1822: Katowice’s population hits 100 homestead mark
1847: Railway station built
1865: Municipal rights awarded to ‘Kattowitz’
1871: Kattowitz is incorporated into German Empire
1875: Kattowitz’s population records 11,000 residents
1897: Granted rights as a city
1922: Katowice becomes part of Second Polish
Republic after WWI and Silesian Uprisings
(1918-21). Granted autonomy by the Polish Sejm.
1939: Occupied by Nazi Germany
1945: Katowice is ‘Liberated’ by Soviets after WWII
1953: City is renamed Stalinogród by Polish communist
government
1956: Former name of Katowice restored
1981: Martial law declared, Wujek mine strike and massacre
1983: The Pope visits Katowice
1989: Party-free elections in Poland; Communist
regime crumbles
2004: Poland enters the European Union
2006: Pigeon Fair Disaster - 65 killed and 170 injured
when Katowice convention centre roof collapses
2010: Polish President Lech Kaczyński and 95 other
Polish delegates die in a plane crash near
Smolensk, Russia, plunging the country into
mourning
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
Katowice Historical Museum © Jan Mehlich
The fact that Katowice hasn’t grown into a popular tourist
destination can probably be explained by the brevity and
slightly dubious nature of our Katowice sightseeing section
- an earnest attempt to cover Katowice’s main (ahem)
attractions. Nope, no castle, no palace, no hip bohemian
district. No pedestrian shopping avenues, bridges or scenic
riverside. Uh, no, no ancient ruins. No Old Town per say.
Alas, a trip around Katowice may call to mind the old adage
‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ (with the coal dirt and
other particulates, in this case).
Spodek and downtown Katowice UM Katowice
No, Katowice won’t be winning any European beauty pageants,
and unlike other urban casualties (hello to our friends
in Warsaw), the city can’t claim to have been beaten by the
Ugly Stick during World War II. No, Katowice was born with
that heirloom in its hand and the Nazis probably snatched
it from here as they rumbled east to the capital. And while
the Soviets returned with it after the war, destroying many
of the buildings on the Rynek in the 1950s to make room for
their modern monuments to concrete, for example, it was
predestiny that Katowice would never be belle of the ball.
A blue collar city to this day, Katowice and its neighbours
in Upper Silesia were born into the working class, growing
up during the industrial revolution and put to work in sooty
katowice.inyourpocket.com
ESSENTIAL KATOWICE
mineshafts, factories and railway yards. The area’s history is
inextricably entwined with the manufacture of coal and steel
and the stacks, shafts, slagheaps and massive waves of
migrants that followed the discovery of the region’s mineral
resources. As such, any mention of tourism in the district is
usually preceded by the word, ‘industrial.’ Indeed the derelict
factories and foundries, blackened chimneys and abandoned
maintenance yards of Silesia’s industrial boom represent the
hulking bulk of Silesia’s tourist offerings, and the region is ripe
for renegade tourists eager to explore evidence of a bygone
era. Those interested in industrial tourism are advised to get
their creased hands on a copy of Silesia’s Industrial Monuments
Route - which can be picked up free of charge in any
Silesian tourist information office - and while we’ve covered
many of the entailed sites in this very guide, the region has
plenty more to offer than we have space to include here.
Nikiszowiec
Katowice, for its part, has become a growing business centre
as you’ll glean from the glittering capitalist monoliths built
in recent decades. Those seeking more conventional interpretations
of the word attraction will find plenty of churches
including Christ the King Cathedral - the country’s largest,
one of the best museums in southern Poland in the Katowice
Historical Museum, and anyone paying attention will notice
a number of discreetly handsome townhouses, particularly
along ulica 3-go Maja between the Rynek (C-3) and Plac
Wolności (C-1). Conventional charm has obviously never
been a strength of Katowice, however, as best evidenced by
the bonkers Spodek building (B-3) and the offbeat outland
districts of Nikiszowiec and Giszowiec. The city’s most
bonafide attraction is the immense Park of Culture and
Recreation, which is techincally located in Chorzów. Yes, it’s
always been the shaft (literally) for Katowice, and while being
a tourist in this city may feel a bit like getting dressed for the
theatre and ending up at a Board of Education meeting, we
hope you enjoy it for its oddities, and remember that some
things look most beautiful through beer goggles.
Christ the King Cathedral © PetrusSilesius
July - October 2012
51

52 WHAT TO SEE
Churches
All Saints Church (Kościół Wszystkich Świętych)
M-3, ul. Kościelna 4, Gliwice, tel. (+48) 32 230 83
48, www.wszystkichswietych.org. The 15th century All
Saints Church is one of the defining landmarks of Gliwice,
and though modified through the ages it remains a stunning
example of Gothic architecture. Recent excavations suggest
that the immediate surrounds functioned as a cemetery from
as early as the 12th century, while the brick church itself is
a feast for the eyes, and stuffed with intricate statues of
the saints. The tower offers sweeping views of the city, but
is only accessible with a PTTK guide on Sundays between
May and September at precisely 16:00 and 17:00; cost 5zł.
QOpen 08:30 - 18:00.
Christ the King Cathedral
(Katedra Chrystusa
Króla) E-2, ul. Plebiscytowa
49a, tel. (+48) 32
251 21 96, www.katedra.
katowice.opoka.org.pl.
Building work began on Zygmunt
Gawlik and Franciszek
Mączyński’s impressive neo-
PetrusSilesius, CC-BY-SA
Classical Cathedral on June 5,
1927 with the digging of a symbolic spade of dirt, although it
wasn’t until October 30, 1955 that it was finally consecrated.
A series of minor hiccups including WWII and some typical
interference from the post-war communist regime meant
that there was no shortage of setbacks for arguably what’s
the most beautiful building in the city and, somewhat surprisingly,
the largest cathedral in Poland. Its first 12 years
leading up to the outbreak of the war saw the walls go up and
little else, with the end of hostilities heralding a new burst of
activity numbering some six years and involving the arrest
of the parish priest, the local bishops being thrown out of
the diocese and a communist-approved priest brought in
to supervise the building’s completion. The latter’s legacy
to the Cathedral was his decision to alter the design of the
Tourist Information
City Information Office C/D-3, ul. Rynek 13,
tel. (+48) 32 259 38 08, www.katowice.eu. With a
several-storey, blinking blue and yellow neon sign, Katowice’s
City Information Office is hard to miss and isn’t it
just downright adorable to see them trying so hard? The
super-friendly staff can offer time-killing suggestions in
English or German and they stock a range of materials
about the many things you’ll probably never see or do
across Silesia. Free maps and lots of information on
daily cultural events, as well as three new computers.
QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun.
Zabrze Tourist Information S-2, ul. Powstańców
Śląskich 2/1, Zabrze, tel. (+48) 32 271 72 76.
Zabrze actually has a lot to offer, but you’re unlikely to
discover much of it simply by tumbling out of the train.
At least make this your first stop after you do so. Only a
couple blocks from the station, Zabrze’s new tourist info
centre has plenty of handy maps, brochures, pamphlets
and other city info provided by a multilingual staff who
know their city inside-down and upside-right. There’s
even a computer with free internet and t-shirts with
words on them that no one back home has any chance of
pronouncing. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00.
Closed Sun.
dome, dropping it by some 38m from its original design and
turning what promised to be a truly splendid looking church
into something a little more compact and comical. In 1957 the
displaced bishops returned, and during the period 1962-65
the interior was adapted to the way it more or less appears
today. Although somewhat plain, the interior is truly breathtaking.
Of particular interest is St. Barbara’s Chapel on the
left-hand side of the nave. The patron saint of miners, Gerard
Grzywaczyk’s sculpture of Barbara overlooks an altar made
from coal and a monument to lost miners. Hidden away above
the large dome are five bells, of which the largest weighs in
at a mammoth 3.5 tonnes. The monument of Pope John
Paul II outside commemorates the late church leader’s visit
to the Cathedral in June 1983, and a new chapel inside was
recently consecrated in his name. QOpen 06:30 - 19:00,
Sun 07:00 - 19:00. No visiting during mass please.
Garrison Church of St. Casimir (Kościół Św. Kazimierza)
D-2, ul. M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 20, tel. (+48)
32 251 35 11. Poland’s first Functionalist Catholic church, Leon
Dietz d’Army and Jan Zarzycki’s breathtakingly simple design is
worthy of further investigation. Built between 1930 and 1933,
the plain exterior, which can also claim to have the only single
corner tower on any church in the city, hides a sumptuous Art
Deco interior including some fine sculptures, pews, lamps and
stained glass. The church is also notable as being Katowice’s
official garrison church. Q Open by prior arrangement.
PetrusSilesius,
GFDL
SS Peter & Paul’s Cathedral
(Katedra p.w. Św. Apostołów
Piotra i Pawła) M-4, ul. Jana
Pawła II 5, Gliwice, tel. (+48) 32
230 89 45, www.katedra.gliwice.
pl. Not to be confused with Katowice’s
similarly-named church which it was
built right before (from 1886-1900 to
be exact), this fearsome cathedral
is a striking example of neo-Gothic
architecture, and comes replete with
mesmerizing stained glass windows,
glazed bricks and a mosaic above the
entrance featuring the saints who gave their name to this
structure. Elevated to the status of cathedral in 1992, Peter
and Paul’s is home to what is recognized as the best organ
in Upper Silesia, a Rieger, making it the venue of choice for
organ recitals and other such sacral concerts. QOpen 08:30
- 17:30, Sun 13:30 - 16:30. No visiting during mass please.
St. Anna’s Church (Kościół p.w. św. Anny) S-3, ul.
3 Maja 18, Zabrze, tel. (+48) 32 271 36 74, www.kuria.
gliwice.pl. After spending some time wandering Silesian
urban centres searching for the soul within all that communist
concrete, it’s the sight of something like the Church of
St. Anne’s that can put your heart at ease. Standing at the
end of a long, picturesque lane of maple and linden trees,
this beauty takes pride of place in downtown Zabrze as the
city’s finest sacral building. Built in the years 1897-1900
in neo-Romanesque style with neo-Gothic elements, the
cross-shaped church features a clock in its belltower and
a fine interior full of red brick arches with ornamental stone
detailing and gold leaf wall highlights. Take a look at the numerous
semicircular stained glass windows depicting saints.
Q Open 06:30 - 19:00. No visiting during mass please.
St. Joseph’s Church (Kościół p.w. św. Józefa) ul.
Roosevelta 102, Zabrze, tel. (+48) 32 271 05 68, www.
swjozef.zabrze.pl. If you’ve been in Poland even for just an
hour, chances are you’ve seen your share of churches. But you
haven’t seen one like this. Looking less like a church and more
like the result of an unholy union between an old shoe factory
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
and a Roman aqueduct, this monumental brick behemoth
owes its brutal design to Dominik Böhm of Cologne and was
completed in 1931. One immediately notices several unchurch-like
characteristics about the building: it has no steeple
(in the traditional sense of the word), it completely lacks
outside ornamentation, it has a window deficiency, and all of
Tours
PTTK Katowice C-3, ul. Rynek 13, tel. (+48) 32
253 03 62, www.pttk.katowice.pl. Feeling a bit lost
or uncertain about Katowice? Take a guided tour with
the city’s one and only English-speaking guide and get
an inside perspective on what Katowice has to offer
(sometimes you need a second opinion). Demand for the
service being what it is, dropping by the office won’t do;
ring PTTK to make an arrangement and you’ll probably
make their day as well. Services available year round.
QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 09:15 - 16:00. Closed Sun.
SilesiaTrip.pl C-3, Rynek 13, tel. (+48) 502 11
63 31, www.silesiatrip.pl. Silesia Trip is a useful and
comprehensive way to comfortably explore much of the
region around Katowice. Offering pick-up services from
both the Katowice and Krakow airports, Silesia Trip
has a plethora of tours, locales, and sights included in
their itineraries, including everyday trips to Auschwitz-
Birkenau and Tyskie Brewery. Tours are available in
English, German, Polish, Japanese, Chinese, Italian and
Spanish, and are targeted for those who have a particular
interest in the history, culture and people of Eastern
Silesia. Their multi-lingual website lists all the details.
QOpen 09:00 - 18:00, Sat 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun.
katowice.inyourpocket.com
WHAT TO SEE
the roofs are flat. The strange façade of this boxy monstrosity
features three rows of four empty arches - the building’s only
design motif - with no windows in the square flanking chapels,
only two tall faceless slabs of red, irregular brick on either side
of the entrance. It’s an imposing sight and it has to be seen
to be understood. To do so follow ul. Roosevelta west to just
beyond the pale of the IYP map (P-4). Q Open 07:00 - 18:30,
Sun 07:30 - 18:00. No visiting during mass please.
Archiwum UM
Katowice
St. Mary’s Church (Kościół
Mariacki) D-4, Pl. ks. Emila
Szramka 1, tel. (+48) 32 258 77
44, www.mariacki.wiara.org.pl.
Katowice’s oldest existing Catholic
parish church was built from Silesian
dolomite, not the usual red brick,
between 1862 and 1870 to a design
by the famous Breslau (Wrocław)
architect Alexis Langer. Originally
planned on a far grander scale than
it was eventually built, the 43mlong,
31m-wide neo-Gothic building
features an eye-catching, trademark
Langer 71m octagonal tower and a feast of good things
inside. The altar in the transept supposedly dates from the
15th century, whilst the wonderful stained glass windows
on either side of the nave representing sin and virtue are
the work of Adam Bunsch (1896-1969). The Chapel of the
Holy Sacrament includes a likeness of Father Emil Szramek
in traditional Silesian dress. Szramek was the parish priest
from 1926 until his arrest by the Gestapo in April 1940. Sent
to a number of concentration camps including Dachau, where
he quickly became a spiritual leader for other incarcerated
Silesian priests, he was murdered on January 13, 1942.
QOpen 07:00 - 19:00.
July - October 2012
53

54 WHAT TO SEE
Wooden Churches
Southern Poland is known for its monuments of wooden
architecture, particularly churches, which are an extremely
valuable part of the region’s unique cultural
heritage. Despite the dense degree of industrialisation
and urbanisation in Silesia, many of these churches
have survived from the period between the 15th and
18th centuries when they were predominantly built.
The Silesian section of the Trail of Wooden Architecture
- a tourist track jointly coordinated between Silesia,
Małopolska and Podkarpacie - includes an impressive
93 places of interest along 1060km of the trail. Here
we’ve included only a few located most immediately in
the areas surrounding Katowice, but more info about the
entirety of the trail can be found at the Katowice tourist
information office. If you have a keen interest in wooden
architecture, also make sure to visit the Upper Silesian
Ethnographic Park in Chorzów (see Leisure).
Church of St. Michael the Archangel (Kościół
Św. Michała Archanioła) G-1, ul. Kościuszki 112,
tel. (+48) 32 205 40 61, www.michal.wiara.org.pl.
Like the other wooden church of note in the area, this one,
which also happens to be the oldest ecclesiastic building
in Katowice, began life elsewhere, in this case in neighbouring
Syrynia way back in 1510. Moved to Katowice in
1938, and worth a trip to Park im. Tadeusza Kościuszki
where it can be found for that reason alone, access inside
is usually denied by a security guard, meaning that the
17th-century pulpit, late Gothic 16th-century sculpture
of the Holy Mother and Child from Dębieńsko and 17thcentury
belfry must be real treasures indeed. Find it
close to the main road at the northern end of the park.
QOpen 10:00 - 16:00. No visiting during mass please.
St. Jadwiga’s Church (Kościół p.w. św. Jadwigi)
ul. Wolności 504, Zabrze, tel. (+48) 32 271 46 77,
www.sw-jadwiga.info. Built much more recently than
most other wooden churches in Silesia, the decision was
taken to construct this highly unique 1929 structure out of
timber instead of brick due to uncertainty over the stability
of the ground beneath it, which had been stripped by
mining. Designed by Charles Kuttentodta, St. Jadwiga’s is
large, wondrous conglomeration of polygons with the main
section being a 12-sided oval (what are those called?) surrounded
by four low octagonal towers crowned with copper
spires. The interior is full of ornamentation added to and
restored since the time of its creation, including the high
ceiling finished with ceramic tiles which had to be changed
as recently as 2006 due to damage. Unfortunately it’s a bit
of a trek southeast from the centre down ul. Wolności to see
it, but if you’ve got a car that’s on the way back to Katowice
anyway. Q Open during mass and by prior arrangement.
St. Lawrence’s Church (Kościół Św.
Wawrzyńca) I-5, ul. Konopnickiej 29, Chorzów,
tel. (+48) 32 780 99 61, www.wawrzyniec-chorzow.
katowice.opoka.org.pl. Built in 1599 in the village of
Knurów, immediately southwest of neighbouring Gliwice,
this charming little wooden church was abandoned by
its congregation in 1926 when it became too small to
accommodate the worshippers in its parish. Empty and
slowly falling to pieces for almost a decade, the good
people of Chorzów adopted it, took it apart, and moved
it to its current location in September 1935. Of special
interest, should you be lucky enough to visit when the
doors are open, is the wooden sculpture of the Beautiful
Madonna of Knurów, which is believed to have been made
in 1420. Q Open by prior arrangement only.
Monuments
Józef Piłsudski D-3, Pl. Chrobrego. The work of the
Croatian sculptor Antun Augustinčić (1900-1979), most
famously remembered for his Monument of Peace sculpture
outside the UN headquarters in New York, the dashing statue
of Poland’s greatest modern military hero dates from before
WWII but didn’t make it to Poland until the collapse of Polish
Communism, a system in which Piłsudski was strictly taboo.
Shipped from its creator’s Croatian museum in 1990 and
renovated before finally being placed where it is today in
1993, the statue sees our hero astride a stallion when it’s
a well known fact he always favoured his mare, Kasztanka
(Chestnut). Originally planned to form the centrepiece of a
series of statues relating to the Silesian insurgents which
never came to being, the monument’s sword vanished in
1994 and was later found in some nearby bushes by a
bunch of nosy kids.
Silesian Insurgents’ Monument (Pomnik
Powstańców Śląskich) B-3, Al. Korfantego. Supposedly
the largest and heaviest monument in Poland, this vast
bronze edifice is one of Katowice’s most famous landmarks,
commemorating the three post-WWI Polish armed uprisings
against the German authorities of Upper Silesia in 1919, 1920
and 1921. The monument symbolizes the heroism and sacrifice
of the insurgents with an enormous bronze wing for each
uprising. Designed by Gustaw Zemła and erected on the site
of the city’s Red Army cemetery in 1967, the monument was
assembled from 350 parts and weighs a hulking 61 tonnes.
The highest wing reaches 14 metres tall, making it ‘the tallest
monument in PL’ if you disqualify the 32-metre high Wujek
memorial cross on the other side of town and probably a dozen
other monuments in the country. But give it a push, it’s heavy.
Silesian Scouts Monument C-3, Pl. Obronców Katowic.
When the commander of the Polish Army retreated
from the region to avoid entrapment on September 2nd
1939, Katowice was left in the hands of these strapping
young volunteers - the Polish boy and girl scouts. Establishing
critical defence posts throughout the city, the out-numbered,
ill-equipped and inexperienced scouts repelled the advancing
Germans for two days in a valiant, if ultimately suicidal effort
to protect the city. This monument in front of the hideous
Silesia Hotel remembers and honours their martyrdom.
Designed by Michał Brachmański, the bronze sculpture
stands 4.5 by 4.1 metres and depicts four scouts stepping
out of a broken wall with the inscription, “All that is ours to
give, we shall give to Poland.”
Museums
Archdiocese Museum (Muzeum Archidiecezjalne)
E-2, ul. Jordana 39 (entrance from ul. Wita
Stwosza 16), tel. (+48) 519 54 60 23, www.muzeum.
archidiecezja.katowice.pl. Perhaps the sweetest docents
in the world guide tours (in Polish) through a fine and surprisingly
large collection of Silesian Gothic-era sacral art. There
are two galleries, the first of which, on the ground floor, hosts
rotating modern exhibits, while the main gallery upstairs has
the permanent exhibition, including wooden sculptures of
Madonna, female saints, Christ and others, several restored
and original triptychs as well as articles used by churches in
the region. Look for the museum sign and entrance below
street level behind the Curia building near Christ the King
Cathedral. During opening hours visitors may need to rap
on the gated door to gain entrance as it usually receives
few tourists, especially on Sundays. Q Open 14:00-18:00,
Sun 14:00-17:00. Closed Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat, except by prior
arrangement. Admission free. Donations welcome.
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
Katowice Historical Museum (Muzeum Historii
Katowic) D-4, ul. Szafranka 9, tel. (+48) 32 256 18
10, www.mhk.katowice.pl. This outstanding museum
showcasing some of the more interesting aspects of the
life and times of the city and its people is divided into three
main sections. Wearing a pair of silly slippers provided in
the price of the ticket, wander the well thought-out rooms
on three floors including a superb recreation of house
interiors of the middle and upper classes of the city from
20, 50 and 100 years ago, a fine history of the city in all
its good and bad forms from its origins until the present
day and a small gallery of religious art. Sadly the exhibits
remain in Polish only, but thanks either to the cleverness of
the curators or maybe just by sheer fluke, most of the things
on display make a lot of sense. One of the best museums
in southern Poland, and well worth visiting when you’re in
the city. QOpen 10:00 - 17:30, Tue, Thu 10:00 - 15:00, Sat,
Sun 11:00 - 14:00. Closed Mon. Admission 8/4zł, Sat free.
Guided tours 12zł per person.
Museum of Mining (Muzeum Górnictwa
Węglowego) S-3, ul. 3 Maja 19, Zabrze, tel. (+48)
32 271 88 31, www.muzeumgornictwa.pl. Before stepping
foot inside any mine, a visit to the Museum of Mining
serves as an essential and fascinating primer. Presented
in chronological order are numerous displays documenting
the development of industry in the city. Along the route
you’ll find everything from lumps of coal extracted from
the ground to lanterns, posters, photographs, religious
iconography and musical instruments formerly blown and
tootled by miners of talent. Linking it up and bringing it all
to life is a series of well-constructed dioramas that include
the inside of a typical miner residence, to recreations
of the sort of conditions the lads would have to toil in;
they’ve even stuck a trolley-pulling horse in amid all the
square jawed, flat-capped mannequins. The building itself
is a beauty and the square across the street features a
gloriously large Soviet-style sculpture of a Silesian miner,
replete with pickaxe and lantern. Also under the museum’s
stewardship is the Królowa Luiza mine; make it the next
stop on your agenda. QOpen 09:00 - 15:00, Thu 09:00 -
18:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00, Sun 12:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon.
Last entrance 30 minutes before closing. Admission 6/5zł.
Groups over 10 people 3zł per person.
Piast’s Castle (Zamek Piastowski) M-3, ul. Pod
Murami 2, Gliwice, tel. (+48) 32 231 44 94, www.
muzeum.gliwice.pl. Dating back to the 14th century,
Piast’s Castle is thought to have been erected in concert
with Gliwice’s city wall and other fortifications. Changing
owners and undergoing several stages of reconstruction
and renovation over the centuries, the castle is today a bit
of a hodge-podge of styles and materials. In the 1950s it
was renovated to become part of the city museum and has
since been called Piast’s Castle, though there is no evidence
to suggest it ever belonged to the Silesian Piast dynasty.
Thanks to a little love from the EU, the castle completed a
major 3-year renovation in 2008 and now has a multimedia
permanent exhibition on the life and times of the city and
its people. Visitors are given a thorough presentation of the
region’s primeval history from the Stone Age to the Middle
Ages with a bevy of archaeological findings, including the
crowd-pleasing skeletons of a wooly mammoth and shaggy
rhino. The history of Gliwice from its 13th century founding
to 1989 is also on display via a variety of media, as well as
an ethnographic exhibit portraying village life and a tourist
info centre. QOpen 11:00 - 16:00, Wed 09:00 - 15:00, Thu
10:00 - 16:00, Fri 12:00 - 18:00, Sat 12:00 - 17:00, Sun
11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. Last entrance one hour before
closing. Admission free. Guided tours 50zł.
katowice.inyourpocket.com
WHAT TO SEE
Jewish Katowice
The history of Katowice’s
Jews is both short and, like
the fate of the rest of the
Jews in Eastern Europe,
horrific. It’s been recorded
that at the end of the Napoleonic
Wars (1798-1815)
there was just one solitary
Jew living in Katowice, who
owned an inn on the site of
today’s Skarbek department
store close to the
Rynek, and who also managed
a small brewery and Janusz Szczepanczyk
stables. Persecution under
Prussian rule started early, and for a Jew to get on in life
it was expected that he or she should change their name
and write in German. In exchange for this, Jews were allowed
to move freely and settle where they wished. With
the completion of a direct rail connection to Germany in
1846, German Jews began moving to Katowice in greater
numbers. The first prayer house opened in 1855, and the
first synagogue, at the corner of today’s ul. 3 Maja and ul.
Słowackiego, in 1862. By 1870 the Jews made up 10% of
the city’s population, and at the turn of the 20th century
the Jewish population of the city numbered some 2,000.
As in other industrial cities, Jews not only prospered in
the classic trades of medicine, law and commerce but
also contributed heavily to the industrial make-up of the
city, owning several large mills and factories. The most
remarkable contribution Katowice made to the history
of modern Jewry is that of the Katowice Conference that
took place in the city between November 6-11, 1884.
Although no papers survive, the general belief is that 22
Jews from Russia, France, Germany, Romania, Palestine
and the UK came to Katowice (the precise location is
unknown) to discuss the founding of a Jewish nation
in the Middle East. The meeting was chaired by the
Polish-born Zionist, Leon Pinsker, aka Yehudah Leib (Lev
Semyonovich) Pinsker (1821-1891), who proposed that
as the Jews were never going to receive fair treatment
in Europe they should all move to the country he was
living in at the time, Palestine. Pinsker’s belief was - as
history has shown in gruesome detail - correct, although
even he couldn’t have imagined scale of the events
that were to take place less than half a century later.
On the day the Germans invaded Poland in 1939 there
were somewhere between 9,000 and 13,000 Polish
and German Jews living in Katowice. Most were sent to
Auschwitz via the Zagłębie (Sosnowiec) ghetto. Although
as many as 1,500 Jews returned to the city after the war,
most left again soon after. Little remains to be seen of
pre-war Jewish life in the city today, with the exception
of the neglected Jewish Cemetery (D-1, ul. Kozielska
16, see Cemeteries) and an obscure monument where
the Great Synagogue once stood (C-2, Plac Synagogi).
Jewish Community (Gmina Żydowska) C-2,
ul. 3 Maja 16, tel. (+48) 32 253 77 42. Katowice’s
Jewish Community was officially set up in 1866. This
small centre run by a handful of brave individuals serves
as a prayer house and also contains the city’s only
kosher kitchen. Volunteers provide a meals-on-wheels
service for the elderly and disabled and take care of 20
Jewish cemeteries in the region. QOpen 10:00 - 15:00.
Closed Sat.
July - October 2012
55

56 WHAT TO SEE
Cemeteries
Katowice Jewish Cemetery (Cmentarz
Żydowski) D-1, ul. Kozielska 16, tel. (+48) 32
251 10 22. Established in 1868, Katowice’s Jewish
Cemetery (just west of D-1 on our map) is one of the city’s
oldest burial grounds and contains almost 1,500 graves.
Largely destroyed by the Germans and their henchmen
during WWII, today a Holocaust memorial inside
remembers those who lost their lives to Nazi genocide.
Like many Jewish cemeteries in PL today, Katowice’s in
a state of utter disrepair. Though purportedly still in use,
rumours that the site is undergoing renovation works will
appear completely baseless to anyone who visits and
sees the crumbling walls and strands of barbed wire
surrounding the site, beyond which graves are barely
visible beneath the overgrowth of weeds, vines and tall
grass. A sad testament to the history and present state
of Katowice’s Jewish community, gaining access to this
necropolis through proper channels is almost impossible
without prior arrangement, though an administrator
should technically be on hand nearby. As such, it offers
little more than an occasion for some depressing
thoughts and grim photos if you have a camera with a
good zoom lens. Q Open by prior arrangement.
Red Army Cemetery (Cmentarz żołnierzy Armii
Czerwonej) Park Tadeusza Kościuszki (Brynów).
Moved to its current location at the far southern end of
Park im. Tadeusza Kościuszki to make way for the citycentre
Silesian Insurgents’ Monument in 1967, this small
Red Army Cemetery is surprisingly well kept compared
to similar cemeteries in Poland. The final resting place
of about 300 Soviet soldiers who gave their lives in the
‘liberation’ of Katowice from the Germans in 1945, check
out the hammer and sickle fence around the perimeter
and the small memorial in the centre regularly garnished
with fresh flowers.
Zabrze Jewish Cemetery (Cmentarz Żydowski)
S-3, ul. Cmentarna 15, Zabrze. Founded in 1871
Zabrze’s Jewish cemetery served the local community up
until WWII when the several hundred Jews who resided in
the area were rounded up and packed into cattle trucks
destined for Auschwitz. Within a stroke the town’s Jewish
population almost ceased to exist, however after the war
this cemetery was actually returned to the small surviving
Jewish community and burials continued here until 1953;
these more modern burials consist primarily of Jews who
came to Zabrze from the East during the post-war period
of Silesia’s heavy ‘Polonization.’ A unique aspect of the
cemetery is that in addition to Hebrew inscriptions, many
tombs feature texts in German and Polish as well. The
graves of Russian soldiers from both World Wars who died
in the area are also interred here. Existing in high-contrast
to the well-maintained community Catholic cemetery
directly next to it, Zabrze’s Jewish cemetery occupies an
over 1 hectare lot of overgrown underbrush and gnarled
trees scattered with over 800 tilting ivy-covered tombs
and sarcophagi. Hard to miss thanks to a brightly coloured
entrance gate which typically remains locked, entry can
still be gained by entering through a neighbour’s yard - a
slightly intrusive act which we were given permission for. If
that fails, you can still access the forgotten site through a
crumbled back wall off ul. Tomeczka. A haunting reminder
of the past, a visit to this incredibly poignant memorial
place and the surrounding district of Osiedle Donnermarcka
is highly recommended.
Queen Luiza Coal Mine Museum (Skansen
Górniczy Królowa Luiza) ul. Wolności 410, Zabrze
(Zaborze Północ), tel. (+48) 32 370 11 27, www.luiza.
zabrze.pl. The Królowa Luiza mine first opened for business
in 1791 a year after Salomon Izaak first discovered coal below
the ground. Ranked as one of the oldest mines in the region,
visitors to Zabrze will unfortunately be limited to staying
above ground at the moment due to improvements being
made to the underground safety system. Your visit will start
off on ground level where you’ll find chunky pieces of machinery,
pistons, dials, pipes, photo displays, buildings and other
industrial detritus clustered around the old ‘Karnell’ shaft.
Pride of place goes to a steam-powered hoist that made its
debut in 1915 to a design born in Duelmen, Germany. Such
was the precision and quality of the workmanship it continued
to be used up until 1990. Every bit as impressive is the
30 metre hoist next to it; open to visitors the views at the
top allow for sweeping panoramas of the city. It makes for
intriguing exploration with other points of interest including
machinery salvaged from now-defunct mines, as well as a
monument honouring miners from 1850, and a collection
of vintage cars and motorcycles. Q Open 08:00 - 13:00.
Closed Mon. Sat open to pre-booked tour groups only (no
walk-ins), Sun access to the steam-powered hoist is limited
to 11:00 only. Admission 5/3zł, groups over 10 people 4zł
per person. Tower 2zł.
Radio Station Gliwice (Radiostacja Gliwice)
ul. Tarnogórska 129, Gliwice (Żerniki), tel. (+48)
32 300 04 04, www.muzeum.gliwice.pl. Head Gliwice
way, namely to ul. Tarnogórska 129, to take a look at
the 110.7 metre radio tower, which actually rates as the
world’s tallest wooden structure and the last wooden
telecommunications tower in existence - and it still works!
Constructed between 1934 and 1935 by the German
Lorenz company (with a helping hand from Siemens and
Telefunken), the ‘Silesian Eiffel Tower’ has survived the vicissitudes
of time, which is something of a miracle bearing
its history in mind. On August 31, 1939, this site became
the centre of what was to become known as the ‘Gleiwitz
incident.’ On the orders of Reinhard Heydrich (who would
later achieve infamy in his brutal role as SS commandant
of the regions of Bohemia and Moravia), a crack team of
SS troops dressed in Polish army uniforms staged a mock
attack on the tower (which was then on German soil). To
make the assault all the more convincing the bodies of
numerous enemies of the system were left scattered
around, and the pretend operation was then used as the
pretense Hitler needed to launch an attack on Poland the
next day. With that WWII kicked off. Unlike the majority
of German communications towers it survived the war
intact and in peace time was utilized by the communist
authorities, its many purposes including the jamming of
western radio programs. In 2005 a museum was opened,
its exhibits serving as a tribute to the events of 1939.
Q Open 09:00 - 16:00, Sun 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Mon.
From September open 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Mon, Sun.
Admission 5/2zł. Sat free. Guided tours 50zł.
Silesian Museum (Muzeum Śląskie) C-3, Al. Korfantego
3, tel. (+48) 32 258 56 61, www.muzeumslaskie.pl.
Housed inside a glorious neo-Renaissance turn
of the century hotel, the Silesia Museum dates back to the
1920s and offers a glimpse into the region’s archaeology,
ethnography and history by way of a number of temporary
and permanent exhibitions over three floors. As well as
the usual glass cases full of bones and pots, particularly
outstanding and not to be missed is the Gallery of Polish
Painting 1800-1945, showcasing some of the finest Polish
artists of the 19th and 20th century, including no less
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
than five paintings by the country’s great creative genius
Stanisław Wyspiański. Since it moved into the Grand Hotel
in 1984, the tenure of the Silesia Museum has always been
considered temporary and the relocation of the collection
to a new site that is currently under construction on the
former grounds of the Katowice Coal Mine is planned in the
next few years. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 10:00 - 19:00,
Fri 12:00 - 16:00, Sat 12:00 - 18:00, Sun 12:00 - 17:00.
Closed Mon. Last entrance 30 minutes before closing.
Admission 12/7zł for all exhibits, 9/5zł for temporary
exhibits only, 6/4zł for permanent exhibits only. Sat free
for permanent exhibits.
Willa Caro N-3, ul. Dolnych Wałów 8a, Gliwice,
tel. (+48) 32 231 08 54, www.muzeum.gliwice.pl.
Constructed between 1882 and 1885 at the behest of
local industrialist Oscar Caro, this renaissance style villa
has been operating as a museum since 1934 when it
came under the stewardship of the Silesian Museum of
Gliwice. Fully restored at the end of the last century the
villa is a supreme example of the architecture of the day,
featuring elaborate woodwork and neo-baroque ceilings.
The lavish interiors are a great peek at how the bigshots
of yesteryear once lived, with the first floor and half of
the second expertly preserved as it once was. Features
of note include splendid chandeliers, as well as paintings,
copperplates and 18th century trunks. The third floor
and the other half of the second are now turned over to
rotating temporary exhibitions, and the villa is surrounded
by gardens befitting one of Silesia’s most prominent
capitalists. QOpen 11:00 - 16:00, Wed 09:00 - 15:00,
Thu 10:00 - 16:00, Fri 12:00 - 18:00, Sat 12:00 - 17:00,
Sun 11:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon. Last entrance one hour
before closing. Admission 8/4zł, familly ticket 16zł. Sat
free. Guided tours 80zł.
Parks & Gardens
Though you’d hardly know it after a cursory look around,
Silesia actually possesses an extraordinary number of parks
and recreational areas. Known more for its contamination
of the environment, than its preservation, it’s still a fact that
Silesia has some of the largest urban parks not only in PL,
but all of Europe. Largest of them all is the Park of Culture
& Recreation in Chorzów, with so many attractions that
we’ve given it its own extensive section under Leisure.
Katowice also possesses several large green spaces, chief
among them the Valley of Three Ponds, and don’t miss
Zabrze’s Botanical Gardens or Gliwice’s Palm House if you
find yourself in those parts.
City Botanical Gardens ul. Piłsudskiego 60,
Zabrze, tel. (+48) 32 271 30 33, www.mob-zabrze.
pl. Sometimes, when the black soot of the coal mines, the
unforgiving greyness of the concrete (and the air), and the
unvaried whiteness of the Polish diet have conspired to
give you the Silesian Blues, it’s good to get a little green
in your life. That’s what the Zabrze Botanical Gardens are
for, and you’ll find this 6.5 hectare plot of pleasantness
one block further west down ul. Roosevelta from P-4 on
the IYP map. Not the most lush or exotic you’ve seen, but
it is a welcome slice of serenity with a stream, several
picturesque ponds surrounded by willows, a palm house,
cactus house, English gardens and a children’s playground.
A great place to decompress or make a guest appearance
in the background of someone’s wedding photos. To get
there by bus from downtown Zabrze, hop on numbers 32,
932 or 720. Q Open 11:00 - 19:00, Sun 10:00 - 19:00.
From October open 10:00 - 18:00, Sun 09:00 - 18:00.
Admission 2/1zł.
katowice.inyourpocket.com
WHAT TO SEE
Promnice Hunting Lodge
Promnice Hunting Lodge (Zameczek
Myśliwski Promnice) Zameczek Myśliwski
Promnice, tel. (+48) 32 219 46 78, www.promnice.
pl. One of Silesia’s best kept secrets seemingly since its
creation, this absolutely stunning hunting lodge has discreetly
passed the centuries overlooking a picturesque
lake in the middle of a dense forest, down a dirt road
30km south of Katowice, between Tychy and Pszczyna.
Though hardly a challenge to visit for anyone with a car,
Promnice’s relatively remote location has helped ensure
the survival of one of the area’s most unique, unexpected
and astoundingly beautiful architectural monuments. Essentially
a small castle, this English neo-Gothic ‘hunting
lodge’ was built in 1868 when the land fell to Herzog
von Pless, holder of the title ‘Master of the Emperor’s
Hunt’ in the Prussian Empire, which occupied the area
at that time. Closely connected to the Prussian court in
Berlin, von Pless built the immaculate lodge to host grand
hunting parties in the surrounding forests, which were attended
by rulers from all over Europe, including Emperor
Wilhelm I and Tsar Alexander II. Bison from Białowieża
forest were even brought to the area to make the regal
outings more exotic and prestigious. Almost unaltered
since the von Pless dynasty passed into oblivion in 1945,
the sumptuous interiors are densely adorned with all
manner of mounted beasts, rifles, weaponry and royal
hunting regalia, original period furnishings, gorgeously
carved wainscoting, English wallpapers and a plethora
of oil paintings depicting hunting scenes. The Germaninfluenced
exterior features a tower embellished with
stag heads, decorative timber framing, stained-glass
windows, and wooden balconies. Aesthetically, Promnice
is unlike anything else in Silesia and its incredibly scenic
location on Paprocańskie Lake surrounded by forests
full of hiking and biking trails makes it a great place to
unwind as well as take photos. Today this historic place
is open to the public as a hotel and restaurant. Walk-ins
are welcome in the restaurant when private functions
aren’t taking place, and we highly recommend booking
one of the apartments if you’re looking for a romantic
weekend getaway. In either case it’s wise to call ahead
and announce your intention to visit, which we guarantee
you won’t regret.
July - October 2012
57

58 WHAT TO SEE
Tyskie Brewery
In a country where beer is cheaper and more widely
consumed than water (and safer to drink according to
some), it’s worth noting that the two most famous and
popular brands in Poland are both brewed in Silesia. The
breweries of both are also bonafide tourist attractions
including production tours, museums and...free beer!
Tyskie Brewery (Tyskie Browary Książęce)
ul. Mikołowska 5 (entrance from ul. Katowicka 9),
Tychy, tel. (+48) 32 327 84 30, www.tyskiebrowarium.pl.
The Tyskie Browary Książęce, in the town of
Tychy (German Tichau) some 10km south of Katowice
has been brewing beer continuously for nearly 400 years.
And because of its Silesian location it has witnessed a
number of historic events over the years with its own
history reflecting that of the region. The originally German-owned
brewery now produces the famous Tyskie
Gronie, Poland’s best selling beer, and Tyskie Browary
Książęce’s (or just Tyskie) impressive ensemble of
buildings also includes a superb little museum which
is open to the public for tours. Taking about 2.5 hours
and led by a friendly and informative, English-speaking
guide, the Tyskie tour takes visitors through the entire
brewing process. Starting in the immaculately preserved
Old Brewery, a masterpiece of original decorative tiles
and old copper vats installed during WWI that have had
modern brewing equipment cleverly put inside them,
the tour follows the brewing process from start to finish
and also offers a fascinating insight into the history of
the factory. Highlights include the so-called Bachelors’
Quarters and the saucy tales that go with them, a glimpse
of the brewery’s own railway station and, across the road,
a look inside the fabulous smelling bottling plant. Now
producing over 8,000,000 hectolitres of booze annually
(or to put it another way, if you put all that beer into half
litre bottles and laid them end to end you’d have a line of
beer 80,000km long), the rise of the brewery is recorded
inside the superb Brewery Museum, complete with interactive
displays in English and housed inside an old red
brick Protestant, neo-Gothic church built in 1902. Tours
must be booked in advance, and yes, there’s a tasting
session at the end. The tours are conducted in Polish,
English, German, Spanish (unavailable in July & August),
French, Italian, Czech, Russian and in the Silesian dialect
(if you ever wanted to hear what that might sound like).
The museum building also houses the local City Museum,
which is also well worth having a look inside if you’ve got
the time, while the town of Tyskie itself is worth a bit of
exploration to round off the trip.
To get there from Katowice, take a train to Tychy; the
brewery is a short walk southeast from the train station.
QOpen 10:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun. Last entrance
2,5 hours before closing. Visitors must be over 18 and
should call in advance to book a place on the tour.
Admission 12/6zł.
Gliwice Palm House N-2, ul. Fredry 6, Gliwice, tel.
(+48) 32 231 32 39, www.mzuk.gliwice.pl. In addition
to being one of the only cities in the region to have retained
its medieval layout and character, Gliwice - ‘the yellow rose
of Silesia’ as we like to call it - is also the greenest city in
an area famous for being about as lovely as a lump of coal.
The corsage on the wrist of this blue collar beauty is Chopin
Park and the Municipal Palm House. The history of the Palm
House dates back to 1880 when a private conservatory of
greenhouses was first built. Gradually transformed to house
exotic non-native flora, the Palm House was made public
and had already become a popular and widely marketed
tourist attraction by the 1930s. The complex featured a
120 cubic metre heated pool - the first in Silesia - and was
filled with water lillies, a high water mark for exotica at the
time. A zoo was also added, featuring cold-blooded reptiles
like alligators and anacondas, as well as red-bottomed
baboons. Becoming a popular leisure and meeting point for
locals, the Palm House successfully combined the character
of a regal winter garden with an educational venue. Today
the Palmerie is housed in one of the city’s most dazzling
pieces of modern architecture, with an area of 2000
square metres over four pavilions focussed on different
climatic conditions. Totalling some 5600 plants - some
specimens of which are well over 100 years old - visitors
can see tropical and subtropical plants, usuable plants and
succulents from all over the world, in addition to an aviary
and slimy-thinged aquariums and terrariums. The price of
admission is a bargain, and if you get too humid, the cafe
is a great place to cool off with great views of Chopin Park.
Exceptional flora, put in your palm. Hooray for biodiversity.
Q Open from August 09:00-18:00, Sat, Sun 10:00-18:00.
Closed Mon. Admission 5zł, students 3.50zł.
Tadeusz Kościuszko Park (Park im. Tadeusza
Kościuszki) G-1, ul. Kościuszki. The most central of
Katowice’s parks, though it gets outmuscled in acreage by
the Park of Culture & Recreation and Katowice Forest Park,
Kościuszki Park is still an impressively sizable 72 hectares.
Starting life as a mere six-hectare municipal wooded park
way back in 1888 the park has grown in size and variety and
now features over 90 species of trees and shrubs including
linden, beech, cherry, rhododendrons and azaleas. There are
also classic English gardens including an avenue of roses and
typical English flower beds. Other features include sculptures
by local artists, the gorgeous wooden Church of St. Michael
the Archangel, and the extraordinary Parachute Tower
close to its southern border (see sightseeing). Allegedly the
only thing of its kind in the country, it was on top of this tower
that a group of Polish scouts attempted to defend the city
from the Germans on September 4, 1939. A small monument
next to it marks the event.
Valley of Three Ponds (Dolina Trzech Stawów) F-5,
ul. Trzech Stawów. Katowice’s most popular recreation
area, Valley of Three Ponds was first established as a 125
hectare leisure space in the 1960s before being absorbed
into the 420 hectare Katowice Forest Park which today
surrounds the small Muchowiec airfield (G-5) south of the
centre. Though ‘Valley of Three Ponds’ is generally applied to
all of the woodless areas surrounding ul. Trzech Stawów and
Forest Park’s 11 (not 3) ponds, the name technically refers to
the smaller, more cultivated area located just beyond F-5 on
the IYP map. In this vicinity you’ll find a seasonal campground,
tennis courts and two fine restaurants (Pan de Rossa and
La Cantina) with inspiring views overlooking the water and
the distant apartment blocks of downtown Katowice. Of
the ponds in the immediate vicinity, the most popular has a
beach for bathing, another is reserved for water sports, and
several are available for fishing (though you need a permit
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
and the hassle of trying to get one is not worth explaining
or experiencing). The entire park area is also full of marked
trails, making it a popular place for running, cycling, hiking,
sledding in winter, picnicking and generally defeating the
Silesian Blues (as we call it). Most easily accessed by bicycle
(see Bike Hire during warm months) or instead take buses
674 or 910 from the centre, getting off at the Trzech Stawy
shopping mall when you see the Real hypermarket. It’s a
short walk east from there.
Places of Interest
Cloud Scraper (Drapacz Chmur) D-2, ul. Żwirki i
Wigury 15. ‘Flying Saucer’ and ‘Cloud Scraper’: Katowice’s
landmarks may be lacking a bit of colour but they certainly
have colourful names. Drapacz Chmur is another local icon
whose beauty and relevance may have faded, but perhaps
no building more represents the optimism of Katowice’s
autonomous inter-war years. Although unimpressive by
today’s standards and hardly even able to get its chin
above the neighbours, this was the second skyscraper
built in Poland. The work of architect Tadeusz Kozłwoski
and engineer Stefan Bryła, the structure was completed in
1934 following five years of work. Measuring 60 metres in
height, it remained the tallest building in Poland until 1955
when it was surpassed by Warsaw’s monstrous Palace of
Culture and Science. The steel-framed building was touted
as 17 storeys (counting its three subterranean levels), and
was one of the first in the country equipped with garbage
chutes. As the tallest thing in town Cloud Scraper was used
as a sniper station during the short-lived defence of Katowice
against Nazi occupation. Though built during an era when
decent design sense still prevailed, Cloud Scraper was well
ahead of its time and today stands inconspicuously as a
prime example of functionalist architecture.
katowice.inyourpocket.com
WHAT TO SEE
Donnersmarck Housing Estate (Osiedle Donnersmarcka)
S-2, ul. Stalmacha, ul. Krakusa, ul. Cmentarna,
Zabrze. Undoubtedly the most picturesque corner of downtown
Zabrze is the tree-lined Donnersmarck workers’ colony,
composed of over 40 strikingly handsome multi-family dwellings
unique for their traditional timber framing and Prussian
decorative details. Built between 1903 and 1922 for the
workers of the nearby Donnersmarck steelworks, if you have
some time to kill in Zabrze a walk through the area is highly
recommended, particularly Krakusa street where you’ll find
the largest trees. Of note in the area is the Jewish Cemetery
on ul. Cmentarna (S-2) and the bizarre Steel House (Stalowy
Dom) nearby at ul. Cmentarna 7d. A truly experimental structure,
this two-storey building designed to house four families
was completed in 26 days in 1927 when eight massive steel
walls cast at the neighbouring Donnersmarck Steelworks
were welded together to create a crude facade that no paint
job would ever adhere to for more than a year before peeling.
A quintessential Zabrze roadside curiosity.
Guido Mineshaft (Zabytkowa Kopalnia Węgla
Kamiennego Guido) ul. 3 Maja 93, Zabrze (Centrum
Południe), tel. (+48) 32 271 40 77 ext. 51 83, www.
kopalniaguido.pl. Although it’s the Królowa Mine that tends
to hog the limelight, a visit to the Guido shaft is by no means
a poor man’s substitute. Constructed in 1855 the Guido
experience allows hard-hatted visitors to plunge an initial 170
metres below ground while they learn about the world of coal
extraction. Descent is via one of those scary-looking cages
and from there it’s non-stop action as visitors view numerous
tunnels and shafts that have been recreated to look just like
they did at the height of the industrial revolution. The full immersion
experience is helped by staged exhibits, like horses
pulling coal-laden carts and a Jesus lookalike puffing away on
a pipe. Along the way are numerous pieces of clunky, rusty
July - October 2012
59

60 WHAT TO SEE
machinery, including drainage pumps from 1914 and various
drilling equipment that looks like it could have played a part in
that hangover you had on New Years’ Day. This is a full-on interactive
masterpiece that doesn’t just settle for displays of Davy
Lamps and long-since-dead equipment. Of course it does that,
but it also goes further with a separate ‘art floor’ consisting of
multimedia exhibits and cinematic presentations, as well as
sound effects during the tour that include braying horses and
equipment going ‘kerchung, kerchung.’ The descent continues
to -320m where concerts and other events are often held, and
you might catch one of their temporary art exhibits. All visits
to Guido are conducted with a tour guide; unfortunately if you
would like to take that tour in English you’ll have to outlay a
hefty fee for a translator on top of the admission cost: 190zł
for the -170m level, and an additional 210zł for level -320m
level. Your call; either way let them know in advance if you
intend to visit. To get there from the centre of Zabrze take
tram number 3, or buses 7, 23, 47, 111, 198 or 199, getting
off at the ‘Skansen Guido’ stop; the trip takes ten minutes. Q
Open 09:00 - 20:00, Tue 09:00 - 14:30, Sun 13:30 - 18:00.
Closed Mon. From September open 09:00 - 20:00, Tue, Wed
09:00 - 14:30, Sun 13:30 - 18:00. Closed Mon. Please call in
advance. Admission 21-36/18-31zł.
Maciej Shaft ul. Srebrna 6, Zabrze, tel. (+48) 32 271
24 49. The most modern of Zabrze’s industrial heritage sites,
completionists won’t be content without exploring this sterling
example of coal mining operations from early 20th century.
Of the town’s three mines open to visitors, Maciej has been
developed for tourists the least, giving it an untouched air of
authenticity, as if the workers just happen to have the day off.
The primary sights are the hoist tower with the original twindrum
hoisting machine by Siemens-Schuckertwerke which visitors
have the opportunity to steer themselves. Unfortunately
the pithead tower is under repair and can no longer be climbed.
Call ahead to arrange a free tour if you simply can’t get enough
of this stuff. Q Open for walk-ins Thu only from 09:00-13:00.
Group visits outside these hours can be arranged, but there
is a 15 person minimum. Admission free.
Parachute Tower F/L-1, Park Tadeusza Kościuszki.
Originally 50 metres tall, the parachute tower was built in
1937 for the training of parachute jumpers, however it found
its place in the Polish national consciousness when for two
days in 1939, Silesian scouts defended the city of Katowice
from this tower. Exchanging fire with German troops into the
evening of September 4th, the tower was finally destroyed
when the foul-playing Germans used an antitank gun to rid
themselves of the darn kids. The tower that stands in the
park now is a 35m reconstruction of the original and the
only parachute tower in Poland today. The scout’s heroic
defence of the tower, doomed as it was, grew so legendary
that it became the literary subject of poems and songs. A
granite obelisk commemorates their brief but noble ascent
into adulthood atop that fabled tower.
Rynek (Market Square) C-3. Until recently, one could easily
be forgiven for standing in the middle of the market square
and trying to find the market square. At the moment, you can’t
stand in it at all as the entire area is one enormous construction
site. While inconvenient, the current mess should portend
good things to come for Katowice. Before work got underway,
Katowice’s Rynek was basically a large traffic roundabout and
tram stop surrounded by a faded collection of mis-matched
buildings in architectural styles that had mostly fallen out of
favour, if they ever engendered any enthusiasm to begin with. For
years the city has known that turning its market square into, you
know, an actual market square would be a crucial step toward
becoming a respectable Polish city and a plan to modernise and
pedestrianise the Rynek that has apparently been in place since
Katowice’s Flying Saucer, ‘Spodek’ © Archiwum Spodek
2008 is now finally being put into action. The first step is the
modernising of the Soviet-era monstrosity at ul. Młyńska that
uglies up an entire block of the Rynek and transforming it into
the new City Hall. That work has now almost been completed
and is already a huge improvement, though work on the market
square itself looks like it will continue indefinitely.
Spodek B-3, Al. Korfantego 35, tel. (+48) 32 258 32
61, www.spodek.com.pl. In 1958 the Association of Polish
Architects ran a competition to design a new stadium in
Katowice. Won by a Warsaw company and designed by Maciej
Gintowt and Maciej Krasiński, the resulting Wojewódzka Hala
Widowiskowo-Sportowa w Katowicach (translating something
like ‘Katowice Province Spectator & Sports Arena’) was
built in stages between 1964 and 1971, and at 246,624 square
metres is the one of the largest, certainly one of the strangest
and, to some, the most beautiful piece of reinforced concrete
in Poland. Nicknamed ‘Latający Spodek’ (Flying Saucer) the
building was originally going to be built in the Park of Culture &
Recreation but because of its avant-garde appearance finally
landed in the city centre. Holding 11,000 people part of the
building was in use in 1969, though the grand opening only took
place on May 9, 1971. The reason for this delay was simple - in
their wisdom the designers had picked a landsite suffering
‘medium mine damage’. That meant the possibility of cave-ins
and collapse so the building was road-tested by 3,500 stamping
(and dare we say it, nervous) soldiers. Given the thumbs-up
by equally relieved engineers the building has been inspiring
and amusing people ever since. A popular basketball venue (it
hosted the final stages of EuroBasket 2009), Spodek is also
Katowice’s number one place for international rock concerts,
having hosted a disparate collection of stars including Charles
Aznavour, Metallica, Depeche Mode and Robbie Williams over
the years. Today it also houses the Olympic Spodek hotel, and
according to urban legend, the classic tune from Spielberg’s
‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ plays every time the building’s
lights go on. Given the circumstances we can hardly say
the claim sounds far-fetched.
Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park (Górnośląski
Park Etnograficzny) J-6, ul. Parkowa 25, Chorzów.
See Park of Culture & Recreation.
Water Tower ul. Zamojskiego 1a, Zabrze. Amongst
Zabrze’s more bizarre architectural monuments (and there are
quite a few), is this fearsome tower found just east of S-4 on
the IYP map. Constructed between 1907 and 1909 to a design
by August Kinda, this incredibly unique secessionist structure
features eight brick buttresses supporting the water tank, which
is covered with a strange octagonal roof topped with a lantern.
At 46 metres this marvel remains one of the tallest buildings
in Upper Silesia today and were it still illuminated rather than in
disrepair, you might mistake it for a wacky wayward lighthouse.
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com

62
NIKISZOWIEC & GISZOWIEC
Printed with the consent
of Katowice City Council
Prospective foreign travellers
putting together their Polish tourist
itineraries have a tendency
to regard Katowice as an acnescarred
unwanted stepchild,
and justifiably so. As another
IYP editor once famously said of
the city, “architecturally, much of
Katowice looks like the contents
of your dustbin, overturned.” Do
some rummaging through that
rubbish, however, and we think
you’ll agree, there are a few
rewards to be found. With that in
mind we direct the determined
tourist on a dumpster-diving
diversion southeast of the city
centre to the workers’ districts
of Nikiszowiec and Giszowiec. Home to some highly unique
early 20th century architecture, an excellent modern art gallery,
magnificent church and a few additional offbeat attractions,
these two forgotten attempts at plebeian paradise are
earmarked on Silesia’s ‘Industrial Monuments Route’ (available
at all Silesian tourist information offices) and offer intrepid visitors
a confounding, yet fascinating glimpse at a foregone age.
Pack yourself a lunch, your camera, and off you go.
Getting There
Tourists should plan on first visiting Nikiszowiec (8km/15min
from the city centre), the closer and more compelling of the
two districts, before continuing on to Giszowiec (10km/20min
away) as time and interest allow. Getting there is simple:
Take bus 674 from the Rynek (C-3), bus 12 from St. Mary’s
church (D-4), or we recommend catching bus 30 from Al.
Korfantego in front of the Katowice Hotel (H-3); the more
direct and straightforward of the three routes, this also allows
you to get off right at the stop named ‘Nikiszowiec Szyb
Wilson’. Though off the map in our guide, both districts are
still within Zone 1 of Katowice’s public transport network,
meaning passengers only need a normal 2.40zł fare ticket.
All of the above-mentioned buses can be caught at stops in
Giszowiec or Nikiszowiec and taken back into town. There are
also random minibuses that run regularly between Giszowiec
and Katowice’s market square (Rynek). These buses stop at
all Giszowiec’s busstops, but you’ll have to flap your arm at
them to get them to pick you up. The fare is a negligible 2-5zł
and the drivers are flexible with dropoffs along their route.
Wilson Shaft Gallery
ul. Oswobodzenia 1 (Nikiszowiec), tel. (+48) 32 730
32 20, www.szybwilson.org. Just north of the centre of
Nikiszowiec (3km by official measure), this seemingly obscure
and certainly underappreciated modern art gallery is arguably
Katowice’s best art space and one of the primary highlights
of a trip to Nikiszowiec. Located in the pithead building and
bathhouse of the old Wilson shaft of the Wieczorek mine, the
buildings now occupied by the gallery date back to 1918, and
were designed by the same Zillman brother tandem behind the
Nikiszowiec housing district. The dilapidated mineshaft, where
exacavations began back in 1864, can still be seen in glorious
ruin behind the gallery buildings, having ceased operation in
1997. Taken over by the ‘Pro Inwest’ company and adapted into
exhibition and office spaces, the area around the Wilson shaft
is now filled with brightly-painted outdoor sculptures in sharp
contrast to the industrial surroundings, as well as a muraled
entrance wall full of colourful pop culture icons (making it hard
to miss). The gallery itself comprises an impressive 2,500
square metres divided into three halls, the largest of which
wouldn’t look dissimilar to a gymnasium if the installation art
was swapped for basketball hoops. Full of seriously bonkers,
yet compellingly high quality sculpture, graphic and installation
art by both local and international artists, exhibitions change
regularly with permanent installations - some disturbing, some
playful, some political - hidden throughout the dozens of small
nooks spidering throughout the building. The closest thing to
a contemporary art museum in Katowice, it’s an admirable
and highly recommendable venue where the security guards
are noticably as passionate about the art as the owners must
be. Best of all, it’s free. To get there jump off bus 30 at the
‘Nikiszowiec Szyb Wilson’ stop on ul. Szopienicka, or bus 12
at the ‘Janów Oswobodzenia’ stop on ul. Lwowska. QOpen
09:00 - 19:00. Admission free.
Nikiszowiec
From the Wilson Gallery it is a short eight minute walk (or one
busstop) down ul. Szopienicka into Nikiszowiec proper; you’ll
know it by its uniquely uniform architecture, gruesome water
tower, leering smokestacks and the church spire marking its
centre. Make a left onto ul. Zofii Nałkowskiej (towards Eurohotel
and the ice rink complex) and then your first right to officially
enter the district on ul. Rymarska and you’ll pass the new
Tourist Information Office inside a recently unveiled branch
of the Katowice Historical Museum at number 4. Here you
can pick up a handy free map as well as other information about
the district. The museum illustrates the everyday lives of the
region’s miners and other blue-collar folks through a series of
ethnographic exhibits, including an interesting gallery of painting
by Nikiszowiec’s renowned Jawórka Group (more of which can be
seen at the Gawlikówka in Giszowiec) and shouldn’t be missed.
Built between 1908 and 1912 to house workers in the backyard
of their place of employment - the large smoke-churning Wierczorek
(formerly ‘Giesche’) coal mine - the enclosed residential
complex of Nikiszowiec is composed of six compact four-sided
three-storey blocks with inner courtyards. Distinguished by
its uniformity of style - red brick buildings accented with redpainted
windowframing, and narrow streets joined by handsome
arcades - the neighbourhood was designed by Georg
and Emil Zillman of Berlin-Charlottenburg to be a completely
self-sufficient community for 1,000 workers with a school,
hospital, police station, post office, swimming pool, bakery
and church. Thanks to WWI and the subsequent Silesian Uprisings
- during which time Nikiszowiec saw fierce fighting, and
was afterwards incorporated into Poland - St. Anne’s Church
(Pl. Wyzwolenia 21) wasn’t able to be finished until 1927, but
became the crowning glory of the neighbourhood as soon as it
was. A welcome diversion from the smokestacks dominating
the roofline of the district’s other side, this magnificent building
incorporates Baroque design with two belltowers and a
timepieced steeple, while blending into its surroundings without
any of the ghastly and gratuitous exterior decoration associated
with the style; make sure you take a stroll down ul. Św. Anny
for the most photogenic views. If you’re lucky enough to get
inside, take notice of the amazing 5,350 pipe organ and highly
ornate Zillman chandelier. Though it would ironically seem be
a socialist planners’ wet dream, Nikiszowiec actually makes
a happy, handsome departure from the communist botch-job
of downtown Katowice and has become a prized location for
Tourist Information
Nikiszowiec Information Office ul. Rymarska
4 (Industrial Ethnography Museum, Nikiszowiec),
tel. (+48) 32 255 14 80, www.katowice.eu.QOpen
10:00 - 18:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 15:00. Closed Mon.
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
amateur photographers and budding filmmakers due to the
fact that it has remained virtually unchanged since the Second
World War. City marketers have also recognised the district’s
uniqueness with increasing efforts to draw tourist attention
to the area and a campaign afoot to fasten Nikiszowiec to the
UNESCO Heritage List. Though the district is generally safe to
wander, you should still exercise sensible precautions about
where you stick both your nose and that fancy new digital
camera; and who you do it in front of.
Despite supposedly being a self-sufficient community that
has now grown to over 7,000 people and expanded to include
the aforementioned ice rink, one walk-in convenience store
and a hairdresser, what you won’t find in Nikiszowiec are any
restaurants, bars or basically any indoor public place to pass
some time, with the exception of the church (which was locked
during our visit) and museum. Hence our recommendation of
packing a lunch, or head on to Giszowiec where you’ll easily
find a collection of cheap places to eat. To get there, head
back to ul. Szopienicka and catch the bus for a few stops
until you arrive at the next populated area.
Industrial Ethnography Museum (Muzeum Historii
Katowic, Dział Etnologii Miasta) ul. Rymarska
4 (Nikiszowiec), tel. (+48) 32 353 95 59, www.mhk.
katowice.pl. Located in Nikiszowiec, this recently opened
branch of the Katowice Historical Museum is unique in its
emphasis on ethnography and folk culture, approaching the
topic from an urban, rather than rural, perspective. A collection
of artefacts and cultural assets tells the everyday stories
of Upper Silesia’s working class (primarily miners) from the
period of early industrial development (mid-19th century) to
the 1960s. More specifically you’ll see evidence of how this
large demographic has lived, worked and celebrated over
the years through exhibits of clothing, ceremonial costumes,
tools, household items, religious objects and art. A separate
permanent exhibit narrows in on the Janowska Group - a collection
of Nikiszowiec miners including Theophilus Ociepka,
Paul Sparrow, Erwin Sówka and Ewald Gawlik (more of Gawlik’s
work can be seen in two Gieszowiec galleries) who gained
renown for their painting. The helpful Nikiszowiec tourist info
centre is also in the building. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Sat,
Sun 11:00 - 15:00. Closed Mon. Last entrance 30 minutes
before closing. Admission 5/3zł, family ticket 8zł. Sat free.
Giszowiec
While Nikiszowiec is a refreshing, at times fascinating, highly
photogenic adventure out of downtown Katowice, we can’t
pretend to promote the same thing about its fraternal twin
Giszowiec. While equally unique and unexpected, unlike
Nikiszowiec, Giszowiec simply isn’t what it once was. That’s
not to say there aren’t a few places of note, however. Another
workers’ colony from the same sibling pair behind Nikiszowiec,
in the case of Giszowiec the Zillmans took a completely different
conceptual approach, designing an ideal ‘garden city’
for local miners based on the ideas of famous British urban
planner Ebenezer Howard. Modelled on rural English cottages,
the original dwellings of Giszowiec are low, freestanding,
sloped roof houses surrounded by garden plots. Built between
1906 and 1910, the neighbourhood was arranged as a web of
streets extending from Plac Pod Lipami - the central square
surrounded by public buildings, shops, a restaurant, school
and tavern. The project included a public laundry, a women’s
bathhouse, theatre, quarantine barracks for the diseased, a
prison and a strict set of guidelines to ensure the precious
‘English village’ atmosphere wouldn’t be lost; these included
statutes governing everything from which garden plants could
be grown to which animals could be kept. Possession of a goat,
for instance, would be enough to see you expelled from this
katowice.inyourpocket.com
NIKISZOWIEC & GISZOWIEC
Utopian colony. Originally built for workers at the ‘Wieczorek’
coal mine, when the new ‘Staszic’ coal mine opened nearby in
1964 additional dwellings had to be provided and the minds of
the day decided to demolish their ideal ‘garden city’ in favour
of ten-storey apartment blocks fashioned out of pre-cast concrete
slabs (as you do). The result was the labyrinth of hideous
tower blocks you see when you arrive at Giszowiec today. In
1978 the destruction was stopped when some clever conservator
decided to try and enter the urban structure of Giszowiec
into the Registry of Historic Places; he succeeded, but only
after two-thirds of the original buildings had been demolished,
the charm of the remaining third being utterly overshadowed
by the soulless new buildings surrounding them. As such, a
trip to Giszowiec today entails steeling your stomach through
the maze of concrete monoliths at its northern edge in order
to reach the centre square where you’ll find the Municipal
Cultural Centre and Pod Lipami restaurant (food?!) sharing
the main building, as well as the Gawlikówka - a small gallery
dedicated to the art of late native folk painter Ewald Gawlik.
En route you’ll pass a few of the original cottage dwellings, and
while we’ll admit they’re charming, if you’ve ever seen a rural
residential neighbourhood during your lifetime, there’s not a
whole lot to remark about them (“O look, this one has flowers. O
look, this one looks just like that one!”). Undoubtedly the most
interesting building in the area is the old schoolhouse at Pl.
Pod Lipami 2, which still functions as a kindergarten. With a
metal stag head and cross (Jagermeister, anyone?) adorning
the clock-tower and yard full of playground equipment, the
building possesses a spooky evocative power, particularly at
nightfall when the clock-face suddenly becomes as luminous
as a full moon.
The afore-mentioned Gawlikówka at Plac Pod Lipami 3 is
also worth a quick visit; if Gawlik’s canvases of rural Silesian
life capture your interest, here you can pick up a map of all
the places you’ll find them hidden in the district. Curiously
enough, the largest collection is inside a tiny hairdresser at
ul. Pod Kasztanami 34, the interior of which also makes it a
bit of a museum in more ways than one. Apparently frozen in
carbonite since the 1950s, the old school chrome hairdryers
and bright pink and green walls inexplicably cluttered with
colourful canvases, antique mirrors and faded photographs
make this little salon more of a traipse back in time than any
Giszowiec garden block; best of all, the woman who works
there is welcoming to walk-ins who want nothing more than
to wander around and snap some hilarious photos. Next door
you’ll even find a rare and cherished thing known as a bar/
restaurant. All told, Giszowiec stills captures some small town
charm, despite being a shadow of what it must have been. If
you enjoy the small pleasures of being a stranger in a strange
land, an excursion out to these two historic labour communities
might just be the bizarre highlight of your time in Silesia.
Gawlikówka Pl. Pod Lipami 3-3a (Giszowiec), tel.
(+48) 32 206 46 42, www.mdk.katowice.pl.Q Open
14:00 - 17:00; from September open 10:00 - 17:00. Sat,
Sun open by prior arrangement only.
Hairdresser ul. Pod Kasztanami 34 (Giszowiec), tel.
(+48) 32 256 07 04. Q Open 08:00 - 17:00, Sat 07:00 -
12:00. Closed Tue, Sat. Closed in September. Admission free.
Municipal Cultural Centre Pl. Pod Lipami 1 (Giszowiec),
tel. (+48) 32 206 46 42, www.mdk.katowice.pl. At
the very centre of Giszowiec, if you’re lucky you may be able to
catch one of the frequent events held here (check their website
to see what’s on). The Pod Lipami restaurant is also here and
represents the best place to eat in the area. They also sell some
additional English-language info including the ‘History of Giszowice’
and ‘Giszowiec In Old Postcards.’ QOpen 08:00 - 20:00.
July - October 2012
63

64
AUSCHWITZ
For centuries the town
of Oświęcim was a quiet
backwater community,
largely bypassed by world
events. That changed with
WWII when Oświęcim,
known as ‘Auschwitz’ under
German occupation,
became the chosen site of
the largest death camp in
the Third Reich. Between
1.1 million and 1.5 million
people were exterminated
here, etching the name of
Auschwitz forever into the
history books; countless
films, documentaries, books and survivor accounts have
since burned it into the collective consciousness.
Visitors to Poland, particularly to Kraków and Katowice,
are faced with asking themselves whether or not they will
make the effort to visit Auschwitz. It is a difficult question.
There are few who would say they actually ‘want’ to visit
Auschwitz, though many are compelled to do so for their
own reasons. For those of us who don’t feel so compelled,
it’s easy to give reasons for not going: not having enough
time, already knowing as much as we need or want to know
about it, not feeling personally connected enough to the site
or the history to need to visit, or being uncomfortable about
the prospect of visiting a site of such emotional resonance
at the same time as hundreds of other tourists. Having
been there, we can tell you that all of these explanations
for avoiding Auschwitz are perfectly reasonable until
you’ve actually visited the site; you’ll be hard-pressed
to find anyone who has made the trip and recommends
against going.
The Auschwitz Museum and tour present one of the most
horrific acts in human history with a level of tact, passion,
poignancy and professionalism that is so profound, it almost
makes as lasting an impression as the site itself. Without
being heavy-handed, the history of the site is presented
in all of its contexts and guests are perhaps spared from
fully surrendering to their emotions only by the sheer
relentlessness of the information. No matter how much
you think you know on the subject, the perspective gained
by visiting is incomparable. Whether or not you choose to
go to Auschwitz is up to you to decide. However it should be
understood that Auschwitz is not a site of Jewish concern,
Polish concern, German concern, gypsy concern, historical
concern... It is a site of human concern. As such, everyone
should visit.
Visiting the Museum
Arriving at the Auschwitz Museum can be chaotic and confusing
thanks to large crowds, numerous ticket windows
with different designations, and excessive signage that
contradicts itself. This can be avoided by going as part of an
organised group tour, organised by a local tour company. If
you are visiting independently however, or in a small group,
find the queue for the desk marked ‘Individual Guests’. During
peak tourist season the museum now makes it obligatory
to buy a ticket and become part of a guided tour, however
when the museum is less crowded it is possible to explore
the museum for free without a guide. If you find yourself
forced into a guided tour (which we recommend doing in
any case), you can take heart in knowing that it is excellent,
profound and professional, and afterwards you’ll find it hard
Getting There
The town of Oświęcim lies 33km south-east of Katowice
with frequent buses connecting the two, the earliest
of which leaves at 07:50 from the main bus station on
ul. Skargi (H-2). A one way ticket costs 7-10zł with the
journey taking around 60-70 minutes. The bus makes
several stops along the way, though the one you want will
be in the Auschwitz car park across from the reception
area. Trains from Katowice’s main station are also fairly
frequent, with a journey time of about 50min to an hour.
The Oświęcim train station (ul. Powstańców Śląskich
22) lies strategically between Auschwitz I and Auschwitz
II-Birkenau, which are 3km apart. Local bus numbers 2,
3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 23 stop at Auschwitz I; buy a 2.40zł fare
from the nearest kiosk. During high tourist season (April
15th to November 1st) museum buses shuttle visitors
between the two camps twice an hour (from Auschwitz I
on the hour and at :30 past; from Auschwitz II-Birkenau
at :15 past and :45 past), or catch a cab for a rich 15zł.
Heading back to Katowice the last bus leaves at 17:05
(on Sundays there is an additional bus at 20:15). The
last train from Oświęcim station to Katowice departs
at 15:44.
to imagine getting as much out of your visit had you explored
the grounds on your own. Tours in English depart most
frequently, and there are also regularly scheduled tours in
German, French, Italian, Polish and Spanish. Tour departure
times change frequently; exact times can be seen online
at auschwitz.org.pl and it would be wise to look them up
before visiting. The museum makes a big effort to provide
the tour in the native language of each guest, and tours in
languages other than those just mentioned can be easily
arranged if done in advance.
After purchasing your ticket and headphones, if there are
seats available your experience will begin with a harrowing
20 minute film (seeing the film is not guaranteed during peak
times) of narrated footage captured by the Soviet Army when
they arrived to liberate the camp in January 1945. The film
is not recommended for children under 14 (nor is the entire
museum for that matter). After the film, your tour of the camp
begins with a live guide speaking into a microphone which
you hear through your headphones.
Visiting Auschwitz is a full day’s excursion so prepare accordingly
(comfortable shoes). The guided tour of Auschwitz I
takes around 2 hours, so make sure you’ve eaten breakfast.
After completing the tour of the first camp, there is only a
short break of about 20 minutes before the bus leaves for
Auschwitz-Birkenau II; in order to stay with the same tour
guide, you need to catch that bus, so it would be wise to
pack some food for the day (though there is some limited
food available at the museum). The tour of the second
camp is shorter, lasting 1-1.5 hours, after which you are
free to explore on your own and take some much needed
time for reflection. Buses depart back to Auschwitz I every
30 minutes, or you can walk or catch a cab to the train station
1.5km away. At Auschwitz I there are restrooms (have
change available), a fast food bar and restaurant; there are
also restroom facilities at Auschwitz II-Birkenau. If exploring
Auschwitz without a guide, it is highly recommended that you
pick up the official guidebook (5zł), whose map of the camp
is crucial to avoid missing any of the key sites; these can be
picked up at any of the numerous bookshops at both sites.
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
Auschwitz I (Państwowe Muzeum Auschwitz -
Birkenau) ul. Więźniów Oświęcimia 20, Oświęcim,
tel. (+48) 33 844 81 00, www.auschwitz.org.pl. Your
tour of Auschwitz I begins by passing beneath a replica of
the infamous ‘Arbeit Macht Frei’ (‘Work Makes You Free’) entrance
gate. The original sign was actually made by inmates
of the camp on Nazi orders and is being restored after it was
stolen in December 2009 and found in pieces in northern
Poland a few days after the theft. From the entrance gate,
the prescribed tour route leads past the kitchens, where the
camp orchestra once played as prisoners marched to work,
before starting in earnest inside Block 4. Here an overview
of the creation and reality behind the world’s most notorious
concentration camp is given, with exhibits including original
architectural sketches for gas chambers, tins of Zyklon B
used for extermination and mugshots of inmates. Most
disturbing is over seven tonnes of human hair once destined
for German factories, which does much to demonstrate the
scale and depravity of the Nazi death machine.
Transported to Auschwitz in cattle trucks, newly arrived
prisoners were stripped of their personal property, some of
which is displayed in Block 5 including mountains of artificial
limbs, glasses, labelled suitcases, shaving kits and, most affectingly,
children’s shoes. Block 6 examines the daily life of
prisoners with collections of photographs, artists’ drawings
and tools used for hard labour while the next set of barracks
recreates the living conditions endured by prisoners: bare
rooms with sackcloth spread out on the floor, and rows of
communal latrines, one decorated with a poignant mural
depicting two playful kittens.
Block 11, otherwise known as ‘The Death Block’, is arguably
the most difficult part of the tour. Outside, the ‘Wall of Death’
- against which thousands of prisoners were shot by the SS
- has been turned into a memorial festooned with flowers; it
was here that Pope Benedict XVI prayed during his groundbreaking
visit in 2006. Within the terrifying, claustrophobic
cellars of Block 11 the Nazi’s conducted their first experiments
with poison gas in 1941 on Soviet prisoners. Here the
cell of Father Maximilian Kolbe, the Polish priest starved to
death after offering his life to save another inmate, is marked
with a small memorial, and tiny ‘standing cells’ measuring 90
x 90 cm - where up to four prisoners were held for indefinite
amounts of time - remain intact.
The remaining blocks are dedicated to the specific suffering
of individual nations, including a block dedicated in memory of
the Roma people who perished. The tour concludes with the
gruesome gas chamber and crematoria, whose two furnaces
were capable of burning 350 corpses daily. The gallows used
to hang camp commandant Rudolf Hoss in 1947 stands outside.
Q Open 08:00 - 19:00. From September open 08:00
- 18:00. From October open 08:00 - 17:00. Last entrance
30 minutes before closing. An individual ticket for a foreign
language guided tour of both camps costs 40/30zł. Tours
for groups up to 10 people, 250zł. For larger groups 300zł.
The film costs 3.50/2.50zł (included in the price of a group
tour). Headphones cost 5zł per person (included in the price
of a group tour). Official guidebook 5zł.
Auschwitz II - Birkenau (Państwowe Muzeum
Auschwitz - Birkenau) Oświęcim, tel. (+48) 33 844
81 00, www.auschwitz.org.pl. Having completed the long
tour of Auschwitz I, some visitors decline the opportunity to
visit Auschwitz II - Birkenau, however it’s here that the impact
of Auschwitz can be fully felt through the sheer size, scope and
solitude of the second camp. Added in 1942 Birkenau contained
300 barracks and buildings on a vast site that covered
katowice.inyourpocket.com
A Brief History
AUSCHWITZ
1940: In April a Nazi commission decides to open a
concentration camp in Oświęcim, primarily because of
the excellent transport links it enjoys. Using existing
Polish army barracks as a foundation the construction
of Auschwitz I is completed on May 20th. On June 14th,
728 Polish political prisoners from Tarnów become the
first inmates of Auschwitz I, soon followed by 12,000
Soviet POWs.
1941: The first experiments with Zyklon B gas are conducted
on 600 Soviet POWs on September 3rd.
1942: Auschwitz II-Birkenau and Auschwitz III-Monowitz
are established.
1944: Jewish crematoria workers in Birkenau stage an
armed uprising on October 7, blowing up Crematorium
IV. Hundreds escape but are soon captured and put
to death.
1945: Liquidation of Birkenau begins in January with the
burning of documents and destruction of gas chambers,
crematoria and barracks. All prisoners who can walk,
approximately 58,000, are sent on arduous ‘death
marches’. About 15,000 die during this ‘evacuation’.
On January 27 the Red Army liberates Oświęcim, where
roughly 7,000 prisoners too weak to move have been
abandoned to their fate. In the months after the war
the Auschwitz barracks are used as an NKVD prison.
Post-war: The Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum is
established. In 1979 UNESCO includes Auschwitz I and
II on its list of World Heritage sites. In the same year it is
visited by Pope John Paul II. His successor, German Pope
Benedict XVI visits in 2006. On December 18th, 2009
thieves steal the infamous ‘Arbeit Macht Frei’ sign from
above the main entrance gate; the sign is replaced by a
replica, while the original is found in pieces in the woods
in northern PL. It is now the subject of renovation work.
175 hectares. Soon after the Wannsee Conference on January
20, 1942, when Hitler and his henchmen rubber-stamped the
wholesale extermination of European Jews, it grew to become
the biggest and most savage of all the Nazi death factories,
with up to 100,000 prisoners held there in 1944.
The purpose-built train tracks leading directly into the camp
still remain. Here a grim selection process took place with
70% of those who arrived herded directly into gas chambers.
Those selected as fit for slave labour lived in squalid, unheated
barracks where starvation, disease and exhaustion
accounted for countless lives. With the Soviets advancing,
the Nazis attempted to hide all traces of their crimes. Today
little remains, with all gas chambers having been dynamited
and living quarters levelled. Climb the tower of the main gate
for a full impression of the complex’s size. Directly to the right
lie wooden barracks used as a quarantine area, while across
on the left hand side lie numerous brick barracks which were
home to the penal colony and also the women’s camp. At the
far end of the camp lie the mangled remains of the crematoria,
as well as a bleak monument unveiled in 1967. After a
comparably brief guided tour of the camp, visitors are left to
wander and reflect on their own before catching the return
bus to Auschwitz I. Q Open 08:00 - 19:00. From September
open 08:00 - 18:00. From October open 08:00 - 17:00. Last
entrance 30 minutes before closing. Admission free.
July - October 2012
65

66 LEISURE
Though it wouldn’t appear so on first, second or third glance,
Katowice and the surrounding areas possess a startling
number of recreational areas and leisure opportunities.
Though known more for its industrial ‘attractions’ and poor
air quality than its nature conservation record, Silesia has
some of the largest urban green spaces, not only in Poland,
but all of Europe. Chorzów’s Park of Culture & Recreation
is a veritable leisure section’s worth of activities in itself,
and though we’re tempted to stop there, it’s only one of an
incredible four parks in the immediate area that weigh in at
an impressively over-sized 70+ hectares. If you’re searching
for daytime alternatives to drinking and tumbling down
mineshafts, they do exist. From horse-riding to star-gazing,
from climbing to flying, Silesia offers plenty of opportunities
for you to get up, get out and get busy.
Bike Rental
City By Bike C-3, Al. Korfantego, www.miastomarzen.eu/city-by-bike.
Katowice’s new city-organised
bike rental system makes exploring the Silesian capital’s
concrete causeways and construction sites easier than
ever. With various locations around the city centre, including
outside Kato Bar (C-1, ul. Mariacki 13) and Gugalander
(E-3, ul. Królowej Jadwigi 17A), City By Bike allows you to
rent from one and drop off at another. Best of all, there’s
no prior registration requirement or automated nonsense;
simply give the clerk a photo ID and enjoy ridiculously low
rates of 2zł/1hr, 5zł/3hrs and 10zł/day. Further proof that
Katowice is progressing in the right direction. QOpen
09:00 - 21:00. Closed Sat, Sun.
Bowling & Billiards
Black 8 C-1, ul. Dąbrówki 10, tel. (+48) 32 781 08 60,
www.clubbilard.pl. Inside a large underground entertainment
complex on the outskirts of Katowice’s city centre,
Black 8 is for those with more than a drunken or passing
interest in pool. The only professional billiards club in Kato,
Black 8 is home to 15 Dynamic II billiards tables and two highquality
snooker tables, and it’s worth noting that the owner
has organised the Polish Billiards Championships, as well as
other competitions. In addition to the neighbouring bowling
lanes of Kręgielnia Galaktyka and the adjoining motor and
music club, Club Garage, Black 8 is also a restaurant offering
a large menu of Polish standards in the sophisticated atmosphere
of this gentlemen’s hall well worth visiting. Tables cost
18zł/hr for billiards and 25zł/hr for snooker after 18:00, with
much cheaper rates in the afternoon. Evening reservations
would be wise. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 02:00.
Hokus Pokus C-1, ul. Gliwicka 44, tel. (+48) 32 359
59 81, www.hpokus.pl. An 1300 square metre entertainment
centre with 12 bowling alleys, an arcade and a pub
where you can mix beer, billiards and bickering over scoring
glitches made by the electronic darts machines. QOpen
09:30 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 09:30 - 02:00.
Kręgielnia Galaktyka C-1, ul. Dąbrówki 10, tel. (+48)
32 781 08 60, www.kregielniagalaktyka.pl. Located
inside a 2000 square metre entertainment centre that
includes a billiards club (Black 8), music club (Club Garage)
and restaurant, this popular bowling alley features 8 lanes,
planetary graphics, computerised scoring, a stocked bar.
True bowlers may find the setup which forces you to walk
through every lane a bit frustrating, but not nearly as much
so as the lanes themselves: extremely narrow, bowling has
probably never been harder and you can forget about trying
to put any spin on the ball. Still, it’s a fun atmosphere and
there’s nothing unprofessional about the adjoining pool hall
if you consider this an outrage. Depending on the day of
the week and time of day, lane rental costs 20-69zł/hr plus
2zł shoe rental; check website for full details. Reservations
recommended. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 02:00.
Golf
Silesian Golf Club (Śląski Klub Golfowy) ul. Sowia
14 (Siemianowice Śląskie), tel. (+48) 32 608 33 71,
www.skgolf.pl. An 18-hole 42ha course north of Katowice
with driving range, equipment rental and golf academy. Catch
a meal in the Club House or make use of the nearby sports
complex and shooting range. Q 18 holes: weekdays 100zł per
person, weekends 140zł. 9 holes: weekdays 70zł, weekends
100zł. Registration fee required, check website for details.
Horse-Riding
Katowice Riding Club ul. Francuska 180a (Muchowiec),
tel. (+48) 32 251 34 84. Indoor or outdoor riding, as
you like. Beginner lessons 30zł/30min. Experienced riders
40zł/1hr. QOpen 15:00 - 19:00, Sat, Sun 14:00 - 19:00.
Closed Mon, Fri.
Kids’ Fun
Ciuciubabka ul. Jabłoniowa 52 (Józefowiec), tel. (+48)
32 725 26 58, www.ciuciubabka.com.pl. Basically the
best babysitters out there, Ciuciubabka gives your kids an
opportunity to wear themselves out in a safe, supervised
environment full of slides, ballpits, inflatible bouncy things,
jungle gyms, arts and crafts and a lot more. The desert island
every kid wants to get left on. Everybody wins. Tickets prices
for weekdays/weekends: first half hour 6/7zł, second started
half hour 5/6zł, one hour 11/13zł, unlimited playtime 19/21zł.
QOpen 16:00 - 20:00, Sat, Sun 10:30 - 20:00.
Figlarnia D-5, ul. 1 Maja 11-13, tel. (+48) 32 258
96 89, www.figlarnia.pl. An English-speaking staff arranges
activities for young-uns aged 1 to 10 years in what
is basically a big rumpus room featuring labyrinths, ball pits,
slides and foamy play pens. And it’s right downtown. QOpen
10:00 - 20:00. Admission for first 30 minutes, 5-6zł; each
additional 5 minutes, 1zł.
Racquet Sports
J. Jędrzejowska Tennis Courts (Korty Tenisowe
im. J. Jędrzejowskiej) F-2, ul. Astrów 16, tel. (+48)
32 253 63 04, www.sport.katowice.pl. Indoor and
outdoor tennis courts, as well as a tennis school. QOpen
08:00 - 22:00. Outdoor courts: 18zł/hr before 15:00, 30zł/
hr after 15:00, Sat, Sun 25zł/hr.
Szkoła Tenisa Proserv G-1, ul. Ceglana 67, tel. (+48)
601 48 18 32, www.proserv-tenis.pl. Indoor and outdoor
tennis courts. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. Indoor courts: weekdays
before 15:00, 30zł/hr; after 15:00, 40zł/hr; weekends
40zł/hr all day. Outdoor courts: weekdays before 15:00,
25zł/hr; after 15:00, 25zł/hr; weekends 25zł/hr all day. Prices
may be subject to change in October.
Spa & Beauty
City Spa & Wellness E-2, ul. Henryka Jordana 19, tel.
(+48) 32 251 01 99, www.cityspa.com.pl. Customised
treatments for men and women in this centrally located
house of luxuries: facials, hand, foot and body treatments,
hairdressing and a lot more. QOpen 09:00 - 20:30, Sat
09:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun.
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
Nowa Linia G-1, ul. Zgrzebnioka 29, tel. (+48) 32 201
86 47, www.nowa-linia.pl. Katowice may seem like an odd
place to try a communal, yet sexually segregated, Arabic
steam bath - otherwise known as a hammam - but it sure
beats the slag heaps. Full beauty and spa treatments are
also available, plus a solarium, hairdresser and more. QOpen
11:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun.
Termy Rzymskie ul. Dehnelów 2, Czeladź, tel. (+48)
32 290 13 90, www.termyrzymskie.eu. Found in the
impressive Palac Saturna (see Apartments), these Roman
baths were reportedly constructed based on plans for the
baths at Pompeii and include a series of pools, baths and
saunas which combine ancient and modern-day methods
to relax and regenerate you, plus a restaurant and bar. The
entire complex is something to behold, not least of all for its
obligatory ‘nude-only’ policy. The only exception is Mondays
when bathing suits are allowed in the pools, while Wednesdays
from 15:00-19:00 are for women only. The surprisingly
low prices and bold dress code have garnered this place
plenty of attention, but the fact remains that facilities are of
the highest quality in PL. QOpen 15:00 - 22:45, Sat 10:00
- 23:00, Sun 10:00 - 22:00.
Swimming
In spring and summertime, keep in mind that the area’s two
most popular swimming spots are actually in parks: Valley
of Three Ponds’ artificial beach and bathing pond and the
Park of Culture and Recreation’s wonderful Kąpielisko
‘Fala’ water park.
Centrum Fitness Monopol D-3, ul. Dyrekcyjna 2, tel.
(+48) 32 782 81 00, www.fitnessmonopol.pl. This city
centre complex offers a swimming pool, dry sauna, steam
sauna, gym and fitness center within splashing distance of the
train station. QOpen 06:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 08:00 - 20:00.
Yoga
Akademia Jogi i Terapii Ruchem B-2, ul. Mickiewicza
29, tel. (+48) 601 35 27 34, www.akademiajogi.
pl. Classes organised all over Silesia in Katowice, Chorzów,
Gliwice, Sosnowiec and Mysłowice; check their website for
more details and feel free to drop into their next meeting. On
Saturdays at 10:00 in July and August, classes are organised
in Katowice’s Kościuszko Park (G-1, ul. Kościuszki) and in the
beautiful Rose Garden of the Park of Culture & Recreation
(L-7, Al. Rózana 2, Chorzów). Q 25zł per class, first class
free; monthly membership 110/100zł.
Joga Życia D-4, ul. św. Jacka 1, tel. (+48) 502 57
29 25, www.jogazycia.pl. Regular group classes, 30zł;
individual classes with an English-speaking instructor
100zł/hr. Group classes take place in Dobra Karma (see
Vegetarian Restaurants) Mon, Wed, Fri 07:00-08:00; Tue,
Thu 10:30 - 12:00.
Studio Jogi Macieja Rudzińskiego C-2, ul. Mickiewicza
11, tel. (+48) 604 57 06 57, www.jogastudio.
com.pl. English speaking instructors available. Q Open
17:00 - 20:30, Fri 19:00 - 20:30. Closed Sat, Sun. Closed
July 18 - August 19. One entrance 28zł.
Follow POLANDIYP on
katowice.inyourpocket.com
Scuba Diving
LEISURE
‘Gródek’ Dolomite Quarry ul. Płetwonurków,
Jaworzno. As dutiful information purveyors regarding
Katowice’s wealth of beguiling tourist destinations
(ahem), we like to spread the wealth, making sure visitors
to this modern metropolis have plenty of escapes
from city life as well. In this installment, blindfolded as
always, we pin the tail on the Silesian donkey (or ass as
it were) in Jaworzno-Szczakowa, a city lying less than 20
miles east of Katowice.
Like so many of Silesia’s wonders, Jaworzno’s prime
attraction is the result of yesterday’s drowning industry.
Literally. In the mid-90s the financial viability of Jaworzno’s
Grodek dolomite quarry seemed to hit rock bottom; the
electric company cut the power, the mighty drills stopped
drilling, the excavators stopped excavating and the lifts
stopped lifting. The quarry was in the pits. What to do, what
to do. In a stroke of entrepreneurial ingenuity, the crater
was flooded with water and instantly became Poland’s
premier scuba diving destination. Now rented by the Orka
diving company (based out of Bielsko-Biała), the Gródek
quarry offers a world class facility to fans of Self-Contained
Underwater Breathing Apparati. The maximum depth of
the chasm is 18 metres with visibility in its clear waters
varying from 5 to 12 metres. With a first aid station and
decompression chamber at its centre, the grounds around
the quarry include a campground, barbeque area and a
bar (naturally), making it a popular destination for families
as well as international diving fanatics, and is open year
round for scuba certification courses, snorkelling, skin
diving, dry diving and even under-ice diving.
What makes Gródek so popular (it even has its own fan
club) is what awaits discovery beneath the surface of the
water. Seems the quarry’s demise was so hasty that none
of the equipment was removed when the floodgates were
opened. As such, divers can see two enormous excavating
cranes at the bottom of this abyss and explore the
original workers’ barracks, in addition to swimming among
the prolific pike and perch that populate the waters. A
former Polish Air Force Antanow plane was added at the
end of 2010 while two of Grodek’s main attractions are
submerged automobiles - a Polonez and BMW - and as
we’ve come to expect, one of them is the source of popular
local legend. Seems a local diver bought the Beemer for
his gal, who swiftly broke up with him, spurning the gift.
Rather than sink into depression every time he saw the
fine-tuned German vehicle, he sank the car. Love is indeed
a bottomless pit, dear readers. Drown or be drowned.
For more information on scuba instruction contact:
Orka Group Sp. z o. o.
(+48) 33 822 82 60
(+48) 668 83 13 40
www.orkasa.pl
biuro@orkasa.pl
July - October 2012
67

68
PARK OF CULTURE & RECREATION
The entrance gate of the Silesian Zoo
Aside from perhaps Warsaw, Upper Silesia - and particularly
its ‘capital’ city, Katowice - feels like the region of Poland
most buggered by the communists. The scars are sadly everywhere,
from the brutal, artless architecture of Katowice’s
downtown to the highway overpass that passes for Chorzów’s
market square, not to mention the gigantic smokestacks,
abandoned pit heads and dilapidated mining complexes
strewn about. However, Poland’s communist regime was not
completely without forward vision (or innovative attempts at
placating its citizenry), and only a few years removed from
having ‘inherited’ the stripped industrial wastes of Upper
Silesia after World War II, party leaders had earmarked a
vast 620 hectare plot on the borderlands of Katowice and
Chorzów with the intention of creating the largest urban
park in Europe. Like many PRL development projects, the
party vision didn’t simply call for setting aside some open
space for public use, but building a communist super park
that would deliver entertainment, art, education, culture and
sports to the masses. Nor was the land in question an easily
relegated untouched patch of wilderness. On the contrary, the
designated area was 75 percent devastated by mining and
industrial waste, with the rest being undesirable marshland
and dead trees. Under the direction of local hero Jerzy Ziętek
- an important Silesian Insurrectionist turned politician - work
began as early as 1950 on what was to become known as the
Provincial Park of Culture and Recreation (Wojewódzki
Park Kultury i Wypoczynku or WPKiW): one of the most
ambitious and pioneering environmental renewal projects
ever undertaken in Europe.
In typical party fashion, Silesia’s working class was strongly
encouraged to participate in the creation of this ‘people’s
park’; park resources were even used to instruct people
on how to contribute through a series of public workshops.
Support for the project was massive, and indeed everyone
from industrial workers to school children (wait, that is everyone)
joined in the digging and planting of an astounding
3.5 million trees and shrubs in the first year alone, as the
project moved forward at a record clip. Over 70 different
plant species were introduced, primarily poplar, willow,
birch, black cherry and elderberry trees known for their
ability to grow quickly and resist the effects of the industrial
pollution that characterised the ‘Black Triangle’, as the
region was then known. The park itself was quickly dubbed
the ‘Green Lung of Silesia’ and as the project developed
successfully over the years, a microclimate conducive to
more sensitive species was established, wherein a variety
of more common or exotic plants are able to flourish today,
including a beautiful rose garden. In total 3.5 million tonnes
of soil were moved to shape the area of the park, and
500,000 cubic metres of humus used to fertilise it. After
completing the rehabilitation of the park’s landscape, the
park committee systematically set about establishing a
series of attractions in the vast space of WPKiW - including
the amusement park, zoo, planetarium, narrow-gauge
railway, Silesian Stadium, Elka cableway and others - as
the park developed intensively in the 50s, 60s and 70s.
Two zones were essentially created which remain today,
with the rear half left natural and the attractions stacked
toward ul. Chorzowska where the main entry points to the
park are located. In the 1970s as many as 1,300 people
were employed by WPKiW, of which 500 worked on the
landscaping of the park (today about 40 people do this job).
In an ironic inversion of t he situation faced by many ot her
Polish historical and cultural monuments, the hard times
came in 1989 when the communist regime crumbled
and the park began a period of stagnation, neglect and
eventual bankruptcy. However WPKiK has been on the
rebound since it became a public enterprise subsidised
by the state budget in 2003, and today is on the way to
re-establishing itself as one of southern Poland’s biggest
tourist attractions. The last several years have seen worldclass
rides added to the amusement park, as well as the
opening of parks for more popular modern pursuits including
the paintball park (currently being renovated), skate
park, rope park and dirt bike course. Numerous new
high class restaurants, cafes, bars and hotels continue
to open in and around the park while currently plans are
afoot to create new attractions including the renovation
of the famous Elka cableway (now closed but planned to
re-open in spring of 2013). The total modernisation of
Silesian Stadium (Stadion Śląski) - one of the first attractions
to open in WPKiK in the 50s - is also well under way
as it looks to increase its capacity to upwards of 55,000,
adding sky and press boxes and a partial dome that will
cover all of the seating; a popular venue for some of the
country’s biggest concerts in addition to sporting events,
the stadium isn’t due to host matches during the Euro
2012 football tournament as Gdańsk, Poznań, Wrocław
and Warsaw are the chosen venues. With problems with
the roof delaying the completion of the re-building work
that appears just as well.
Despite all of the recent improvements, today the attractions
of WPKiW still stand in a state of transition between faded
communist funpark and modern wonderland, making a visit
all the more unique, if not more interesting. The contrast is
most evident in the amusement park, where original rides
and games from its opening days are still in use, while a trip
to the planetarium offers a portal into the world of 1950s
science fiction. Though the zoo is unlikely to change your
views about keeping animals in captivity, and numerous
crumbling pathways and crude concrete concourses are
still in need of attention or reinvention, there can be no
doubt that WPKiW has the potential to develop into one of
the greatest parks in all of Europe; and in the heart of Upper
Silesia, no less. Enjoy it.
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
katowice.inyourpocket.com
PARK OF CULTURE & RECREATION
Main Attractions
Kąpielisko ‘Fala’ Park of Culture & Recreation,
Chorzów, tel. (+48) 32 793 70 08 ext. *5404, www.
wpkiw.com.pl. The area’s most popular swimming complex,
with four large pools of varying depth, including a
wading pool for kids, a long water slide and diving boards
up to 10m high. The biggest attraction, however, has
to be the wave pool which has been simulating coastal
waves since the 60s. Located in the centre of the Park of
Recreation & Culture, plenty of lifeguards are on duty and
showers and changing rooms are available. Q Open from
the end of June to the end of August. Admission 5-7zł.
Children under 6 free.
Planetarium Al. Planetarium 4, Chorzów, tel.
(+48) 32 241 32 96, www.planetarium.edu.pl.
Opened in 1955 to commemorate Poland’s greatest
astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus - of whom a fine statue
can be found outside - this is the country’s oldest planetarium,
which given the time period isn’t necessarily
a good thing. Located along the cracked pavements of
the Park of Recreation and Culture, while charming in
intent the actual building is a quite depressed, somewhat
scrubby 23m concrete dome with an auditorium
showing a ‘classic’ (and by that we mean ‘outdated’)
astrological show. Also a working observatory with
a 30cm Zeiss telescope, seismic observatory and
weather station, we’re reliably informed the full sky show
can be arranged in English. If you dig 50s sci-fi, you’ll
get a kick out of this; otherwise this throwback may be
a disappointment. Q Opening hours: observatory Tue
- Fri 11:00-18:00, Sat and Sun 11:30-18:00; sky shows
Tue - Fri 12:00, 14:00, 17:00, Sat and Sun 12:30, 14:00,
16:00, 18:00. Closed Mon. From September: observatory
Tue - Sun 09:00-18:00; sky shows Tue - Fri 17:00,
Sat and Sun 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00. Closed Mon.
Regular admission 2zł (observatory), weather station
4zł, seismic observatory 3zł, sky show 12/6zł, families
up to 4 people 30zł.
Rosarium (Rose Garden) Promenade Gen. Jerzego
Ziętka, Chorzów, www.wpkiw.com.pl. Polish
girls love flowers and you can be sure more than a
few miner’s daughters have been proposed to in here.
One of the largest rose gardens in Europe, Chorzów’s
Rosarium was founded in 1968 in concert with the First
International Rose Exhibition. Today the park’s collection
includes some 35,000 rose bushes of over 280 different
varieties. Very impressive in spring and summer, and
an obvious date destination whether it’s botany you’re
interested in or the birds and the bees. Q Open 08:00
- 20:00. From September open 08:00 - 19:00.
Getting There
Getting to the Park of Culture & Recreation from Katowice
is as easy as hopping on a tram or bus. There are four
tram and bus stops along the course of the park: ‘WPKiW
Wesołe Miasteczko’ (amusement park), ‘WPKiW Śląski
Ogród Zoologiczny’ (the zoo), ‘WPKiW Wejście Główne’
(main entrance) and ‘Chorzów Stadion Śląski’ (Silesian Stadium).
Take trams 6, 19 (which you can catch on Katowice’s
Rynek) or 11; or buses 6, 820, 830 or 840 (getting off at
WPKiW Śląski Ogród Zoologiczny). Although Chorzów is
technically in zone 2 of Katowice’s public transport system,
with a zone 1 standard fare of 2.80zł you can travel as far
as the Chorzów Stadion Śląski bus stop.
Silesian Amusement Park (Śląskie Wesołe
Miasteczko) Plac Atrakcji 1, Chorzów, tel. (+48)
32 254 73 76, www.wesole-miasteczko.pl. Opened
in 1959, Poland has yet to build a larger amusement park
than this dated wonder in Chorzów. If you’re a fan of old
amusement parks like Vienna’s Prater, you’ll get a kick out
of this product of a bygone era which features some rides
and amusements that literally date back 50 years, among
them a drenching water ride, haunted house ride and a
couple twirling whirligig rides. There are plenty of more
modern thrills to get excited about however, including the
‘Tic-Tac Tornado’ - the highest, fastest rollercoaster in PL,
with two 360 degree loops. About 50 attractions in all and
your admission fee is good for all of them, as many times
as you want, until the park closes. Overall it’s a fun outing,
in turns amusing, amazing and depressing; one of a kind at
any rate. Q Open 10:00 - 19:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 21:00.
Closed from October. Admission 50zł, season ticket 149zł.
Free for children under age 3.
Silesian Rope Park (Śląski Park Linowy) Park of
Culture & Recreation, Chorzów, tel. (+48) 666 03 13
84. Give yourself a new high navigating this awesome ropes
park in the Park of Recreation and Culture. Nicknamed ‘The
Furnace’, the park offers an adrenaline-boosting and safe
challenge for everyone thanks to a brief training, helmets
and harnesses. Three prepared routes of varying difficulty,
including a special course designed for children ages 3-12,
run a total of 620 metres with 49 obstacles, 36 platforms and
no less than eight thrilling zip-lines. Q Open 10:00 - 20:00;
Sat, Sun 10:00 - 21:00. Closed from October. Hours subject
to change in September. 35/25/15zł per route.
Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park (Muzeum
“Górnośląski Park Etnograficzny w Chorzowie”)
J-6, ul. Parkowa 25, Chorzów, tel. (+48) 32 241 07 18,
www.muzeumgpe-chorzow.pl. A welcome departure from
the industrial monuments route, this fantastic open-air folk
park presents rural Silesian life through its aged architectural
monuments. Since the late 60s, Chorzóws ‘skansen’ has
been rescuing endangered or forgotten Silesian structures by
hoisting them up and dropping them in this makeshift village
laid out over 20 hectares of idyllic countryside. Grouped into
six ethnographic regions, visitors explore some 70 buildings
dating from the late 18th to early 20th century, including
traditional thatched-roof homes, granaries, historic wooden
churches, wayside shrines and windmills. Though in winter
access is limited to strolling around the premises admiring
the outside of the buildings, from May many of the buildings
are open with indoor exhibits and informative staff on hand,
and there’s even an old karczma (inn) where you can get a
bite to eat and a beer. One of the farms even has a few goats
and horses, adding some extra magic to this romantic village
of architectural artefacts saved from extinction. Reserve at
least an hour. Q Open 09:00 - 19:00, Mon 09:00 - 17:00.
From October open 09:00 - 17:00. Last entrance one hour
before closing. Admission 7/5zł. Mon free.
Zoo Promenade Gen. Jerzego Ziętka 7, Chorzów, tel.
(+48) 666 03 14 96, www.zoo.silesia.pl. PL’s largest
zoo is a massive 50 hectare extravaganza with 2,500
animals of 300 species from all over the world, including
crowd favourites such as hippos, rhinos, white tigers
and the cheetah cubs born here in 2011. The kids will be
thoroughly enthralled thanks to a petting zoo and Dinosaur
Valley, which features 16 rather silly concrete dinos. The
sheer size of the place makes renting a wooden handcart
designed to pull them around money well spent indeed.
QOpen 09:00 - 19:00. Last entrance one hour before
closing. Tickets 12-15/6-8zł.
July - October 2012
69

70 SHOPPING
What little shopping opportunities there are to be found in
Katowice are mostly located in the area immediately north
of the train station. Like most of 21st-century Poland, many
shops are given over to the sale of women’s fashion, with
more interesting independent enterprises in seriously short
supply. In lieu of the small, communist-era malls around the
Rynek, Katowice’s best collection of shops under one roof is
the extraordinary Silesia City Center; if you can’t find what
you’re looking for there, then you might have to leave PL to
get it. That aside, we’ve made an effort through this section
to focus on small local or national businesses you won’t find
wherever you’re from.
Alcohol
Nothing says ‘I’ve been to Poland’ like a suitcase of booze
and an increased alcohol tolerance. Indeed, if retracing your
activities while in Katowice you may have to concede that
alcohol makes the most logical memento. While Polish beer
elicits mixed reports from the foreign community, Polish
vodka stands alongside the best, and the country is rightfully
seen as the ancient home of the wicked sauce. Belvedere
and Chopin are the elite brands you’ll find in fancy gift sets,
but don’t miss Żubrówka (bison grass vodka), Krupnik
(herbal honey vodka), Żołądkowa Gorzka (bitter stomach
vodka) and Goldwasser with its signature gold flakes.
Centrum Wina A-1, ul. Chorzowska 107 (Silesia City
Center), tel. (+48) 32 605 09 34, www.centrumwina.
com.pl. Traditional Polish vodka, mead and other highoctane
drinks made from natural ingredients, aged in oak
barrels and sold to you in fancy packages. QOpen 10:00
- 21:00, Fri 10:00 - 22:00.
Wujek Mine
If you’ve noticed the two candy-striped smokestacks
near the centre of Katowice – and it would be particularly
difficult not to if you’ve taken a walk to Kościuszko Park
(F-1) across the street – that’s the Wujek coal mine, a
fully operating industrial ogre which nicely illustrates Katowice’s
pervasive juxtaposition of the unseemly alongside
the aesthetically pleasing. Though the history of coal extraction
in the region predates the city of Katowice, Wujek
wasn’t officially established until 1899 when six smaller
mines were incorporated into one complex. Fifteen years
later the mine served as a labour camp for WWI POWs.
After the war, the name changed from the German ‘Oheim’
to ‘Wujek’ – Polish for ‘uncle’ – and became a symbol of
the prosperity of the newly annexed Polish territory, until
the Germans once again oversaw its wasteful exploitation
during their WWII effort not twenty years after that. Nazi
war atrocities being what they were, the most infamous
day in the history of the mine actually came on December
16th, 1981 when seven miners were shot dead on the spot
and two more died in the hospital following your standard
Soviet show of force – or ‘pacification’ as the politicos
called it – provoked by a miners’ strike during martial law.
Today the Memorial Cross of the Wujek Miners stands
in their honour on the same spot where tanks rammed
through the fencing of the premises. Unveiled in 1991
by Lech Walęsa himself, the 32-metre tall monument
includes the wooden cross which has stood at the site
since the incident. The names of the fallen miners are
inscribed on the right-hand side of the structure which
also features nine cross-shaped torches interwoven to
create a symbolic gateway at the mine’s entrance at ul.
Wincentego Pola 65.
Vinoteka 13 I-3, ul. Dyrekcyjna 5-7, tel. (+48) 32
782 81 50, www.vinoteka13.pl. An elite and elaborate
selection of Italian wines, brandies, tinctures to sample and
speculate about purchasing. As an added bonus, if you are
staying at their Monopol hotel they’ll give you a 10% discount.
QOpen 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sat, Sun.
Winiarnia Burgundia C-2, ul. 3 Maja 23, tel. (+48)
32 253 75 19, www.burgundia.com.pl. A really admirable
selection of world wines for all tastes and budgets in this
shop/wine bar hidden in a courtyard near the train station.
Another location in the Altus Centre (H-3, ul. Uniwersytecka
13). Q Open 10:00 - 22:00, Sun 15:00 - 22:00. In August
closed Sun.
Art & Antiques
Antiques are everywhere in Poland and there is no shortage
of possibilities for their purchase in Katowice. Serious
shoppers will find that the best items end up in the proper
antique stores (‘Antyki,’ ‘Antykwariat’), rather than outdoor
markets. Remember, if you are taking art that is more than
50 years old and of a potentially high value, you’ll need the
proper paperworks and permissions (see Customs, under
Basics). Most proper dealers can provide this straight-away,
but you may want to check before opening your wallet. See
the Culture section for more art gallery listings.
Desa I-3, ul. Dworcowa 13 (entrance from ul. Św. Jana),
tel. (+48) 32 253 94 70, www.desakatowice.pl. Sales
and appraisals of art, antiques, crafts, china, collectibles,
decorative items and jewellery in this classy downtown gallery.
Also at ul. Mariacka 5 (D-3). QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Sat
10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun.
Galeria Sztuki Fox E-2, ul. Powstańców 10/2, tel.
(+48) 32 608 63 71, www.galeriafox.pl. Modern art,
paintings, sculpture, graphics and hand-made jewellery, as
well as decor services. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00, Sat 10:00 -
13:00. Closed Sun.
Galeria Sztuki Współczesnej “Parnas” D-2, ul. Kochanowskiego
10, tel. (+48) 32 257 03 00, www.parnas.
com.pl. Modern art, illustration, painting, sculpture, glass, yada,
yada. QOpen 11:00 - 17:00, Sat 10:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun.
Karabela C-2, ul. Stawowa 5, tel. (+48) 32 258 98
83, www.antyki.katowice.pl. These knowledgable antiques
dealers specialise in paintings, furniture, jewellery,
clocks, silver, glass and ceramics, old military equipment,
old photographs and books. Very professional, and they
even speak English and German. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00,
Sat 10:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun.
Books, Music & Film
12 Cali Vinyl Shop D-3, ul. Andrzeja Mielęckiego 6,
tel. (+48) 32 200 00 71, www.dwanasciecali.pl. DJs and
hip-hop heads will love this excellent urban culture shop hidden
deep in a courtyard off Mielęckiego Street. With a huge
collection of vinyl and CDs, clothing and t-shirts, turntables
and DJ gagdets, Katowice earns cred just by having this
shop. QOpen 11:00 - 19:00, Sat 11:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun.
EMPiK C-2, ul. Piotra Skargi 6 (Supersam), tel. (+48)
32 203 72 02, www.empik.com. The best place downtown
for English language paperbacks, guide books, a few foreign
newspapers and a decent range of CDs and DVDs. Also
a branch inside the Silesia City Center and Trzy Stawy (see
Shopping Malls). QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sun 10:00 - 16:00.
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
Komis Płytowy C-2, ul. 3 Maja 38, tel. (+48) 32 253
99 45. The largest selection of vinyl we’ve ever seen in PL is
hidden in this courtyard off one of Katowice’s main streets.
Bargain-priced, though not extremely well-organised used
CDs, as well as music-related DVDs, posters, shirts, stickers
and patches. QOpen 10:00 - 17:30, Sat 10:00 - 13:30.
Closed Sun.
Fashion & Accessories
International designer clothing and fashion brands can be
found in Katowice’s shopping malls, namely the peerless
Silesia City Centre (F-1). High quality Polish brands to peel
an eye for include Reserved, Vistula, Tatuum and Carry.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, you should find no
trouble locating secondhand clothing stores around the city,
ranging from self-respecting retailers to those who offer
a room of rummage bins; just look for the words ‘Tanie
Odziez.’ Finally, the clothing market around Plac Synagogi
on ul. Mickiewicza (H-2) is a great place to get stockings
with runs in them and underwear stretched and displayed
on a steering wheel.
Food & Sweets
Krakowski Kredens A-1, ul. Chorzowska 107 (Silesia
City Center), tel. (+48) 32 605 01 17, www.krakowskikredens.pl.
An old-fashioned dry goods store of expensive,
yet exquisite, Galician delicacies - including jams, honeys,
liquors, cured meats, candies and pickled things. QOpen
10:00 - 21:00, Fri 10:00 - 22:00.
Natu E-2, ul. Powstańców 10, tel. (+48) 32 257 23
66, www.natu.pl. A nice little community shop selling
100% organic food and ecological products with European
certificates: fresh fruit and produce, food for special dietary
needs, macrobiotic products, natural cosmetics and cleaning
products, etc. QOpen 08:00 - 18:30, Sat 09:00 - 14:00.
Closed Sun.
Natura E-2, ul. Kościuszki 57, tel. (+48) 601 70 70 57.
Ideal for those with dietary needs, Natura sells a range of
organic and health food products, honeys, preservative free
juices, cold-pressed oils and the like. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00,
Sat 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun.
Organic Farma Zdrowia A-1, ul. Chorzowska 107
(Silesia City Center), tel. (+48) 32 605 02 96, www.
organicmarket.pl. We’re not sure what it says about the
organic farming industry and health food market when the
only place to find a store like this is in a shopping mall, but
here it is: a small, expensive selection of soy and gluten-free
products, natural spices, oils, honeys, and other healthconscious
goods. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Fri 10:00 - 22:00.
TAX FREE SHOPPING - GLOBAL BLUE
Non-EU residents are entitled to claim
a VAT refund when the purchased
goods are exported in an unused
condition outside the EU in personal
luggage. Shop wherever you see the
Global Blue logo. The minimum total
purchase value with VAT per Tax Free
Form is 200pln. Keep the Tax Free
Form, have it stamped when leaving
the final point of departure from the EU and reclaim
your money. For full details check www.global-blue.com.
katowice.inyourpocket.com
Not a Queue
SHOPPING
A seemingly straightforward concept, while standing in an
orderly line is probably as unconsciously ingrained where
you come from as staying to the right while passing in
a narrow corridor, here in Poland, queuing is a cutthroat
game of cunning and sabotage. It appears that decades of
communist rule, which featured endless necessity-induced
queuing to obtain the most basic goods - and then quite
often only to find that they weren’t available – obliterated
any respect the Poles had for the concept of an organized
line operating under an unwritten but widely-accepted code
of etiquette and common courtesy. Such a queue did not
bring about any reward during the cold war era. Sadly, the
most courteous family was the family without toilet paper
in those days. Rudeness and results began an unholy
marriage and queue barging became a common practice
that endures to this day. Simultaneously, Poles were also
being conditioned into complacency over the poor quality of
services rendered, regarding the resultant queues to be as
unavoidable as sleeping. Even the most modern Pole today
seems to accept that, cumulatively, years of his or her life
will be spent standing in line. As a result of this national
apathy, you can anticipate spending part of your trip to PL
in slow-moving lines as well.
In such situations patience is both a blessing and a curse as
everyone and (especially) their mother will attempt to oust
you in line. Tactics include confusing and deceptive bursts
of Polish dialogue to the effect of “I was standing in front of
you” (when they clearly were not), “I’m late for something, I
have to go before you” or more commonly “I’m older than
you, let me go first.” Another well-loved strategy occurs
when someone arrives at the queue, tells you they are in
front of you, then leaves only to appear again just as it’s
about to be your turn. Should you give any space between
you and the person in front of you (a courteous gesture in
most civilised countries) it will be filled by someone who
either completely ignores the fact that you are there, or
spears you with an umbrella and a glare to ensure there’s
no protest. Also, if a person feels their needs can be easily
satisfied it’s agreed that said person need not stand in line,
but march straight to the window, interrupt whatever is happening
there and expect to be assisted. Sadly, this practice
is upheld by clerks who will stop fulfilling your request for a
ticket on the next train to Warsaw in order to look up all of
tomorrow’s train times to Berlin for some jackass who suddenly
walks up wearing a wifebeater and a blazer. Similarly,
grocery clerks, summoned to open a second register when
the line has reached critical mass, will alert the person at
the end of the line who then becomes the next person
serviced and the line then proceeds in reverse order until
reaching an equilibrium.
Further complicating matters is the inconsistency about
which queuing is conducted in Poland. For example, lines
at train station ticket windows are often inexplicably
formed horizontally rather than vertically. Therefore, you
must position yourself diagonally close behind the right
shoulder of the person at the window in order to quickly
cut off potential queue barging points both to the left and
right. Queuing at bank machines, meanwhile, employs
a completely different logic where giving as much room
as possible is the common practice. Therefore, you can
be sure that when approaching a cashpoint on the busy
Rynek, everyone within four metres of the ATM will tell
you they are in line ahead of you despite the fact that
there is no line at all. Anywhere. Taking into account all
of these factors, perhaps the only recourse is indeed a
tenacious complacency.
July - October 2012
71

72 SHOPPING
Shopping Malls
3 Stawy G-5, ul. Pułaskiego 60, tel. (+48) 32 209 14
60, www.3stawy.pl. This 49,000 square metre shopping
complex southeast of centre includes an underground parking
lot and a Real hypermarket with 60 boutique shops and
some well-recognised brands including Reserved, KappAhl,
Smyk, EMPIK and H&M hedged inside. Self-standing nearby
are Media Markt, Go Sport and a few others you’ve never
heard of. Get there by taking bus numbers 672, 674 or 910
from ul. Andrzeja near the Katowice train station. QOpen
09:00 - 21:00, Sun 09:00 - 20:00.
Altus C-3, ul. Uniwersytecka 13, tel. (+48) 32 350
50 50, www.altus.katowice.pl. Katowice’s most
majestic modern marvel has to be the Altus, which at 27
stories and 125 metres tall is not only the tallest building
in Katowice, but all of southern PL. A thoroughly unique
culture, entertainment, business and retail centre all
contained in one glittering package, within Altus’ 69,000
square metres you’ll find a diverse range of ways to spend
a typically dreary day in Silesia; in fact, with one of the best
hotels in town (Qubus) occupying the upper floors, it’s conceivable
you could spend your entire trip to Kato within the
Altus confines. Home to a cinema (Helios), fitness centre,
casino, atrium gallery and several fine restaurants (Via
Toscana, Kyoto Sushi), Altus also contains a plethora of
retail boutiques and salons (including an Apple Macintosh
service store), banks, cafes and a rooftop bar with views
of that incredible city you’ll be perfectly content to miss.
The complex is so vast they even have superfluous space
leftover for offices and conference facilities. Serviced by
an underground parking lot with 566 spaces, there’s even
a car wash. Now that’s thorough. QOpen 10:00 - 20:00.
Pasaż Monopol D-3, ul. Dyrekcyjna 5-7. The only
Likus Concept Store in the region, Pasaż Monopol offers
high-class boutique brands inside the refined interior of the
five-star Hotel Monopol. Exclusive signature stores include
Vinoteka 13 - bringing you high quality wine from Italy,
while within the arcades you’ll find known designer brands
like Diesel, Versace and Dono da Scheggia. There’s also
Marella, Lanora, Olsen and beauty treatments at Face-
2Face hairdresser. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun.
Silesia City Center A-1, ul. Chorzowska 107, tel.
(+48) 32 605 00 00, www.silesiacitycenter.com.pl.
Located mid-way between Katowice and Chorzów on the
site of an old 1904 coal mine, the spectacular Silesia City
Center easily trumps everything else in the region. A combined
retail, gourmet and entertainment complex, the original
65,000 metre-square building was opened in 2005 and in
October 2011 hotel heiress Paris Hilton descended upon
Silesia to open a new wing with 60 additional shops, 2 more
restaurants, a dentist office, massage studio, beauty salon
and additional parking, bringing the total number of spaces to
3500 - the largest lot in Silesia. Designed to blend in with the
surrounding Gothic architecture, this shopping mall has over
300 shops including Tesco, Saturn and EMPiK superstores,
a Cinema City movie complex, Pure Fitness Club, and is even
a decent place to eat thanks to the upstairs Bierhalle restaurant
and Hana - a magnificent sushi restaurant located
externally in the mine’s former swimming pool. Other features
include the preserved, red brick St Barbara’s Chapel and the
remains of the tower that once lowered the miners underground
- now the symbol of the commercial centre. Get there
via tram number 6 from the Rynek (C-3) or tram 11 from Plac
Wolności (A-1/2). QOpen 10:00 - 21:00, Fri 10:00 - 22:00.
Wawel C-3, ul. Warszawska 1, tel. (+48) 32 253 68
82, www.wawel.com.pl. Kraków’s famous chocolate
merchants have a shop in most towns including Katowice.
Churning out confectionary since 1898, specialties include
Mieszanka Krakowska, Kasztanki, Krówka, Malaga and
more. Premium hot chocolate and coffee can be drank on site
and the smells and colours alone are worth a visit if you lost
your sweet tooth in a freak accident. QOpen 09:00 - 18:00,
Sat 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun.
Gifts & Souvenirs
Anwa D-3, ul. Kochanowskiego 2, tel. (+48) 32 251 39
23. Local hand-made glass and ceramics. QOpen 10:00 -
18:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun.
Cepelia C-3, Al. Korfantego 6, tel. (+48) 32 259 87 44,
www.cepelia.pl. A larger than average version of the national
folk art chain selling a range of related arts and crafts from
kitsch to quintessential including some fine tapestries, wood
carvings and even complete folk costumes for both men and
women. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun.
Ceramika Bolesławiecka C-3, ul. Dyrekcyjna 4, tel.
(+48) 32 350 20 99, www.ceramicboleslawiec.com.
pl. This wonderful shop offers a great selection of Poland’s
famous Bolesławiec folk ceramic. If you’re in need of a foolproof
gift from Poland, you really can’t go wrong here. QOpen
10:00 - 18:00, Sat 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun.
Kurka Bez Piórka E-2, ul. Powstańców 4, tel. (+48)
691 40 10 40. A charming shop promoting art by young
local artists, Kurka Bez Piórka specialises in handicrafts and
fiber arts, but offers a wide range of art and accessories, including
graphic prints, ceramics, hand-made jewellery, home
decor items, gift baskets and even paintings and drawing
by students from Katowice’s Academy of the Arts. QOpen
10:00 - 18:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun.
Mydlarnia u Franciszka C-3, ul. Piastowska 3, tel. (+48)
32 203 35 05, www.mydlarnia.info. Soap specialists selling
a wide variety of products well-suited for the potential motherin-law,
including scented candles and oils, natural cosmetics,
marbleised soaps and other health, beauty and bath products.
Everything in the shop is ecological, all-natural and untested
on animals (certainly not any cute, adorable, cuddly ones), so
you clean your conscience, clean your body and clean out your
wallet all in one fell swoop. Also at (C-2) ul. Wawelska 2. QOpen
09:30 - 19:30, Sat 09:30 - 15:30. Closed Sun.
Markets
Clothing Market C-2, Plac Synagogi. This outdoor
market running along the right hand side of ul. Mickiewicza
towards ul. Stawowa is a great place to acquire the styles
of yesteryear at suitably bargain prices. With most of the
vendors peddling clothing, particularly stretched out stockings,
padded bras and faded blouses, here you’ll also find a
row of produce vendors (along ul. Stawowa), some random
baked goods and cheap perfume beneath the blue and
white striped tents.
Targowisko Miejskie D-2, Pl. Miarki, tel. (+48) 32
250 40 08, www.ztm.katowice.pl. You haven’t really
experienced Poland until you’ve smelt the unique fragrance
of fruit, vegetables, fish and Chinese cotton that make up the
main things for sale in a classic outdoor Polish market. This
small market south of the train tracks comes with red and
white striped awnings and a good selection of the aforementioned
things for sale at bargain prices. QOpen 06:00 - 17:00.
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
24-hour Pharmacies
Apteka Akademicka ul. Tysiąclecia 41 (Osiedle
Tysiąclecia), tel. (+48) 32 254 05 21, www.aptekaakademicka.pl.
Apteka Blisko Ciebie C-2, ul. Mickiewicza 10, tel.
(+48) 32 258 11 11.
Apteka Europejska D-3, ul. Wojewódzka 7, tel. (+48)
32 251 77 62.
Consulates & Embassies
Latvia ul. Królowej Aldony 19 (Saska Kempa), Warsaw,
tel. (+48) 22 617 11 05, www.mfa.gov.lv.
Lithuania Al. Ujazdowskie 14, Warsaw, tel. (+48) 22
625 33 68, pl.mfa.lt.
Slovakia ul. Litewska 6, Warsaw, tel. (+48) 22 525 81
10, www.mzv.sk/varsava.
Slovenia ul. Staroscinska 1/23-24, Warsaw, tel. (+48)
22 849 82 82, www.warsaw.embassy.si.
United Kingdom ul. Kawalerii 12, Warsaw, tel. (+48)
22 311 00 00, www.ukinpoland.fco.gov.uk.
Dentists
Med Centrum C-1, Pl. Wolności 4, tel. (+48) 32 352
56 50, www.medcentrum.pl.
Prywatne Pogotowie Dentystyczne Dental
- Service D-5, ul. Krasińskiego 25A, tel.
(+48) 32 256 29 85, www.dentalservice.com.
pl. Open 24hrs for all your middle of the night dental
emergencies.
Stomatologia Stencel I-3, ul. Karpińskiego 3,
Chorzów, tel. (+48) 32 241 01 77, www.stomatologia-stencel.pl.
English-speaking 24-hour service in
Chorzów.
Language Schools
Lingua House D-5, ul. 1 Maja 33, tel. (+48) 32
256 10 40, www.lingua-house.pl. Also at ul. Gliwicka
12/11 (C-1).
Profi-Lingua C-2, ul. Mickiewicza 28, tel. (+48) 32
253 05 20, www.profi-lingua.pl/ogolny/katowice.
Private Clinics
Inter-Med ul. Grabowa 32 (Wełnowiec), tel. (+48) 32
253 61 98, www.inter-med.pl.
LUX MED B-2, ul. Sokolska 29, tel. (+48) 22 332 28
88, www.luxmed.pl.
Sad-Med C-3, ul. Teatralna 9, tel. (+48) 32 782 40
40, www.sadmed.com.pl.
Real Estate
PIK D-2, ul. Kościuszki 26/7, tel. (+48) 32 781 95 82,
www.pik.slask.pl.
Prolokum C-1, ul. Dąbrówki 13, tel. (+48) 32 781 09
99, www.prolokum.pl.
Translators & Interpreters
Ekspert A-1, ul. Johna Baildona 16/2, tel. (+48) 500
26 56 78.
Eurobusiness - Haller ul. Obroki 133, tel. (+48) 32
355 38 01, www.haller.pl.
Groy C-2, ul. 1 Maja 9, tel. (+48) 32 352 10 01, www.
groy.pl.
katowice.inyourpocket.com
DIRECTORY
What’s going on
in Poland?
Get a round-up of the
major Polish news, business,
entertainment and sports
in English each week by
subscribing free to our PDF.
Visit us at
www.newpolandexpress.pl
Currency Exchange
Changing money is increasingly less fretful to do, but
as with most international destinations it is still worth
comparing rates particularly at entry points such as
airports or in major tourist areas. We check rates of
a selection of money exchange offices (kantors) every
four months. Below are their buying rates (how many
złoty you would get for one unit of foreign currency) for
21.06.12 compared to the following rates published by
the National Bank of Poland (NBP) for that morning: Euro
1 = 4.1931zł, US$ 1 = 3.2998zł, GBP 1 = 5.1956zł.
Fifty-Fifty C-3, ul. Mickiewicza 6, tel. (+48) 32
258 44 04.
1 Euro = 4.12zł,
1 Dollar = 3.24zł,
1 Pound = 5.10zł,
No commission.
Kantor Wymiany Walut Airport ul. Wolności 90,
Pyrzowice (Airport), tel. (+48) 784 04 14 88, www.
kantor.info.pl.
1 Euro = 3.44zł,
1 Dollar = 2.71zł,
1 Pound = 4.26zł,
No commission. Rates negotiable.
Max Kantor C-2, ul. Stawowa 10, tel. (+48) 32
206 97 59.
1 Euro = 4.15zł,
1 Dollar = 3.28zł,
1 Pound = 5.20zł,
No commission.
July - October 2012
73

Olimpijski
Angelo
Hotel
Katowice
Qubus
Prestige
‘Zacisze’
Guest
Rooms
Ibis Budget
Katowice Centrum
Novotel
Katowice
Centrum
Dudy-Gracza
Diament
Monopol
Senator
Polonia
Euro Residence
Jopi Hostel
Tennis Club Guest Rooms
Park Hotel Diament
Campanile
Quality Hotel Katowice
Zajazd Sportowy

Blues
Gościniec Chorzowski
Arsenal Palace
Bella Notte
Hotel Stadion Œl¹ski
Diament
Economy

Silvia
Diament
Dom
Klasyka

80 STREET REGISTER
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
STREET REGISTER
Katowice (pg. 66-67) Gliwice (pg. 69)
1 Maja D-5
3 Maja C-2/3
Al. Górnośląska F-1/4/G-5
Al. Korfantego A/B/C-3
Al. Roździeńskiego
B-3/C-4/5
Alpejska G-4
Andrzeja D-2
Astrów F-2
Bankowa C-4
Barbary E/F-1
Bazaltowa G-2
Bończyka A-5
Bratków F-2
Broniewskiego A-3
Brzozowa A-4
Ceglana G-1/2/3
Chopina C-2
Chorzowska A-1/B-1/2/3
Cicha A-1
Czempiela E-2
Czerwińskiego B-3
Damrota D/E/F-4
Dąbrowskiego D-3
Dąbrówki C-1
Długa D-5
Dłuskiego E-1
Dobra A-1
Drezewna D-5
Drzymały D/E-2
Dunikowskiego A-1
Dworcowa D-3
Dyrekcyjna C/D-3
Fiołków F-1/2
Floriana D-5
Francuska D-4/E/F/G-3
gen Zajączka E/F-1
Gliwicka C-1
Głowackiego E-1
Górna A-5
Górnicza F-1/2/3/4/G-5
Grabonia B-5
Graniczna D-5/E-4/F-4/5
Grażyńskiego A-2/B-2/3
Grundmanna B/C-1
Hercena F-1
Jagiellońska E-3
Jana III Sobieskiego C-1/2
Jasna A-1
Jordana E-1/2
Kamienna D-1
Karbowa F-4
Karoliny A-5
Katowicka A-4
Kilińskiego E-1
Klonowa A-4
Kobylińskiego D-3
Kochanowskiego D-2
Konckiego E-2
Konopnickiej D-2
Kopalniana C-5
Kopernika D-1/2
Kordeckiego D-2
Kościuszki E-2/F/G-1
Kowalska B-5
Kozielska D-1
Krahelskiej D-5
Krasińskiego D-4/5
Kraszewskiego A-5
Kręta B-5
Królowej Jadwigi E-3
Krzemienna G-3
Krzywa D-2
ks. P. Ściegiennego A-1
Leopolda A-5
Ligonia E-2/3
Lompy D/E/F-3
Lotnisko G-4/5
Ludwika A-5
Mariacka D-3/4
Mariacka Tylna D-3
Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej
E-1/2
Markiefki A/B-5
Miarki D-5
Mickiewicza B-1/C-2/3
Mielęckiego D-3
Mieroszewskiego A-5
Mikołowska D/E-1
Misjonarzy Oblatów MN
A-2/3
Młyńska C-2/3
Modrzewiowa A-4
Moniuszki C-3/4
Morcinka A-2/3
Morwowa A-4
Nadgórników B-5
Narcyzów E/F-2
Normy A-5
Nowograniczna C-5
Ofiar Katynia F/G-5
Okrzei A-2/3
Olimpijska B-3/4
Opolska C-1/2
Ordona A-3/4
Paderewskiego D/E/F-5
PCK E-1/2
Piastowska C-3
Pilotów F-4
Piotra B-5
Pl. Andrzeja D-2
Pl. Bolesława Chrobrego D-3
Pl. Budnioka B-2
Pl. Grunwaldzki A-3
Pl. Gwarków A-3
Pl. kard. A. Hlonda E-1
Pl. Matejki C/D-1
Pl. Miarki D-2
Pl. Obrońców Katowic C-3
Pl. Oddz. Młodzieży
Powstańczej D-2
Pl. Rostka D-1
Pl. Sejmu Śląskiego E-3
Pl. Synagogi C-2
Pl. Szewczyka C-2
Pl. W. Wajdy A-5
Pl. Wolności C-1/2
Plebiscytowa D-3/E/F-2
Pocztowa D-3
Podchorążych E-2
Podgórna D-3
Polna F-3
Poniatowskiego E-1
Porfirowa G-2
Powstańców E-2/3/4
Prosta D-4
Prowansalska G-4/5
Przemysłowa D-4
Pułaskiego D/E/F/G-5
Reja D-5
Rejtana D-5
Reymonta D/E/F-3
Rodańska G-4
Równoległa D-5
Różana F-2
Rybnicka E-3
Rymera E-2
Rynek C-3
Sabaudzka G-4
Sądowa C/D-1
Sienkiewicza E/F-3
Sikorskiego E-5
Skalna E-1
Skargi C-2
Skowrońskiego D-5
Słowackiego C/D-2
Sokolska A-3/B/C-2
Sowińskiego F-4
Stalmacha E-1
Staromiejska D-3
Starowiejska D-3/4
Stawowa C-2
Stefana Batorego D-2
Stęślickiego A-1/2/B-1
Strzelecka D/E-1
Stwosza E/F/G-2
Styczyńskiego D-2
Szafranka D-4
Szeligiewicza E-2
Szkolna C-3
Szmausa F-1
Sztygarska B-5
Szybowcowa G-4
Ścigały A/B-5
św. Jacka D-4
św. Jana D-3
św. Pawła C/D-1
św. Stanisława D-3
Teatralna C-3
Topolowa A-3/4
Uniwersytecka C-3/4
Wajdy A-5
Warszawska C-3/D-4/5
Wawelska C-2
Wiązowa A-4/5
Widok A-1/2
Wierzbowa A-4
Wilimowskiego D-1
Wodna C/D-4
Wojewódzka D-3/4
Wróbewskiego A-5
Zabrska C-1/2
Zacisze D-4
Żelazna B-1
Żogały B-5
Żwirki i Wigury D-1/E-2
Chorzów (pg. 68)
Al. Harcerska K-6/7/L-6
Al. Wycieczkowa I-7
Astrów L-3
Bankowa J-2
Bolesława Chrobrego J-1
bpa Krasickiego J-2/3/K-3
Chopina J-2/3
Cmentarna L-1
Dębowa L-4
dra Rostka H/I-1
Drzymały K-1
Dworcowa H-1
Dzierżonia K-4
Faski H/I-2
Gajowa I-4
Gałeczki K/L-3
gen. Dąbrowskiego
I-2/J-1/2/K-1
Górna I/J-1
Jagiellońska I-1/2
Jana Sobieskiego J-1-2
Karpińskiego I/J-3/4
Kaszubska J-3/4
Katowicka
H-2/I/2/3/J-3/K-3/4/L-4/5
Kazimierza Wielkiego H/I-1
bpa Bogedaina H/I-3
Kilińskiego J/K-2
Konopnickiej I-3/4
Kopernika J-2
Kościuszki
H-3/4/H6/I-4/5/6
Krzywa J-1/K-1/2/L-1/2
Lwowska I-5/J-3/4/5
Młodzieżowa K/L-3/4
Moniuszki H-2/3
Mościckiego J/K-5
Paderewskiego J/K-4
Parkowa I/J-5/6/K/L-6
Pl. AKS K/L-4/5
Pl. Dworcowy H-1
Pl. Hutników I-2/3
Pl. Kopernika J/K-1
Pl. Matejki J-2
Pocztowa H-1/2
Pogodna I/J-4
Poniatowskiego
H/I-3/4/J/K-4
Powstańców I-1/2/J-1
Rejtana H-7
Roosevelta I/J-4
Różana L-2
Rycerska I-6
Rynek H/I-2
Sienkiewicza I-1
Słowiańska H/I-6/7
Starego Zdroju K-1/2
Szabatowskiego I-2/3
Urbanowicza L-1
Willowa L-1/2
Wolności H-1/2/I/J-1
Wybickiego J-4/5
Zjednoczenia J/K-1/2
Żwirki i Wigury L-2
Akademicka N/O-3/4
Arkońska N-4
Banacha O-3/4
Bankowa M-3
św. Barbary N-2/3
Barlickiego N-2
Basztowa M-3
Bednarska M-3
Berbeckiego, gen. M/N-2
Białej Bramy M-3
Bohaterów Getta
Warszawskiego N/O-1/2
Bolesława Krzywoustego
N/O-3/4
Bytomska M-3
Chudoby N-2
Częstochowska O-2/3
Dolnych Wałów M-2/3
Dubois M/N/O-1/2
Dunikowskiego N-3
Dworcowa N/O-2/3
Fredry N/O-1/2
Gorzołki O-3
Górnych Wałów M-3
Grodowa M-3
Gruszczyńskiego M-2
pl. Inwalidów Wojennych M-3
Jagiellońska O-2
Jana Pawła II M-3/4
Kaczyniec M-3
św. Katarzyny O-2
1 Maja P/R-3
3 Maja R/S-2/3/4
al. Bohaterów Monte
Cassino S-4
al. Korfantego P-1/2
Armii Krajowej S/P-3
Bankowa S-3
Boboli S-2
Bohaterów Warszawskich
R/S-3
Bolesława Śmiałego P-4
Bracka P-4
Brodzińskiego P/R-3/4
Broniewskiego S-3/4
Brysza S-3
Brzozowa P-1
Brzóski P/R-3/4
Buchenwaldczyków R-3
Bytomska S-1
Chełmońskiego P-1
Chodkiewicza P/R-4
Cieszyńska P-1
Cmentarna S-2
Dąbrowskiego R-1
Dembowskiego S-4
Domańskiego P-4
Dubiela P-1/2
Dworcowa S-2
Dyboskiego S-3
Fabryczna P-3
gen. De Gaulle’a P/R-2/3/4
Goethego R-2
katowice.inyourpocket.com
Kaszubska O-3/4
Kłodnicka N-2/3
Kochanowskiego M-4
Kolberga O-1
Konarskiego O-3
Konopnickiej M-2
Kościelna M-3
pl. Krakowski N-3
Królowej Bony M-3/4
Krótka M-3
Krupnicza M-3
Kujawska O-4
Lutycka N-4
Łużycka N/O-4
Matejki M-3
Marzanki M-4
Mastalerza O-1
Mielęckiego M-3/4
pl. Mickiewicza M-3
Mikołowska M-3/4
Mitręgi O-2
Mleczna M-3
pl. Mleczny M-3
Młyńska M-2
Moniuszki O-2/3
Na Piasku O-2
Nasyp O-2
Nowy Świat M-4
Obotrycka M/N-4
Okopowa O-2
Orlickiego M-2
Góry św. Anny R-2
Jagiellońska R-1/2
Jana Sobieskiego P-3/4
Kamienna S-4
Karłowicza S-3
Klimasa S-3
Klonowa R-4
Kobylińskiego R-3
Kochanowskiego P-1
Kołłątaja P-1
Kowalska R-2
Koźlika R-1
Krakusa S-2
Krasińskiego R/S-3
Królewska P/R-3
ks. Londzina R-1
Kupki R-3
Lutra S-3
Malczewskiego P-3
Mehoffera R-3
Męczenników Majdanka P-1
Miarki R-2
Michała Archanioła P-4
Mikulczycka R-1
Narutowicza P/R-3
Niedziałkowskiego R-1
Nocznickiego P-1
Opolska S-4
Orkana P-4
Padlewskiego S-3
Panieńskie Skały P-4
Piastowska S-2
pl. Piastów O-2
Piramowicza O-3
Piwna O-2
pl. marsz. Piłsudskiego M-2
Plebańska M-3
Pod Murami M-3
Powstańców Warszawy M-2
al. Przyjaźni N-2
Pszczyńska M/N-4
Raciborska M-3
Rybnicka M-4
Rynek M-3
pl. Rzeźniczy M-2/3
Sienkiewicza M/N-1/2
Składowa N-1
Skłodowskiej-Curie O-4
Sobótki M-4
Stalmacha M-4
Strzody N-3
Studzienna M-2/3
Szkolna M-3
Średnia M-3
Pilicha P-3
pl. Dworcowy S-2
pl. Kazimierza Wielkiego P-1
pl. Krakowski S-3
pl. ks. Pieruszki S-3
pl. Teatralny R-1
pl. Traugutta R-2
pl. Warszawski S-3
pl. Wolności S-2
Podgórna P-2
Pośpiecha S-3/4
Powstańców Śląskich
R/S-1/2
Przelotowa P-4
Przerwy-Tetmajera P-4
Pułaskiego R-2
Reymonta P/R/S-4
Roosvelta P/R/S-4
Różana R-2
Różańskiego P-4
Sądowa R/S-4
Siedleckiego S-1/2
Sienkiewicza S-4
Sierotki P/R-4
Skoczylasa R-1
Słodczyka R-2
Spichrzowa R/S-4
Spokojna P-1
Stalmacha S-2
Staromiejska P-2
Staszica R-1
Stefana Batorego S-4
Świętojańska O-1
Tarnogórska O-1/2
Tkacka M-3
Toszecka N-1
Udzieli O-1
Warszawska N-1
Witkiewicza O-1
Wodna M-3
Wrocławska N-3/4
pl. Wszystkich Świętych M-3
Wybrzeże Armii Krajowej
M/N-1/2
Wybrzeże Wojska Polskiego
M/N-1/2
Wysoka M-3
Wyszyńskiego, kard.
M/N-2/3
Ziemowita, ks. M-3/4
Zimnej Wody O-3
Zwycięstwa M/N/O-2/3
Zygmunta Starego M-3
Gliwice photo by Lestat
Zabrze (pg. 70)
Szczepaniakowej P-4
Szczęść Boże R-3
Szenwalda S-4
Szramka S-4
Szymanowskiego R-3
Śląska S-2
Średnia S-2
św. Barbary R-2
św. Cecylii S-4
św. Floriana S-3
św. Jerzego S-3
św. Marcina S-4
św. Urbana S-4
Świerkowa P-4
Targowa S-3
Topolowa P-1
Torowa P-2
Tuwima R/S-4
Wajdy P-2
Wallek-Walewskiego R-3/4
Wandy S-2/3
Wąska S-4
Widery R-1
Władysława Jagiełły S-4
Władysława Łokietka P-4
Wolności P/R/S-2/3
Woźnicy R-1
Wyczółkowskiego R/S-4
Wyzwolenia R-2
Zgody R-1
July - October 2012
81

82 INDEX OF KATOWICE LISTINGS
WHERE TO STAY
angelo Hotel Katowice 20
Arsenal Palace 20
Best Western Premier Katowice
Hotel 20
Blues Hotel 22
Campanile 22
DeSilva Inn Katowice Airport 23
Diament Economy Gliwice 23
Diament Katowice 20
Diament Plaza Gliwice 21
Diament Zabrze 23
Euro Residence 25
Gościniec Stajnia 25
Hotel Bella Notte 23
Hotel Rycerski 23
Hotel Szafran 21
Ibis Budget Katowice Centrum 25
Ibis Katowice - Zabrze 23
Jopi Hostel 25
Katowice 25
Monopol 20
Noma Residence 21
Novotel Katowice Centrum 21
Olympia Spodek 24
Ośrodek Konferencyjno-
Szkoleniowy 'INNOWACJA' 25
Pałac Saturna 25
Park Hotel Diament 21
Qubus Hotel 22
Qubus Prestige 22
Royal 22
Senator 24
Silesian Hotel Quality and
Economy 24
Vacanza 24
RESTAURANTS
A Dong 26
Akolada 28
Bar Pod Siódemka 35
Bierhalle 28
Bohema 28
Bombaj Tandoori 28
Bryka 35
Buddha 28
Buon Cibo 33
Camelot 29
C'est Si Bon 27
Cinnamon 29
City Rock 26
Cristallo 33
Dobra Karma 38
Fanaberia 38
Fantasmagoria 26
Felicidad 29
Fenix 30
Gazdówka 36
Grill Bar 30
Hana Sushi 34
Hobu 34
Chata z Zalipia 36
Cherry Restaurant & Caffe 29
Kamienny Kasztel 30
Kartel 35
Kyoto Sushi 34
La Grotta 34
Latająca Świnia 30
Little Hanoi...and more! 39
Lorneta z Meduzą 37
Mañana Bistro & Wine Bar 30
Narada Sushi Club 35
Pan de Rossa 31
Patio 31
Patio Park 31
Pierogi Świata 36
Pizza Hut 36
Polski Smak 36
Restauracja Autorska Adama
Gesslera 36
Restauracja Bergamo 31
Restauracja Bonaparte 31
Restauracja Monopol 37
Restauracja Sunlight 27
Restauracja u Romana 37
Rycerski 37
Secesja 32
Sekrety Tajlandii 38
Sicilia 34
Skarbek 37
Stajnia 37
Stara Szkoła 32
Stek House Dada 32
Supernova 32
Sushi Arigato 35
Szafranowy Dwór 32
Tatiana 33
U Babuni 38
Via Toscana 34
Wezyr Doner Kebap 36
Wiejska Chatka 38
WunderBAR 27
Za Kulisami 33
Zaklęty Czardasz 27
Zaks 33
Złoty Osioł 39
Złoty Róg 36
CAFÉS
Bellmer Café 40
Café Paterman 40
Chopin Frykasy Fryderyka 40
Fanaberia 40
Gaudi 40
Kawiarnia Wawelska 40
Kremowa 40
Monopol 40
o'joj
NIGHTLIFE
40
Archibar 41
Bierhalle 49
BOB 41
Cafe Iglo 41
Cafe Zaszyta 41
Carpe Diem 41
City Pub 41
Club 80 45
Club Garage 45
Cocktail Bar 42
Cooler Club 46
Cotton Club 46
Czekolada 46
Drink Bar 42
Genesis Music & Dance Club 46
Gugalander 42
Gwarek 47
Hemingway 42
Hipnoza Jazz Club 48
Ilujza Jazz Club 48
Inqbator 47
Kato 42
Katofonia 48
Klub Pomarańcza 47
Kredens 42
Kultowa 42
La Passion du Vin 49
Lemoniada 47
London Pub 43
Longman Club 43
Lorneta z Meduzą 43
Mały Kredens 43
Mega Club 47
Milk Club 49
Negresco 43
Oui Music Club 48
Piwiarnia Warka 43
Poziom 3 48
Pub Gramofon 44
Queens 49
Rock'a Music Club 48
Sky Bar 44
Śląski Jazz Club 48
Sofa Club 48
Spencer Pub 44
Śruba i Przyjaciele 44
Stary Port 44
Szuflada 15 45
Trendy Club 49
Tropicana Sauna Club 49
Winiaria Burgundia 49
Wściekły Pies 45
WunderBAR 45
Symbol Key
P Air conditioning A Credit cards accepted
O Casino H Conference facilities
T Child friendly U Facilities for the disabled
R Internet L Guarded parking
F Fitness centre G No smoking
K Restaurant X Smoking room available
D Sauna C Swimming pool
E Live music W Wi-Fi
6 Animal friendly S Take away
I Fireplace J Old Town location
Y Tourist Card accepted V Home delivery
Features Index
Autonomous Silesia 8
Błędowska Desert 49
Currency Exchange 73
Defending Katowice 9
Edward Gierek 24
Facts & Figures 13
Hans Bellmer 43
Have Your Say 44
Jazz Clubs 48
Jewish Katowice 55
Katowice For Beer Lovers 46
Language Smarts 15
Late Night Eats 37
Mail & Phones 14
Marek Kamiński 29
Market Values 14
National Holidays 15
Nightlife At a Glance 41
Not a Queue 71
Polish Food 27
Polish Friends of Beer Party 42
Polish Name Days 36
Polish Vodka 45
Promnice Hunting Lodge 57
Quick Currency Convertor 14
Quick Eats 36
Scuba Diving 67
Silesian Grub 26
Silesian Uprisings 6
Smoking 47
Stalinogród 22
The Maluch 44
The Train Station 10
Tipping Tribulations 26
Tyskie Brewery 58
United In Obscurity 25
Władysław Szpilman 39
Wojciech Korfanty 9
Wooden Churches 54
Wujek Mine 70
Katowice In Your Pocket katowice.inyourpocket.com
Gliwice
ul. Ceglarska 35
www.queensnightclub.com
Open: 18:00 - 05:00
tel. 032/ 305 30 20
American Bar Erotic Show Dance Go-Go Dance
We invite you to Queens nightclub.
Discretion is of our highest concern, as immediately
evidenced by our parking lot.
The interior design of the rooms and equipment
complement each other to create an intimate, erotic
atmosphere.
We dedicate the greatest care to the cleanliness of
the club.
Your satisfaction is guaranteed.
Exclusives Ambiente
Sie werden im Nachtclub Queens erwartet.
Diskretion ist unser höchstes Gut. Schon der
Abstellplatz für Ihren Wagen zeigt Ihnen dies.
In den Innenräumen unseres Clubs bieten wir Ihnen
den Luxus führender Unterhaltungsbetriebe.
Dies alles ist die Garantie Ihrer Zufriedenhiet.
Zapraszamy do klubu nocnego Queens w Gliwicach.
Niepowtarzalnie najlepszy klub w kraju.
Poznaj nasz Amerykański Bar.
Taniec Go - Go, Drink Bar, Jacuzzi, Masaże, Bankiety