Hotel Monopol

Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra and Katowice – mutually inspiring! Throughout the years, the life of Katowice was highly emphasised by mines. They were closed during the system transformation, leaving emptiness behind. Today, this post- industrial area is vibrant with life again, this time the cultural life, where next to the NOSPR Concert Venue the Silesian Museum as well as a congress centre are located. After all, Katowice is a city that is always on the run, under transformation and not forgetting its roots. This is exactly what the seat of NOSPR looks like. It is modern but immersed in the past context, which can be observed already when standing outside the venue. The brick pillars, rough surfaces, smooth and light red recesses, remind one of the windows of the familok houses in the mining district of Nikiszowiec. A plant is still available inside. Offices, wardrobes, recording studios, a restaurant and leisure premises are available in over 400 rooms.

Spodek is an iconic landmark of Katowice and one of the most readily recognized architectural objects in Poland. It was built 50 years ago and still continues to amaze viewers with its design. It is hard to imagine the landscape of Katowice without it. Architects were selected in 1959 in a contest announced by the Polish Architects’ Society. The team of the Office of Typical Studies and Designs of Industrial Construction from Warsaw included: Maciej Gintowt and Maciej Krasiński. The construction was commissioned to Wacław Zalewski. Ever since, the Spodek arena has hosted great entertainment events, such as concerts by, for instance, Sting, Jean Michel Jarre, Chris Rea, Cliff Richard, Joe Cocker, Tina Turner, Brian Adams, Elton John, Vanessa Mae, Deep Purple, Metallica, The Cure, Genesis, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, Black Sabbath, Saxon, Mike Oldfield, The Kelly Family, Rammstein, Iron Maiden, Robbie Williams, Depeche Mode, Korn and Slipknot. For the past 34 years, it has hosted the Rawa Blues Festival; for 29 years the celebrated Metalmania Festival; and for 15 the Mayday techno music festival. Spodek is also the venue for unforgettable sports events. Fans have enjoyed participating in numerous world championships in men’s volleyball, ice hockey, women’s handball, bodybuilding, weight-lifting, acrobatic gymnastics, the finals of the World League of men’s volleyball, and the European championships in wrestling, athletics, men’s handball and women’s basketball. The Spodek also holds the record for the largest turnout. In 2001, during the preliminaries and finals of the World League of men’s volleyball, the arena hosted nearly 50 thousand fans.

unsurpassed oasis of green in the heart of Silesian agglomeration in Poland's most industrialized and populated region. For more than six decades strollers, tourists, nature lovers, sport fans and senior citizens have all been able to enjoy what the park has to offer. Silesia Park lies on the border of the cities Siemianowice Śląskie, Chorzów and Katowice and is spread over an area of 620 hectares. Forested areas cover 250ha and 100ha are tended greens and parklands. Ponds, streams, numerous species of trees and shrubs as well as extensive greens form a friendly refuge for wild animals (mammals, fish, birds, amphibians and reptiles), which live in this unique area adjoining the inhabitants of the Silesian ZOO

The Silesian Museum is a regional museum co-led by the Marshal Office of the Silesia Voivodship and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland. Muzeum Śląskie provides a space for dialogue with the past and the achievements of modernity to further explore Silesia, Poland and Europe. The museum is inspired by the heritage of Silesia: its intellectual and artistic achievements and its rich multicultural history. After exploring the riches of the depths of Muzeum Śląskie, you might want to have a look at Katowice from quite a different angle offered by observation tower. The observation platform is located 40 metres above the ground. The former Warszawa II shaft offers views of the entire Culture Zone and the city skyline. Along with the adjacent park, Muzeum Śląskie’s venue located at ul. T. Dobrowolskiego 1 in the Culture Zone is an ideal space for debates about the region, educational activities, and film screenings, music festivals, sports tournaments and family walks. Muzeum Śląskie has come to be the region’s most important cultural centre, an essential part of Silesia’s social life and a major voice on Poland’s cultural map.