Katowice, one of the most vibrant and modern cities in Poland, is the gateway to Silesia and has no lack of appealing attractions. Situated on the banks of the small river Rawa, Katowice is a product of the industrial boom in the 19th-century that you can still find plenty of historical architectures that were built at that time.
One of the highlights is the Industrial Monuments Route in Nikiszowiec district, which is a historical settlement that all made of the red brick and was only housing for mining families. This settlement consists of 9 buildings representing Silesian “familiok” architecture, each one has a square or triangle form with the level of floors limited to three, surrounding large inside courtyards. It is one of Poland’s official national Historic Monuments and there is a big chance it is going to join UNESCO’s World Heritage List in the future.
Katowice is also one of the most interesting musical cities in the world. It is home to the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra and is also the place holding the biggest indoor blues festival in the world, Rawa Blues Festival. With its musical soul of the city, Katowice was named a UNESCO City of Music as part of the UNESCO Creative Cities initiative in 2015.
Katowice is definitely the destination for cultural visitors, and it’s convenient to visit, less than an hour’s drive from Krakow.?
Photo by Polish Tourism Organization
