# Watch out, Katowice!



## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

photos by Radosław Kaźmierczak


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## Urbanista1 (Sep 13, 2006)

Nice!


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

^^ Really cool, nice photos


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## T.Ishikawa (Jan 17, 2010)

Reallu cool!!
I have to go your country!!


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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

Thank You guys, it is really nice to hear it. I feel appreciated 

*Cazador del Sol*​
Cazador del Sol (_The catchers of the Sun_) is one of the best-known symbol of Katowice's candidature to the title of European Capital of Culture 2016. An instalation made by Agata Norek and Rene Hildebrand visits all main events in Katowice but it's "homeland" is Silesian Parliament Square. 

photos by Wojciech Nowak


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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

The history of Silesian Parliament's Square is pretty interesting. About eighty-five years ago this place was a fields full of cows and goats. Then, after First World War Katowice became the new capital of Silesian Voivodeship. Silesian Voivodeship was really autonomous - only foreign policy and military policy were not in its power. Because of the divide of Upper Silesia (this very urbanised area was divided into Germany, Poland and Czech Republic - sometimes the street was in Germany and the houses along it were in Poland) the Polish-Silesian region decided to build a very modern, luxury district in Katowice for propaganda. Central part of this district is Silesian Parliament's Square. 
Today on this square are located Silesian Voivode's Office, Silesian Marchal Office, Upper Silesian Centre of Culture, Silesian University's Faculty of Philology, National Orchestra of Polish Radio, Theatre "Korez", Club "Hipnoza" (_Hipnose_), Music Club 2B3 and Silesian Museum. 

photos by Agata Norek


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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

photos by Witold Trólka




























photos by Radosław Kaźmierczak




























photos by Monika and Wiktor Naturski






















































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## kamilbuk (Jul 31, 2007)

delete


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## kamilbuk (Jul 31, 2007)

Nice photos kay:

I read in Newsweek that Katowice is the best city to live in Poland. Is that true?!


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## BRV (Dec 26, 2008)

kamilbuk said:


> Nice photos kay:
> 
> I read in Newsweek that Katowice is the best city to live in Poland. Is that true?!


Yes, that's true 
Kato is really good place to live.
(but I'm from Katowice so my opinion mayby isn't so objective  )


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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

Thank You for comments. Is Katowice the best place to live in Poland? Well, I think for sure it is good city : ) For sure it has got the best road network in Poland, one of the highest wages, good hospitals and schools. Of course, it could be better but most of people enjoy living in Katowice. Katowice is very green city - full of parks and forests. It is also an "american city" - densed city centre surrounding by the neverending suburbs. 

*nieESTETYKA miasta*​
nieESTETYKA miasta (non-aesthetics of the city) was a mid-July project of young people from Katowice who decided to clean city centre from leaflets and advertisements. They put papers into the carton and made a big logo of ECC Katowice 2016.


photos by Monika and Wiktor Naturski












































































































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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

*HOT!*​
As maybe You know, Katowice wants to be a European Capital of Culture 2016 - this idea changes our city every day, people feel proud of being the citizens of Katowice, you can find ECC 2016 logos and sunflowers everywhere. Today I would present you an animation made by Marek Gajewski, Katowice Academy of Fine Art's student. Watch it!

14973036​


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## Urbanista1 (Sep 13, 2006)

I like the spirit in Katowice. I was there years ago and only remember the unique train station and the saucer. A really nice guy let crash in the hotel where he worked because I was out of money and there were no rooms anywhere. My family is outside Czestochowa, so next time I'm in Poland will have to ask him to show me around Katowice.


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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

*Bikes!​*
In Katowice, we love bicycles. Maybe we are not like Amsterdam but our city is bicycle-friendly and many of its citizens use bikes to get to work or park. Every year there is more and more bicycle roads and car-free zones. But our bikes are totally different than our grandpas' bikes - let's see what did they use 80 years ago!

photos by Katarzyna Pawlik


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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)




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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

*Big city life​*
Absolutely stunning lomography of Katowice by Radosław Kaźmierczak. I was showing you cultural events in Katowice but of course this city has also got normal, daily life - and, what is the best, it is as fantastic as the cultural life! About half million people work in Katowice, this makes about half million different stories, different points of view and billions of wonders. Another half million comes to Katowice to many public offices, theatres or cinemas. City connects the people and this whole mass make the city, make Katowice. Watch out and stay tuned!

photos by Radosław Kaźmierczak


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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)




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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)




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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

*Friday evening​*
About an hour from Katowice we have got mountains, where half of us has a second house or apartment. Every Friday thousands of people go there and the city is emptier and calmer. During wintertime, when the sun goes down early it makes city magical.

photos by Radosław Kaźmierczak































































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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

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## apinamies (Sep 1, 2010)

Is there any industry left in Katowice area? Are there lot of loss jobs in Katowice? Here in Finland we have many dying industry based cities.


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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

apinamies said:


> Is there any industry left in Katowice area? Are there lot of loss jobs in Katowice? Here in Finland we have many dying industry based cities.


Well, Katowice and the metropolis is still an industrial region but in last years many things changed. About twenty years ago nearly half million people worked in coal mines, now it is only about 100,000 people. Katowice and the area turn from the heavy-industry region to financial, shopping and green industry place. 

Unemployment rate in Katowice in August 2010 was 3,4% (in region 6,2%, in voivodeship 9,2%, in Poland 11,3%) so it is quite low.


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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

*Jon Hopkins in Katowice*​
From 29th of September to 1st of October a conference _Miasto Marzeń_ (this title was a riddle, it can mean _City of Wonders_ or _Wonders about the city_) took place. On the first day, bureau of ECC Katowice2016 invited us to Mariacka Street, to a Jon Hopkins concert. This day was cold but Jon made this place really hot!

photos by Radosław Kaźmierczak


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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

*Utopia​*
Another part of the conference _Miasto Marzeń_ was an art performance _Utopia_ by Ewa Kokot. Everyone who wanted could come there and take part in making the art. Some people were painting, the others were making a "suns" of synonyms and words connected with Katowice and city. 

photos by Radosław Kaźmierczak


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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

*Vernissage of exhibition Yotsuya Simon and friends, i.e. Bellmer in Japan​*
As you know, Katowice is not an island on the sea and we have got neighbours. Our metropolis is made of fourteen big cities and dozens of towns and villages. One of them is Bytom (German name: Beuthen), in my opinion one of the best cities in Poland, with wonderful architecture and thousand-year history unfairly forgotten in government's cultural and social policy. Anyway, Bytom likes us and we like Bytom so ECC Katowice 2016 Bureau decided to make something in this city. This something was a vernissage named in the title.

photos, as always, by Radosław Kaźmierczak 













































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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

*Last days of golden autumn​*
This year is really cold, isn't it? Well, for sure autumn is unusual, now we have got twenty-first day of October and it is only about 5C, that's horrifying! I have the runny nose! Normally, in Poland this time is a period called _Polska Złota Jesień_, which means _Polish golden autumn_. It one of my favourite seasons. So, don't blame me for this, I would like to reminisce you about warm days. 


Photos by Radosław Kaźmierczak






















































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## EddBEAT (Jul 28, 2007)

I really like this city!!!!! You have a lot beautiful places!!!
Greetings from Mexico


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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

*HOSPITALITY: Christmas fair on Staromiejska*

I am sure you heard about Polish hospitality - imagine, that the silesian one is even bigger! We love to have guests in our houses, our doors are open all the time and during Christmas, on the family's dining table there is always one special place for an unexpected visitor. 
Anyway, in Katowice we wanted to meet people from all countries, all regions and all cities, people of all genders, ages and orientations - and there is nothing better than inviting them to us! 

more info: check out! 


Photos by Piotr Chlipalski


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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

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## Szmer (Mar 27, 2009)

przydałby się update


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## HS (Jun 7, 2008)

*Lajera*​
_Lajera_ is an unusual event taking place in the street of Mariacka. The idea was given by one of the restaurant owners who has invested on Mariacka. The city council accepted his proposition and so we had the party. Every artist was welcomed to perform but there was one reservation - they must have been not well-known. 
The name _Lajera_ is also interesting. It means _barrel-organ_ is Silesian dialect, while the proper Polish name is _katarynka_. 

fot. Wojciech Nowak


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## DocentX (Apr 16, 2003)

^^ last pic is great :cheers:


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## Linguine (Aug 10, 2009)

nice updates, I like the last pic too, and also the first on that set....:cheers2:


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## hawks9 (Jul 4, 2010)

Great job on the photos! They really show the character of the city. You have convinced me to visit.


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## pankajs (Nov 24, 2011)

The photographer seems to be nice one


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