Guided tour of Katowice: History, Architecture and Heritage

A driving tour of Katowice starts with a pick-up from the meeting point (the main square). The tour begins with a guide introducing the history of the city. The first stop is in Bogucice, the oldest district of Katowice, where you can admire the neo-Gothic Basilica of St. Stephen and Our Lady of Bogucice, as well as the house where Jerzy Kukuczka, one of the world’s greatest mountaineers, grew up.

The next destination is the Culture Zone, a modern cultural and artistic complex that includes the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Silesian Museum, the International Congress Centre, and Spodek Arena. These venues host a variety of cultural events, concerts, exhibitions, and conferences.

The tour then visits Nikiszowiec, a workers' housing estate built in the early 20th century for miners of the "Giesche" mine. The estate features unique architecture with nine red-brick buildings housing about 1,000 apartments.

A stop is made at the Wujek Coal Mine, the site of tragic events in 1981 when nine miners were killed during a strike pacification.

Other stops include the modernist "Drapacz Chmur" (Skyscraper) housing the Tax Office, the socialist realist Palace of Youth, the Cathedral of Christ the King, and the Silesian Parliament building, recognized as a historic monument. Along the way, the guide shares the story of the "Red Widow," a guillotine used in the Katowice prison, and the events connected to it.

The tour concludes with a drive down Warszawska Street, known for its historic townhouses and villas, crossing the vibrant Mariacka Street, and finally returning to the main square to end the tour.

Chosen excursion available subject to minimal number of 3 participants.