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Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union Górnośląski Związek Metropolitalny
The location of USMU
Nickname: USMU
Coordinates: 50°°15'′N 19°°00'′E / Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "�", Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "�"
Country	Poland
Voivodship	Silesia
Council	Zarząd GZM
Founding	2007
Government
- Head of Council	Piotr Uszok
Area
- Total	1,304 km² (503.5 sq mi)
Population (2007)
- Total	2.1 million (2,007)
- Density	1,643/km² (4,255.4/sq mi)
Area code(s)	032
Car Plates	SD, SG, SH, SI, SJ, SK, SL, SM, SO, ST, SW, SY, SZ, SBE, SGL, SPI, SRS
Economy	service industry, business
Highway	E40 / A4: Berlin-USMU-Kiev E75 / A1: Tricity-USMU-Bratislava
Airport	Katowice International Airport

Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union, USMU (Polish: Górnośląski Związek Metropolitalny) is a union of 14 adjacent cities in the Silesian Voivodeship, Poland.

The Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union is the largest urban center in Poland. Its population is 2.2 million (2007), within a conurbation of 2.8 million (the Upper Silesian Industry Area), and with a greater metropolitan area of 3.5 million (the Upper Silesian Coal Basin). The union's share of Poland's Gross Domestic Product is 8% and the combined budget of the union's participants exceeds 6 billion PLN.

The union has been created by a local initiative, and the participation was voluntary. An overwhelming majority of the local population supports the formation of the union. The intent to form the union was formally stated by the presidents of the participating cities, who signed a declaration to this effect on January 9, 2006 in Świętochłowice. The Union's registration was signed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration of the Republic of Poland (Polish: MSWiA) on 8 June 2007 with city of Katowice as its seat^[1].

In 2006 and 2007, the union planned to unite these cities in one official city "Silesia"^[2].

The aim of the union is the creation of a strong metropolitan center with pooled resources, an internationally competitive profile and unified management of common infrastructure.

Contents 1 Goals of the union 2 Geography 2.1 Location 2.2 Climate 2.3 Constituent cities 2.4 Agglomeration 3 Economy 3.1 Industry 3.2 Business and commerce 4 Transport 4.1 Public Transport 4.1.1 Trams 4.1.2 Trolleybuses 4.1.3 Buses 4.2 Roads 4.3 Airports 4.4 Railway 4.4.1 Standard gauge railway 4.4.2 Broad gauge railway 4.4.3 Narrow gauge railway 4.5 Water Transport 5 Education 6 Culture 6.1 Theatre 6.2 Music 6.3 Cinema 6.4 Museum 6.5 Media 6.6 Ongoing performance series 6.7 Galleries 7 Nature & recreation 7.1 Parks 7.2 Nature reserves 8 Tourism 8.1 Castles & palaces 8.2 Historical churches 8.3 Other local landmarks 9 Sports 10 Famous people 11 Gallery 12 See also 13 External links 14 References

The main goals of the union include the following:

• Arriving at a common development strategy for the cities comprising the union, in accordance with the current law governing planning and land use.
• Putting into effect projects embraced by a common development strategy of the constituent cities.
• Obtaining financial means from available domestic and foreign funding sources.
• Managing the roadways transferred to the union by its constituent communes (Polish: gminy).
• Preparing motions having as their aim obtaining public means derived from the budget of the European Union.
• Stimulating the job market throughout the constituent cities of the union.
• Supporting innovative economic programs that increase the competitive standing of the cities in the world.
• Expressing opinions pertaining to legislative and decision-making processes in matters important to the union and affecting the union's activities.

The effects of the union's activity are to include: improvement in managing the agglomeration, strengthening its economic muscle and increased competitive standing of the constituent cities of the USMU, and also the coordination of public relations and promoting the constituent cities, as well as underscoring the importance of the region.

The Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union spans urban communities in the historical regions of Upper Silesia (south part of Silesia) and Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland, within the northern portion of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, between the Vistula and Oder rivers.

Nine million people live within 100 km of Silesian Stadium at USMU center. Six European capitals are located within 600 kilometres from USMU: Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Bratislava, Budapest and Warsaw.

The climate of the area is continental humid. The average temperature is 8 degrees Celsius (average -1.7°C in January and up to average 17.7°C in July). Yearly rainfall averages 750 mm, the most rainy month being July. Weak winds prevail, averaging 2 m/s from West (Moravian Gate).

The Upper-Silesian Metropolitan Union has been created by a local initiative, and the participation was voluntary. An overwhelming majority of the local population supports its formation. However, outside of the area, the formation of the union appears to have less support. Originally, 17 cities were to enter into the union, but owing to technicalities of the Polish law which could have prevented its legalization, only 14 of the 17 cities; that is, those with the legal status of an urban county, proceeded with forming the union.

The constituent cities in decreasing order by population are as follows:

District	Population	Area
Katowice	334 200	164.6 km²
Sosnowiec	236 300	91.26 km²
Gliwice	199 086	134.2 km²
Bytom	198 200	69.32 km²
Zabrze	195 400	80.47 km²
Ruda Śląska	149 000	77.70 km²
Tychy	130 700	82.63 km²
Dąbrowa Górnicza	129 800	188.0 km²
Chorzów	119 400	33.50 km²
Jaworzno	96 000	152.2 km²
Mysłowice	78 300	66.00 km²
Siemianowice Śląskie	75 700	25.50 km²
Piekary Śląskie	64 600	39.60 km²
Świętochłowice	55 527	13.22 km²

The borders between the constituent cities have been for decades largely artificial, and in many cases absurd. For example one side of the street would belong to the one city, and the other to another.

Nationally, the union strives to address several problems, including:

• Poor visibility (e.g., often not shown on Polish maps^[3])
• Gross under-investment (for example, by far the lowest per capita allocation of the EU development funds in Poland^[4]).

USMU is the centre of the largest urban agglomeration in Poland and one of largest in European Union (3.5 million). The area bloomed in XIX and early XX centuries thanks to the vibrant development of industry and numerous local resources. The conurbation (the Upper Silesian Industrial Region) consists of about 25 neighbouring cities, however the entire metropolitan area (the Upper Silesian Coal Basin) includes over 30 cities. Katowice also is also in the middle of a 7-millions megalopolis stretching from Cracow through Katowice to Ostrava.

USMU is an area of heavy concentration of industry, including coal, steel, energy, automotive, machinery and chemical. Over the last two decades, the service industry has become increasingly prominent.

USMU is still a prominent center of coal and metal industries and a site of about a dozen of coal mines (operated by Katowice Coal Holding (pl: Katowicki Holding Węglowy) and Coal Company (pl: Kompania Węglowa); several steel processing plants (Huta Baildon, Huta Ferum, Huta Batory, Huta Pokój, Huta Florian, Huta Jedność, Huta Zabrze, Huta Zgoda); a foundry of nonferrous metals (Huta Metali Nieżelaznych Szopienice); about a dozen of power plants and cogeneration plants (Chorzów, Halemba, Jaworzno, Łagisza, Będzin, Chorzów, EC Nowa, Katowice, Miechowice, Szombierki, Szopienice, Tychy, Zabrze); two automotive plants (FSM, General Motors Manufacturing Poland); two plants producing military vehicles (Wojskowe Zakłady Mechaniczne and Bumar Łabędy, the maker of PT-91 main battle tank), several chemical companies (fertilizers, paints, etc), and numerous other industrial establishments.

Katowice is a large and dynamic business and trade fair centre. Tens of international exhibitions take place every year on the Katowice International Fair grounds and in the Spodek arena. Katowice is also the site of the second largest business centre in Poland (second to the Warsaw Business Centre). Skyscrapers are located along Chorzowska and Korfantego street in the city centre. The newest office buildings (A-class) in Katowice are the Chorzowska 50 and Altus Skyscraper. Several other large office buildings are currently under construction.

Katowice and USMU house Katowice Special Economic Zone (Katowicka Specjalna Strefa Ekonomiczna).

The public transportation system of the area consists of four branches -- buses, trams, united in the KZK GOP. Additional services are operated by private companies and the state-owned railways (regional rail), trolleybuses in Tychy are operated by MZK Tychy

Silesian Interurbans - one of the largest tram systems in the World, in existence since 1894. The system spreads for more than 50 kilometres (east-west) and covers the following cities of the union and adjacent communities: Katowice, Będzin, Bytom, Chorzów, Czeladź, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Gliwice, Mysłowice, Ruda Śląska, Siemianowice Śląskie, Sosnowiec, Świętochłowice, and Zabrze.

The area lacks a good circular road system and most of the East-West and North-South traffic goes directly through the city centre.

• European route E40 (France - Belgium - Germany - Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - Ukraine - Russia - Uzbekistan - Kazakhstan)
• European route E75 (Norway - Finland - Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - Slovakia - Hungary - Serbia - Macedonia - Croatia - Crete)
• European route E462 (Czech Republic - Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union)
• Motorway A1 (Czech - Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - Tricity / Baltic Sea)
• Motorway A4 (Germany - Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - Ukraine)
• DK1 National Road
• DK11 National Road
• DK44 National Road
• DK78 National Road
• DK79 National Road
• DK81 National Road
• DK86 National Road
• DK88 National Road
• DK94 National Road

The USMU area is served by the Katowice International Airport, located some 30 km north of Katowice centre. With over 20 international and domestic destinations, it is by far the biggest airport in Silesia (1.5 million passengers served in 2006). It is currently the third busiest airport in Poland and growing rapidly. In July 2007, Terminal B was added increasing the airport's capacity to 3.6 mln passengers per annum. Besides passenger traffic, the airport is also Poland's second largest by cargo, limited only by the size of the existing cargo terminal.

Airline carriers operating from the airport include: Air France, Centralwings, EuroLOT, LOT, Lufthansa and Wizz Air

There are proposals to convert the sport aviation-serving Katowice-Muchowiec Airport into a so-called city airport, a second international airport for smaller, business-oriented traffic.

Train transportation in the region is inexpensive and fairly efficient. The main railroad station is the Katowice Central Station, with numerous regional, national and international passenger destinations. There are direct connections to Berlin, Hamburg, Vienna, Prague, Zilina (in Slovakia), Budapest, Kiev and Moscow.

There are two other major hubs (Gliwice and Sosnowiec) and tens of smaller stations.

The Silesian rail has a long and proud tradition, starting in 1846 when the first railroad reached the area (the Upper Silesia Railway, at that time called Oberschlesische Eisenbahn). Nowadays, USMU still contains some of the main railway nodes and exchange points of Silesia and Poland.

Broad gauge railway line called Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa is notable for its ability to transport goods directly between the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union and the countries of the former Soviet Union.

• Gliwice Canal links the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union (Gliwice Harbour) to the Oder River and thus to the waterway network across much of Germany and to the Baltic Sea.
• Klodnica Canal is no longer used to transport goods, but it is popular with leisure cruisers.

The area is one of the most important education centers of Poland (along with Warsaw). It is home to seven major universities and numerous smaller schools of higher education. The most important institutions of post-secondary education are:

1. University of Silesia
2. Silesian University of Technology
3. University of Economics in Katowice
4. University of Music in Katowice
5. Medical University of Silesia
6. University of Sports in Katowice
7. University of Arts in Katowice
8. AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków (department in Ruda Śląska)
9. Polonia University of Częstochowa (department in Gliwice)
10. University of Arts of Cracow (department in Katowice)
11. Polish Academy of Sciences
12. International Higher School of Political Sciences in Katowice
13. International Higher School of Banking and Finances in Katowice
14. Silesian Higher School of Computer Science in Katowice
15. Silesian Higher School of Management in Katowice
16. Upper Silesian Higher School of Trade in Katowice
17. Upper Silesian Higher School of Pedagogy in Mysłowice
18. Upper Silesian Higher School of Enterprise in Chorzów
19. Higher School of Banking and Finances in Katowice
20. Higher School of Humanistic Science in Katowice
21. Higher School of Technical Science in Katowice
22. Higher School of Computer Technologies in Katowice
23. Higher School of Pedagogical TWP in Warsaw, the Institute of Pedagogy in Katowice
24. Higher School of Social Skills in Poznan (department in Katowice)
25. Higher School of Humanistic - Economic in Lodz (department in Katowice)
26. Higher School of Marketing the and Strange Languages Management in Katowice
27. Higher School of Management the Protection of Work in Katowice
28. Higher School of Management and Marketing in Sosnowiec
29. Higher School of Management and Social Sciences in Tychy
30. Higher School of Art Applied in Sosnowiec
31. Higher School of Strategic Planning in Dąbrowa Górnicza
32. Higher School of Philosophical & Pedagogical in Kraków (department in Sosnowiec)
33. Higher School of Trading in Ruda Śląska
34. Higher School of Economy and Administration in Bytom
35. Higher School of Business in Dąbrowa Górnicza
36. Higher School of Banking in Poznań (department in Chorzów)
37. Silesian Theological Seminar in Katowice
38. Theological Seminar of Smaller Brothers in Katowice
39. Teacher's College of Foreign Languages in Gliwice
40. Teacher's College of Foreign Languages in Sosnowiec
41. Teacher's College of Foreign Languages in Tychy
42. Teacher's College of Foreign Languages in Zabrze
43. Private Teacher's College of Foreign Languages in Katowice
44. Private Teacher's Board of Foreign Languages in Bielsko (department in Katowice)
45. Gliwice Higher School of Enterprise in Gliwice
46. Polish-Japanese Higher School Computer Technology in Warsaw (department in Bytom)
47. Higher School of Performance Arts in Bytom

• Silesian Theatre (Teatr Śląski)
• Rialto Cinetheater
• Ateneum Theatre
• Korez Theatre
• Cogitatur Theatre
• GuGalanger Theatre
• New Theatre
• Locus Theatre
• Small Theatre
• Silesian Theatre of Dance
• Teatr Rozrywki
• Teatr Zagłębia
• Teatr Iluzji
• Teatr Gry i Ludzie
• Teatr Dzieci Zagłębia
• Gliwicki Teatr Muzyczny

• Silesian Philharmonic (Filharmonia Śląska)
• Zabrze Philharmonic (Filharmonia Zabrzańska)
• Silesian Opera (Opera Śląska)
• Silesian Music Stage (Estrada Śląska)
• GuGalander Music Stage (Scena GuGalander)
• National Symphonic Orchestra of the Polish Radio

• IMAX
• Multikino ( 13 halls )
• Cinema City - Punkt rozrywki 44 ( 13 halls )
• Cinema City - Silesia City Center ( 13 halls )
• Cinema City - Ruda Śląska ( 8 halls )
• Cinema City - Sosnowiec ( 6 halls )
• Cinema City - Gliwice ( 13 halls )
• Helios Film Center Katowice ( 9 halls )
• Helios Film Center Sosnowiec ( 4 halls )
• Cinematographic Arts Center ( 2 halls )
• Cosmos II Cinema (Kino Kosmos II) ( 1 hall )
• Świadowid Cinema (Kino Światowid) ( 1 hall )
• Bałtyk Cinema (Kino Bałtyk) ( 1 hall )
• Marzenie Cinema (Kino Marzenie) ( 1 hall )
• Nowość Cinema (Kino Nowość) ( 1 hall )
• Oskar Cinema (Kino Oskar) ( 1 hall )
• Patria Cinema (Kino Patria) ( 1 hall )
• Roma Cinema (Kino Roma) ( 1 hall )
• Andromeda Cinema (Kino Andromeda) ( 1 hall )
• Amok Cinema (Kino Amok) ( 1 hall )
• Panorama Cinema (Kino Panorama) ( 1 hall )
• Theatre-cinema Tęcza (Kinoteatr Tęcza) ( 1 hall )
• Theatre-cinema X (Kinoteatr X) ( 1 hall )
• Theatre-cinema Rialto (Kinoteatr Rialto) ( 1 hall )
• Theatre-cinema Bałtyk (Kinoteatr Bałtyk) ( 1 hall )

• Silesian Museum (Muzeum Śląskie)
• Muzeum Historii Katowic (Katowice History Museum)
• Muzeum Górnośląskie (Upper Silesia Museum)
• Muzeum Zamek Piastowski
• Muzeum Archidiecezjalne
• Muzeum Misyjne OO. Franciszkanów (Museum of Misyjne OO. The Franciscan Monk)
• Muzeum Biograficzne P. Stellera
• Muzeum Prawa i Prawników Polskich
• Muzeum Najmniejszych Książek Świata Zygmunta Szkocnego
• Muzeum Górnictwa Węglowego
• Muzeum Sztygarka
• Muzeum Maszyn Biurowych
• Izba Śląska
• Centre of Polish Scenography
• Centralne Muzeum Pożarnictwa
• Sztolnia Czarnego Pstrąga
• Silesian center of refreshment and culture

• TVP 3 Katowice
• TVN24 - Katowice branch (TVN24 - oddział Katowice)
• Radio Katowice
• Radio Flash
• Radio Roxy FM
• Radio Planeta
• Dziennik Zachodni
• Gazeta Wyborcza - Katowice office
• Fakt (gazeta) - oddział Katowice
• Echo Miasta
• Metro (gazeta) Katowice
• Nowy Przegląd Katowicki

• Rawa Blues Festiwal - Spodek
• Metalmania - Spodek
• Mayday - Spodek
• International Competition of Conductors by Fitelberg
• International Festival of Military Orchestras
• International Exhibition of Graphic arts "Intergrafia"
• The all-Polish Festival of the Director's Art the "Interpretations"
• Ars Cameralis Silesiae Superioris
• International Theatrical Festival "APART"
• International Conference of Dance and Festival of Dancing Art

• Galeria Sztuki Współczesnej BWA Al. Korfantego 6
• Galeria Sztuki Współczesnej Parnas ul. Kochanowskiego 10
• Galeria Sztuki Atelier 2 ul. Batorego 2
• Galeria Związku Polskich Artystów Plastyków ul. Dworcowa 13
• Galeria Architektury SARP ul. Dyrekcyjna 9
• Galeria Art-Deco pl. Andrzeja 4
• Galeria Fra Angelico ul. Jordana 39
• Galeria Akwarela ul. Mikołowska 26
• Galeria Marmurowa ul. Mikołowska 26
• Galeria Piętro Wyżej
• Galeria Sektor I
• Galeria Szyb Wilson

• Silesian Central Park (Wojewódzki Park Kultury i Wypoczynku)
• Kościuszko Park (Park im. Tadeusza Kościuszki)
• Forest Park of Katowice (Katowicki Park Leśny)
• Valley Three Ponds (Dolina Trzech Stawów)
• Zadole Park
• Bolina Park
• Skałka (Skałka)
• Dolomity Sportowa Dolina

• Bagna Nature Reserve (Rezerwat przyrody Bagna)
• Dilina Żabnika Nature Reserve (Rezerwat przyrody Dolina Żabnika)
• Las Dąbrowa Nature Reserve (Rezerwat przyrody Las Dąbrowa)
• Las Murckowski Nature Reserve (Rezerwat przyrody Las Murckowski)
• Ochojec Nature Reserve (Rezerwat przyrody Ochojec)
• Oles Nature Reserve (Rezerwat przyrody Oles)
• Płone Bagno Nature Reserve (Rezerwat przyrody Płone Bagno)
• Sasanka Nature Reserve (Rezerwat przyrody Sasanka)
• Segiet Nature Reserve (Rezerwat przyrody Segiet)

• Castle in Gliwice (pl:Zamek w Gliwicach)
• Castle in Ruda Śląska (pl:Zamek w Rudzie Śląskiej)
• Castle in Tarnowice (pl:Zamek w Tarnowicach)
• Sielecki Castle (pl:Zamek Sielecki)
• Goldstein Palace (pl:Pałac Goldsteinów)
• Godula Palace (pl:Pałac Goduli)
• Dietl Palace (pl:Pałac Dietla)
• Ciechanowski's Palace (pl:Pałac Ciechanowskich)
• Mieroszewski's Palace in Sosnowiec (pl:Dwór Mieroszewskich w Sosnowcu)
• Mieroszewski's Palace in Będzin (pl:Pałac Mieroszewskich)
• Rheinbaben Palace (pl:Pałac Rheinbabenów)
• Wilhelm Palace (pl:Pałac Wilhelma)
• Winckler Palace (pl:Pałac Wincklerów)
• Schöen Palace in Sosnowiec (pl:Pałac Schöena w Sosnowcu)
• Schöen Palace in Środula (pl:Pałac Schöena w Sosnowcu Środuli)
• Palace in Załęże (pl:Pałac w Załężu)
• Palace in Siemianowice (pl:Pałac w Siemianowicach)
• Palace in Świętochłowice (pl:Pałac w Świętochłowicach)

• Cathedral in Katowice
• Basilica in Piekary (sanctuary)
• St. Stephen's Church
• Kościół św. Trójcy, neogotycki z 1886 roku
• Kościół św. Jacka, neoromański z 1905 roku
• Kaplica św. Ducha, barokowa z 1721 roku
• Kościół św. Wojciecha, gotycki i barokowy z 1783 roku
• Kościół św. Barbary, neogotycki z 1852 roku
• Kościół św. Wawrzyńca z 1599 roku
• Kościół NMP i św. Antoniego z 1678 roku
• Kościół Wniebowzięcia NMP, gotycki z XV wieku, przebudowany w latach 1852-76
• Kościół św. Elżbiety, neogotycki z lat 1840-44
• Katedra św. Piotra i Pawła, neogotycka z lat 1896-1906
• Kościół św. Bartłomieja z XV wieku, według legendy założony w 1232 r. przez templariuszy
• Kościół św. Jerzego z XV wieku
• Kościół św. Krzyża z 1672 roku. W 1683 r. w czasie marszu na Wiedeń nocował tu król Jan III Sobieski.
• Kościół Wniebowzięcia Matki Bożej z 1493 roku, przebudowany XVII wieku
• Kościół Wszystkich Świętych, gotycki z XV wieku
• Kościół Podwyższenia Krzyża Świętego, barokowy z XVII wieku
• Kościół Niepokalanego Poczęcia NMP, neogotycki z lat 1869-70
• Kościół św. Piotra i Pawła, neogotycki z 1903 roku
• Kościół św. Michała Archanioła z 1510 roku
• Kościół św. Szczepana, noeogotycki z 1894 roku
• Kościół Zmartwychwstania Pańskiego, neoromański z lat 1856-58
• Kościół Narodzenia NMP, barokowy z XVIII wieku
• Kościół Świętego Krzyża z 1810 roku
• Kościół Matki Bożej z Lourdes, barokowy z 1806 roku
• Kościół Trójcy Przenajświętszej z końca XIX wieku
• Kościół św. Krzyża, neogotycki z 1881 roku
• Cerkiew Wiery, Nadziei i Lubowi z 1889 roku
• Katedra Wniebowzięcia NMP, neoromańska z lat 1893-98
• Kościół św. Marii Magdaleny, barokowy z 1782 roku
• Kościół św. Andrzeja, neoromański, z lat 1863-66
• Kościół św. Anny, neogotycki z 1900 roku
• Kościół św. Jana Chrzciciela, neogotycki z lat 1853-58

• Nikiszowiec
• Giszowiec
• Parachute Tower Katowice
• Gliwice Radio Tower
• FM- and TV-mast Kosztowy
• Silesian Insurgents Monument
• Błędów Desert
• Silesian Sejm

• GKS Katowice - men's football team (Polish Cup winner: 1986, 1991, 1993; Polish SuperCup winner: 1991, 1995; 1st league in 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 seasons)
• AZS AWF Katowice - women's handball team playing in Polish Ekstraklasa Women's Handball League
• 1. FC Kattowitz - football club, vice-champion in Poland: 1927; champion in Upper Silesia: 1907, 1908, 1909, 1913, 1922, 1945; 3 place in championships of south-east Germanys: 1922
• Ruch Chorzów - men's football
• Górnik Zabrze - men's football
• Polonia Bytom - men's football
• Śląsk Świętochłowice - men's football
• Piast Gliwice - men's football
• Szczakowianka Jaworzno - men's football
• Zagłębie Sosnowiec - men's football
• Naprzód Lipiny - men's football

• Kurt Alder
• Marcin Baszczyński
• Ewald Cebula
• Gerard Cieślik
• Janusz Gajos
• Edward Gierek
• Jędrzej Giertych
• Maria Goeppert-Mayer
• Kurt Goldstein
• Damian Gorawski
• Jerzy Gorgoń
• August Hlond
• Otylia Jędrzejczak
• Henryk Kasperczak
• Jan Kiepura
• Wojciech Korfanty
• Jerzy Kukuczka
• Kazimierz Kutz
• Włodzimierz Lubański
• Franz Leopold Neumann
• Krzysztof Oliwa
• Lukas Podolski
• Miroslav Klose
• Daniel Podrzycki
• Roman Polko
• Jan Sawka
• Hanna Schygulla
• Władysław Szpilman
• Krzysztof Warzycha
• Ernest Wilimowski
• Waldemar Wspaniały
• Sobiesław Zasada
• Aleksander Zawadzki
• Krystian Zimerman

Kattowitz Region in 1905	Katowice	Gliwice	Bytom
Chorzów	Dąbrowa Górnicza	Silesian Insurgents Monument	The Spodek
DOKP skyscraper	Silesian Parliament	Highway A4	"Stars" skyscrapers
Chorzowska street	"Drapacz Chmur" - historical skyscraper	Haperowiec and Stalexport Skyscrapers at night	Altus Skyscraper

• Tricity

• GZM Site
• Euroregiony
• www.samorzad.pap.com.pl
• www.katowice.nasze miasto.pl
• 17 śląskich miast chce się połączyć w Silesię
• Pomysł powstania największego miasta w Polsce - Silesii
• (Polish) Statute of Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union

Coordinates: 50°15′N, 19°00′E