Chorzów is a large city in Upper Silesia (the Silesian Voivodeship). It is home to a number of tourist attractions, many of them near or on the border of the regional province of Katowice. It's home to Silesian Park, one of Europe's largest parks.

Understand

Chorzów borders Katowice (as well as several other towns in the metropolitean areas). From the visitor's perspective, it is difficult to notice where one town stops and the other begins; many attractions that are in one of the nearby towns are effectively walking distance from the borders of Chorzów.

History

The city of Chorzów was formed in 1934-1939 by a merger of 4 adjacent cities: Chorzów, Królewska Huta, Nowe Hajduki and Hajduki Wielkie. The name of the oldest settlement Chorzów was applied to the amalgamated city.

The dominant economic sectors in the Katowice metropolis region of which Chorzów is part used to be mining, steel, electrical machinery, electronics, and chemicals. Due to economic changes in Poland, heavy industry has given way to commerce and services.

Get in

Since Chorzów is next to Katowice, directions at Katowice#Get_in are mostly applicable here as well.

By car

  • Freeway A4: from German Autobahn A4 at Görlitz/Zgorzelec to Wrocław-Gliwice-Chorzów (Batory)-Katowice-Kraków (and towards Ukraine)
  • Express Route (DTŚ): Katowice-Chorzów-Ruda Śląska-Zabrze
  • National Route DK79: Katowice-Chorzów-Bytom

Three railway stations on two major routes:

  • Katowice-Chorzów Batory-Gliwice
  • Katowice-Chorzów Batory-Chorzów Miasto-Chorzów Stary-Bytom

By bus

Chorzów is connected to its metropolitean area with buses. For longer distance, you may want to transfer at the Katowice International Bus Station.

By train

Trains from all parts of Poland arrive at Chorzów, as it is connected to the national train service with three stations. Chorzów Miasto Train Station is located closest to the city center.

  • 🌍 Chorzów Batory Train Station. (updated Oct 2022)
  • 🌍 Chorzów Miasto Train Station. (updated Oct 2022)
  • 🌍 Chorzów Stary Train Station. (updated Oct 2022)

By plane

Get around

Chorzów is well connected within the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union with bus lines and tram lines. Silesian Interurbans is one of the largest streetcar systems in the world, in existence since 1894. The system spreads for more than 50 km (31 mi) (east-west) and covers the following cities: Będzin, Bytom, Chorzów, Czeladź, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Gliwice, Katowice, Mysłowice, Ruda Śląska, Siemianowice Śląskie, Sosnowiec, Świętochłowice, and Zabrze.

See

Planetarium
  • 🌍 Silesian Culture and Recreation Park (Wojewódzki Park Kultury i Wypoczynku), Aleja Różana 2 41-501 Chorzów (Between Chorzów and Katowice. Take a tram or bus from one of the city centers towards the other, exit near the park (multiple stops)), ☏ +48 32 757 44 26. The largest city park in Europe (the area of the park is 620 hectares) between Katowice and Chorzów. Among other things Silesian Stadium, Silesian Zoological Garden, Silesian Planetarium, Silesian Amusement Park, Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park and Katowice International Fair Grounds are located in the park. It also has a large rose-exhibition garden (7 hectares, 385 varieties of roses), a swimming-pool complex, a water sports center and a tennis court complex. There is a cable transport system with two stations (the third one has been retired). Large concerts and other events and festivals are occasionally held there. 
  • 🌍 Planetarium, Al. Planetarium 4, 41-500 Chorzów (in the centre of the Silesian Culture and Recreation Park; can be reached following numerous walking paths.). The planetarium finished a renovation project in the summer of 2022 and is one of the most modern planetariums in the world. It offers several attractions, with tickets priced from several to ~50 zł. Some attractions may require a reservation in advance. 30. (updated Sep 2022)
  • 🌍 Silesian Zoological Garden (Śląski Ogród Zoologiczny), Promenada Gen. Jerzego Ziętka 7 41-501 Chorzów (Next to the Silesian Culture and Recreation Park. Between Chorzów and Katowice. Take a tram or bus from one of the city centers towards the other, exit near the park, preferably at the tram or bus stop labelled "the Zoo" or such), ☏ +48 32 793 71 66, . Large zoo on the border of Katowice and Chorzów. (updated Oct 2019)
  • 🌍 Silesian Amusement Park Legendia (Legendia Śląskie Wesołe Miasteczko), Plac Atrakcji 1 41-501 Chorzów (Next to the Silesian Culture and Recreation Park. Between Chorzów and Katowice. Take a tram or bus from one of the city centers towards the other, exit near the park, preferably at the tram or bus stop labelled "the Amusement Park" or such), ☏ +48 666 031 196, . The oldest amusement park in Poland, on the border of Katowice and Chorzów. (updated Oct 2019)
  • 🌍 Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park, ul. Parkowa 25 41-500 Chorzów (Next to the Silesian Culture and Recreation Park. Between Chorzów and Katowice. Take a tram or bus from one of the city centers towards the other, exit near the park (close to the Silesian Stadium), preferably at the tram or bus stop labelled "the Stadium" or such). An open-air museum. One of the oldest notable buildings found there is a 19th-century windmill. (updated Oct 2022)
  • 🌍 Nature-landscape protected area "Żabie Doły" (at the border with Bytom and Piekary Śląskie). Nature-landscape protected area "Żabie Doły" is a nature and landscape protected area. At Żabie Doły, 129 species of birds have been identified, including 70 nesting species and 17 species rare in the region. Other fauna and flora is also well represented.The name ""Żabie Doły" can be roughly translated as "Frog Ditches". (updated Oct 2022)
  • 🌍 Nature-landscape protected area of "Uroczysko Buczyna" (at the border with Katowice and Ruda Śląska). Nature-landscape protected area "Uroczysko Buczyna" is another natural landmark around Chorzów. (updated Oct 2022)
  • 🌍 Chorzów Museum (Muzeum w Chorzowie), ul. Powstańców 25 41-500 Chorzów. Small museum near the city center. (updated Oct 2022)
  • 🌍 Museum of Metallurgy in Chorzów (Muzeum Hutnictwa w Chorzowie), ul. Metalowców 4a. Large and modern museum dedicated to the local steelmaking industry. (updated Oct 2022)
  • 🌍 Town Square in Chorzów (Ratusz w Chorzowie), Rynek 1. A historical town hall from 1876 located on the old market square in the center of the town. (updated Nov 2022)
  • 🌍 Main post office in Chorzów (Gmach poczty w Chorzowie), ul. Wolności 2. Historical building from 1892, one of the city's landmarks, located in the town's center. (updated Nov 2022)
  • 🌍 Building of the Municipal Savings Bank in Chorzów (Budynek Komunalnej Kasy Oszczędności w Chorzowie), ul. Zjednoczenia 1. An example of pre-WWII architecture, this ~40m tall building completed in 1935 was one of the three tallest buildings in pre-war Poland. (updated Nov 2022)
  • 🌍 Elżbieta shaft complex (Zespół szybu Elżbieta), ul. Siemianowicka 64. Brick buildings of the liquidated Elżbieta King Coal Mine shaft from the beginning of the 20th century, resembling a small palace. (updated Nov 2022)
  • 🌍 Kalide House (Dom Kalidego), ul. Teodora Kalidego 1. house for officials from local factories built in 1802, one of the oldest surviving houses in the town, and representative of the worker's houses from that period, build in one of the older worker districts of the town. (updated Nov 2022)
  • 🌍 Saint Barbara church (Kościół św. Barbary), ul. 3 Maja 18. A church from the second half of the 19th century. (updated Nov 2022)
  • 🌍 Saint Elizabeth church (Kościół im. Elżbiety), ul. Katowicka 92. Lutheran church from mid-19th century. (updated Nov 2022)
  • 🌍 Saint Jadwiga church (Kościół św. Jadwigi Śląskiej), ul. Wolności 51. Neoromanesque church from mid-1870s. (updated Nov 2022)
  • 🌍 Saint Joseph church (Kościół św. Józefa), ul. Łagiewnicka 17. A church from 1910s. (updated Nov 2022)
  • 🌍 Martin Luther church (Kościół im. ks. Marcina Lutra), ul. Powstańców 13. A church from late 1890s. (updated Nov 2022)
  • 🌍 Saint Laurence church (Kościół św. Wawrzyńca), ul. Marii Konopnickiej 29. A wooden church from 1599, formerly from Knurów village, moved to Chorzów in 1930s. (updated Nov 2022)
  • 🌍 Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Kościół Wniebowzięcia Najświętszej Maryi Panny), ul. Farna 3. A church built at the turn of the century (1898–1901). (updated Nov 2022)

Do

  • 🌍 Teatr Rozrywki, ul. M. Konopnickiej 1, Chorzów (Near the city center, close to many tram and bus stops). A large theatre in Chorzów. (updated Oct 2022)
  • 🌍 Silesian Stadium (Stadion Śląski), ul. Katowicka 10 41-500 Chorzów (In the Silesian Culture and Recreation Park. Between Chorzów and Katowice. Take a tram or bus from one of the city centers towards the other, exit near the park, preferably at the tram or bus stop labelled "the Stadium" or such). Silesian Stadium is a former home stadium for the Polish national football team, and used for international football games and other events (for example, it has held the Speedway World Championships four times). The stadium also hosts large music concerts. Throughout its history it featured such artists and groups as The Rolling Stones, Metallica, Guns N' Roses, AC/DC, U2, Iron Maiden, Linkin Park, Pearl Jam and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. (updated Oct 2022)
  • Football: Ruch Chorzów were promoted in 2023 and now play soccer in Ekstraklasa, the top tier. Their home ground Ruch Stadium (capacity 9300) is 1.5 km south of town centre.

Festivals

List of cyclical mass and cultural events taking place in Chorzów:

  • City Festival - Celebrations of the city festival are always held at the beginning of June, they are associated with the anniversary of the arrival of the Holy Sepulcher to Chorzów. The whole ceremony begins with a solemn procession that marches from the church of St. Jadwiga to the city stadium at ul. Lompy. Students of Chorzów schools and representatives of youth organizations and sports sections go in the parade. The next item on the agenda are artistic performances on a specially prepared stage at the city stadium.
  • Beer Festival - held every September in the Fields of Mars in the Park of Culture.
  • Celebrations of Independence Day and the Constitution of May 3 - are always held on November 11 and May 3. They begin with a solemn mass. in the church of St. Barbara, and then the gathered people march to the Monument to the Silesian Insurgent, where flowers are laid. The celebrations are attended by the city authorities, schools in Chorzów, and representatives of youth and social organizations.
  • Chorzów Anniversary Feast (Chorzowska Biesiada Rocznicowa) - an annual feast organized by the Municipal Recreation and Sports Center around November 11 .
  • Bluestracja - blues festival organized by MDK Batory in late April
  • If summer ends festival - alternative music festival organized by MDK Batory around August or September
  • Garden Theater in Chorzów (Chorzowski Teatr Ogrodowy) - a theater review organized in August in the area of ​​the former Prezydent mine, in the Liquid Air Warehouse of the Sztygarka center in Chorzów.
  • Port Poetycki - a cultural event bringing together poets, musicians and visual artists, held in June at the site of the former President Mine, in the Liquid Air Warehouse of the Sztygarka center in Chorzów.
  • Music Festival Ryśka Riedla Ku Przestrodze - music festival that has been taking place since 1999. Organized by Adam Antosiewicz. Since 2009, the festival has been held in the Fields of Mars in the Silesian Park.
  • Chorzów Christmas Market - an annual Christmas market.

Buy

There are plenty of small shops in the town, as well as several larger shopping malls.

  • 🌍 AKS Shopping Center (Galeria Handlowa AKS), ul. Parkowa 20. (updated Nov 2022)
  • 🌍 S1 Shopping Center (Centrum Handlowe S1), Strzelców Bytomskich 42. (updated Nov 2022)

Eat

Drink

Sleep

There are multiple hotels in Chorzów.

Go next

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