Silesian Voivodeship
Encyclopedia
Silesian Voivodeship, or Silesia Province (in Polish
, województwo śląskie w), is a voivodeship
, or province
, in southern Poland, centering on the historic region known as Upper Silesia
(Górny Śląsk). Its capital is Katowice
.
It was created on January 1, 1999, out of the former Katowice, Częstochowa and Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship
s, pursuant to the Polish local government reforms adopted in 1998.
and King Arnulf of Carinthia
in the 9th century, Silesia
was a part of Greater Moravia; after its destruction in the early 10th century, it was conquered by Bohemia
. A number of earlier inhabitants of Silesia, the Silingi
, remained in the region and they concentrated around the Zobten mountain and in a settlement named Niempsch (derived from a Slavic name for Germans).
Upper Silesia was soon conquered by the newly installed dukes of the Polans
and for several hundred years was part of Poland
. This arrangement fell apart and, during the re-establishment of Poland under Casimir the Great, all of Silesia was specifically excluded as non-Polish land. In 1335 it came back under the rule of the Kingdom of Bohemia
. Many towns were destroyed by the Mongols at the Battle of Legnica
but were later rebuilt. By the 14th century, the influx of settlers into Upper Silesia stopped because of the plague. Latin, Czech and German language were used in the towns and cities and only in the 1550s (during the Protestant Reformation
) did records with Polish names start to appear. The Roman Catholic
Holy Roman Emperor
s of the Habsburg
dynasty forcibly reintroduced Catholicism, led by the Jesuits
.
Lower Silesia and most of Upper Silesia became part of the Kingdom of Prussia
in 1742 during the First Silesian War
. A small part remained within the Habsburg-ruled Bohemian Crown as the Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia, colloquially called Austrian Silesia
.
In the 19th century, Upper Silesia became an industrial area taking advantage of its plentiful coal
and iron ore.
In 1919, after World War I
, the eastern part (with a majority of ethnic Poles) came under Polish rule as the Silesian Voivodeship, while the mostly German-speaking western part remained part of the German Reich as the Province of Upper Silesia
. From 1919-1921 three Silesian Uprisings
occurred among the Polish-speaking populace of Upper Silesia; the Battle of Annaberg
was fought in the region in 1921. In the Upper Silesia plebiscite
, a majority of 60% voted against merging with Poland, with clear lines dividing Polish and German communities. The exact border, the maintenance of cross-border railway traffic and other necessary co-operations, as well as equal rights for all inhabitants in both parts of Upper Silesia, were all fixed by the German-Polish Accord on East Silesia, signed in Geneva on May 15, 1922. On June 20, Germany
ceded, de facto, the eastern parts of Upper Silesia, becoming part of the Silesian Voivodeship of Poland
.
After 1945, almost all of Upper Silesia that was not ceded to Poland
in 1922 was transferred to this state. A majority of the German-speaking population was expelled in accordance with the decision of the victorious Allied powers at their 1945 meeting at Potsdam
. This expulsion program also included German speaking inhabitants of Lower Silesia, eastern Pomerania, Gdańsk
(Danzig), and East Prussia. These German expellees were transported to the present day Germany (including the former East Germany), and they were replaced with Poles, many from former Polish provinces taken over by the USSR in the east. A good many German-speaking Upper Silesians were relocated in Bavaria. A small part of Upper Silesia stayed as part of Czechoslovakia
as Czech Silesia
.
The expulsions of German-speakers did not totally eliminate the presence of a population that considered itself German. Upper Silesia, in 1945, had a considerable number of Roman Catholic mixed bilingual inhabitants that spoke both German and Polish dialects, and their Polish linguistic skills were solid enough for them to be allowed to remain in the area. With the fall of communism and Poland joining the European Union, there were enough of these remaining in Upper Silesia to allow for the recognition of the German minority in Poland
by the Polish government.
and Slovakia
to the south. It is also bordered by four other Polish voivodeships: those of Opole
(to the west), Łódź (to the north), Świętokrzyskie
(to the north-east), and Lesser Poland
(to the east).
The region includes the Silesian Upland (Wyżyna Śląska) in the centre and north-west, and the Krakowsko-Częstochowska Upland (Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska) in the north-east. The southern border is formed by the Beskidy Mountains (Beskid Śląski and Beskid Żywiecki).
The current administrative unit of Silesian Voivodeship is just a fraction of the historical Silesia
which is within the borders of today's Poland (there are also fragments of Silesia in the Czech Republic and Germany). Other parts of today's Polish Silesia are administered as the Opole and the Lower Silesian Voivodeships. On the other hand, a large part of the current administrative unit of the Silesian Voivodeship is not part of historical Silesia (e.g., Częstochowa
, Zawiercie
, Myszków
, Jaworzno
, Sosnowiec
, Żywiec
, Dąbrowa Górnicza
, Będzin
and east part of Bielsko-Biała
, which are historically Lesser Poland
).
is surrounded by a green belt
. Bielsko-Biała
is enveloped by the magnificent Beskidy Mountains which are particularly popular with winter sports fans. This genuine skier's paradise offers over 150 ski lifts and 200 kilometres of ski routes. More and more slopes are illuminated and equipped with artificial snow generators. Szczyrk
, Brenna, Wisła and Ustroń
are the most popular winter mountain resorts. Rock climbing sites can be found in admirable corners of Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska. The ruins of castles forming the Eagle Nests Trail
are a famous attraction of the region. While in Silesia, one cannot miss the Black Madonna
's Jasna Góra Sanctuary in Częstochowa
- the annual destination of over 4 million pilgrims from all over the world.
With its more than two centuries of industrialisation history, region has a number of technical heritage memorials. These include narrow and standard gauge railways, coal and silver mines, shafts and its equipment from 19th and 20th century.
). In all it has 71 cities and towns (with legal city rights), listed below in descending order of population (according to official figures for 2006):
mining is derived from one of the world's largest bituminous coal
fields of the Upper Silesian Industrial District (Górnośląski Okręg Przemysłowy) and the Rybnik
Coal District (Rybnicki Okręg Węglowy) with its major cities Rybnik
, Jastrzębie Zdrój
, Żory
and Wodzisław Śląski. Lead
and zinc
can be found near Bytom
, Zawiercie
and Tarnowskie Góry
; iron ore and raw materials for building - near Częstochowa
. The most important regional industries are: mining, iron, lead and zinc metallurgy, power industry, engineering, automobile, chemical, building materials and textile. In the past, the Silesian economy was determined by coal mining. Now, considering the investment volume, car manufacturing is becoming more and more important. The most profitable company in the region is Fiat
Auto-Poland S.A. in Bielsko-Biała with a revenue of PLN 6.2 billion in 1997. Recently a new car factory has been opened by GM Opel
in Gliwice. There are two Special Economic Zone
s in the area: Katowice and Częstochowa. The voivodship's economy consists of about 323,000, mostly small and medium-sized, enterprises employing over 3 million people. The biggest Polish steel-works "Huta Katowice" is situated in Dąbrowa Górnicza
.
Silesian Voivodship is also one of the richiest regions in Poland. Average salary is about 3 800 zlotychs (over 1 200 EUR).
Katowice International Airport
(in Tarnowskie Góry County
) is used for domestic and international flights, Other Nearby Airports are John Paul II International Airport Kraków-Balice
and Warsaw Frédéric Chopin Airport
. The Silesian agglomeration railway network has the largest concentration in the country. The voivodship capital enjoys good railway and road connections with Kraków
(motorway A4
), Wrocław (motorway A4), Łódź and Warsaw
. It is also the crossing point for many international routes like E40
connecting Calais
, Brussels
, Cologne
, Dresden
, Wrocław, Kraków
and Kiev
and E75
from Scandinavia
to the Balkans
. A relatively short distance to Vienna
facilitates cross-border co-operation and may positively influence the process of European integration.
Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa (known by its acronym LHS, English: Broad gauge metallurgy line) in Sławków is the longest broad gauge
railway line
in Poland. The line runs on a single track for almost 400 km from the Polish-Ukrainian
border, crossing it just east of Hrubieszów
. It is the westernmost broad gauge railway line in Europe that is connected to the broad gauge rail system of the countries of the former Soviet Union.
in Katowice
, with 43,000 students. The region's capital boasts the Medical University
, The Karol Adamiecki University of Economics in Katowice
, the University of Music in Katowice
, the Physical Education Academy and the Academy of Fine Arts. Częstochowa
is the seat of the Częstochowa University of Technology
and Pedagogic University. The Silesian University of Technology
in Gliwice
is nationally renowned. Bielsko-Biała
is home of the Technical-Humanistic Academy. In addition, 17 new private schools have been established in the region.
There are more than 300,000 people studying in the voivodship.
The Sejmik of Silesia consists of 48 members.
s). These include 19 city counties (far more than any other voivodeship) and 17 land counties. The counties are further divided into 167 gmina
s.
The counties are listed in the following table (ordering within categories is by decreasing population).
s in Silesian Voivodeship include eight areas designated as Landscape Parks
:
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
, województwo śląskie w), is a voivodeship
Voivodeship
Voivodship is a term denoting the position of, or more commonly the area administered by, a voivod. Voivodeships have existed since medieval times in Poland, Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Serbia....
, or province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
, in southern Poland, centering on the historic region known as Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
(Górny Śląsk). Its capital is Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
.
It was created on January 1, 1999, out of the former Katowice, Częstochowa and Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship
Voivodeship
Voivodship is a term denoting the position of, or more commonly the area administered by, a voivod. Voivodeships have existed since medieval times in Poland, Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Serbia....
s, pursuant to the Polish local government reforms adopted in 1998.
History
The Silesian voivodeship is historically territorially aligned with the European region of Upper SilesiaUpper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
History of Upper Silesia
At the time of Svatopluk ISvatopluk I
Svatopluk I or Zwentibald I was the greatest ruler of Moravia that attained its maximum territorial expansion in his reign . His career had already started in the 860s, when he governed a principality, the location of which is still a matter of debate among historians, within Moravia under the...
and King Arnulf of Carinthia
Arnulf of Carinthia
Arnulf of Carinthia was the Carolingian King of East Francia from 887, the disputed King of Italy from 894 and the disputed Holy Roman Emperor from February 22, 896 until his death.-Birth and Illegitimacy:...
in the 9th century, Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
was a part of Greater Moravia; after its destruction in the early 10th century, it was conquered by Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
. A number of earlier inhabitants of Silesia, the Silingi
Silingi
The Silings or Silingi supposedly were an East Germanic tribe, probably part of the larger Vandal group. According to most scholars, examples Jerzy Strzelczyk, Norman Davies, Jerzy Krasuski, Andrzej Kokowski, Henryk Łowmiański, the Silingi may have lived in Silesia...
, remained in the region and they concentrated around the Zobten mountain and in a settlement named Niempsch (derived from a Slavic name for Germans).
Upper Silesia was soon conquered by the newly installed dukes of the Polans
Polans
Polans may refer to two Slavic tribes:* Polans , in the area of Dnieper river* Polans , in the area of Warta. The tribe unified most of the lands of present-day Poland under the Piast dynasty....
and for several hundred years was part of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. This arrangement fell apart and, during the re-establishment of Poland under Casimir the Great, all of Silesia was specifically excluded as non-Polish land. In 1335 it came back under the rule of the Kingdom of Bohemia
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...
. Many towns were destroyed by the Mongols at the Battle of Legnica
Battle of Legnica
The Battle of Legnica , also known as the Battle of Liegnitz or Battle of Wahlstatt , was a battle between the Mongol Empire and the combined defending forces of European fighters that took place at Legnickie Pole near the city of Legnica in Silesia on 9 April 1241.A combined force of Poles,...
but were later rebuilt. By the 14th century, the influx of settlers into Upper Silesia stopped because of the plague. Latin, Czech and German language were used in the towns and cities and only in the 1550s (during the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
) did records with Polish names start to appear. The Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
s of the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
dynasty forcibly reintroduced Catholicism, led by the Jesuits
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
.
Lower Silesia and most of Upper Silesia became part of the Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
in 1742 during the First Silesian War
Silesian Wars
The Silesian Wars were a series of wars between Prussia and Austria for control of Silesia. They formed parts of the larger War of the Austrian Succession and Seven Years' War. They eventually ended with Silesia being incorporated into Prussia, and Austrian recognition of this...
. A small part remained within the Habsburg-ruled Bohemian Crown as the Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia, colloquially called Austrian Silesia
Austrian Silesia
Austrian Silesia , officially the Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia was an autonomous region of the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Austrian Empire, from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
.
In the 19th century, Upper Silesia became an industrial area taking advantage of its plentiful coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
and iron ore.
In 1919, after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the eastern part (with a majority of ethnic Poles) came under Polish rule as the Silesian Voivodeship, while the mostly German-speaking western part remained part of the German Reich as the Province of Upper Silesia
Province of Upper Silesia
The Province of Upper Silesia was a province of the Free State of Prussia created in the aftermath of World War I. It comprised much of the region of Upper Silesia and was eventually divided into two administrative regions , Kattowitz and Oppeln...
. From 1919-1921 three Silesian Uprisings
Silesian Uprisings
The Silesian Uprisings were a series of three armed uprisings of the Poles and Polish Silesians of Upper Silesia, from 1919–1921, against German rule; the resistance hoped to break away from Germany in order to join the Second Polish Republic, which had been established in the wake of World War I...
occurred among the Polish-speaking populace of Upper Silesia; the Battle of Annaberg
Battle of Annaberg
The Battle of Annaberg or Storming of Annaberg was the biggest battle of the Silesian Uprisings. The battle, which took place between May 21–26, 1921, was fought at the Annaberg , a strategic hill near the village of Annaberg O.S. , located southeast of Oppeln in Upper Silesia, Weimar...
was fought in the region in 1921. In the Upper Silesia plebiscite
Upper Silesia plebiscite
The Upper Silesia plebiscite was a border referendum mandated by the Versailles Treaty and carried out in March 1921 to determine a section of the border between Weimar Germany and Poland. The region was ethnically mixed, chiefly among Germans, Poles and Silesians. According to prewar statistics,...
, a majority of 60% voted against merging with Poland, with clear lines dividing Polish and German communities. The exact border, the maintenance of cross-border railway traffic and other necessary co-operations, as well as equal rights for all inhabitants in both parts of Upper Silesia, were all fixed by the German-Polish Accord on East Silesia, signed in Geneva on May 15, 1922. On June 20, Germany
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
ceded, de facto, the eastern parts of Upper Silesia, becoming part of the Silesian Voivodeship of Poland
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
.
After 1945, almost all of Upper Silesia that was not ceded to Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in 1922 was transferred to this state. A majority of the German-speaking population was expelled in accordance with the decision of the victorious Allied powers at their 1945 meeting at Potsdam
Potsdam Agreement
The Potsdam Agreement was the Allied plan of tripartite military occupation and reconstruction of Germany—referring to the German Reich with its pre-war 1937 borders including the former eastern territories—and the entire European Theatre of War territory...
. This expulsion program also included German speaking inhabitants of Lower Silesia, eastern Pomerania, Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
(Danzig), and East Prussia. These German expellees were transported to the present day Germany (including the former East Germany), and they were replaced with Poles, many from former Polish provinces taken over by the USSR in the east. A good many German-speaking Upper Silesians were relocated in Bavaria. A small part of Upper Silesia stayed as part of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
as Czech Silesia
Czech Silesia
Czech Silesia is an unofficial name of one of the three Czech lands and a section of the Silesian historical region. It is located in the north-east of the Czech Republic, predominantly in the Moravian-Silesian Region, with a section in the northern Olomouc Region...
.
The expulsions of German-speakers did not totally eliminate the presence of a population that considered itself German. Upper Silesia, in 1945, had a considerable number of Roman Catholic mixed bilingual inhabitants that spoke both German and Polish dialects, and their Polish linguistic skills were solid enough for them to be allowed to remain in the area. With the fall of communism and Poland joining the European Union, there were enough of these remaining in Upper Silesia to allow for the recognition of the German minority in Poland
German minority in Poland
The registered German minority in Poland consists of 152,900 people, according to a 2002 census.The German language is used in certain areas in Opole Voivodeship , where most of the minority resides...
by the Polish government.
Geography
Silesian Voivodeship borders both the Czech RepublicCzech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
and Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
to the south. It is also bordered by four other Polish voivodeships: those of Opole
Opole Voivodeship
- Administrative division :Opole Voivodeship is divided into 12 counties : 1 city county and 11 land counties. These are further divided into 71 gminas.The counties are listed in the following table .- Economy :...
(to the west), Łódź (to the north), Świętokrzyskie
Swietokrzyskie Voivodeship
Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, or Świętokrzyskie Province , is one of the 16 voivodeships into which Poland is presently divided. It is situated in central Poland, in the historical province of Lesser Poland, and takes its name from the Świętokrzyskie mountain range...
(to the north-east), and Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland Voivodeship
Małopolska Voivodeship , or Lesser Poland Voivodeship, is a voivodeship, in southern Poland...
(to the east).
The region includes the Silesian Upland (Wyżyna Śląska) in the centre and north-west, and the Krakowsko-Częstochowska Upland (Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska) in the north-east. The southern border is formed by the Beskidy Mountains (Beskid Śląski and Beskid Żywiecki).
The current administrative unit of Silesian Voivodeship is just a fraction of the historical Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
which is within the borders of today's Poland (there are also fragments of Silesia in the Czech Republic and Germany). Other parts of today's Polish Silesia are administered as the Opole and the Lower Silesian Voivodeships. On the other hand, a large part of the current administrative unit of the Silesian Voivodeship is not part of historical Silesia (e.g., Częstochowa
Czestochowa
Częstochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta River with 240,027 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Częstochowa Voivodeship...
, Zawiercie
Zawiercie
Zawiercie is a city in the Silesian Voivodeship of southern Poland with 55,800 inhabitants . It is situated in the Kraków-Częstochowa highland near the source of the Warta River...
, Myszków
Myszków
Myszków is a town in Poland, with 33,016 inhabitants . It is the capital of Myszków County.Situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Czestochowa Voivodeship .-External links:...
, Jaworzno
Jaworzno
Jaworzno is a city in southern Poland, near Katowice. The east district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Przemsza river ....
, Sosnowiec
Sosnowiec
Sosnowiec is a city in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland, near Katowice. It is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a combined population of over two million people located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Brynica river .It is situated in...
, Żywiec
Zywiec
Żywiec is a town in south-central Poland with 32,242 inhabitants . Between 1975 and 1998, it was located within the Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship, but has since become part of the Silesian Voivodeship....
, Dąbrowa Górnicza
Dabrowa Górnicza
Dąbrowa Górnicza is a city in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland, nearby Katowice. The north-east district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of almost 3 millions...
, Będzin
Bedzin
Będzin is a city in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland. Located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Czarna Przemsza river , the city borders the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metro area with a population of about 2 million.It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since its...
and east part of Bielsko-Biała
Bielsko-Biała
-Economy and Industry:Nowadays Bielsko-Biała is one of the best-developed parts of Poland. It was ranked 2nd best city for business in that country by Forbes. About 5% of people are unemployed . Bielsko-Biała is famous for its textile, machine-building, and especially automotive industry...
, which are historically Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland is one of the historical regions of Poland, with its capital in the city of Kraków. It forms the southeastern corner of the country, and should not be confused with the modern Lesser Poland Voivodeship, which covers only a small, southern part of Lesser Poland...
).
Demography
Silesian Voivodeship has the highest population density in the country (379 people per square kilometre, compared to the national average of 124). The region's considerable industrialisation gives it the lowest unemployment rate nationally (6.2%). The Silesian region is the most industrialized and the most urbanized region in Poland: 78% of its population live in towns and cities.Tourism
Both northern and southern SilesiaSilesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
is surrounded by a green belt
Green belt
A green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
. Bielsko-Biała
Bielsko-Biała
-Economy and Industry:Nowadays Bielsko-Biała is one of the best-developed parts of Poland. It was ranked 2nd best city for business in that country by Forbes. About 5% of people are unemployed . Bielsko-Biała is famous for its textile, machine-building, and especially automotive industry...
is enveloped by the magnificent Beskidy Mountains which are particularly popular with winter sports fans. This genuine skier's paradise offers over 150 ski lifts and 200 kilometres of ski routes. More and more slopes are illuminated and equipped with artificial snow generators. Szczyrk
Szczyrk
Szczyrk is a town in the Beskid Śląski mountains of southern Poland, situated in the valley of the Żylica river. It is part of the Silesian Voivodeship , previously being part of the Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship . It has a population of 5,810 people .The town is a popular winter sports centre, with...
, Brenna, Wisła and Ustroń
Ustron
Ustroń is a health resort town in Cieszyn Silesia, southern Poland. It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , having previously been in Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship . It lies in the Silesian Beskids mountain range....
are the most popular winter mountain resorts. Rock climbing sites can be found in admirable corners of Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska. The ruins of castles forming the Eagle Nests Trail
Eagle Nests Trail
The Trail of the Eagles' Nests of south-western Poland, is a marked trail, named after a chain of 25 medieval castles which the trail passes by, between Częstochowa and Kraków. The Trail of the Eagles' Nests was first marked by Kazimierz Sosnowski...
are a famous attraction of the region. While in Silesia, one cannot miss the Black Madonna
Black Madonna
A Black Madonna or Black Virgin is a statue or painting of the Virgin Mary in which the Virgin Mary is black. The term was especially applied to those created in Europe in the medieval period or earlier...
's Jasna Góra Sanctuary in Częstochowa
Czestochowa
Częstochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta River with 240,027 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Częstochowa Voivodeship...
- the annual destination of over 4 million pilgrims from all over the world.
With its more than two centuries of industrialisation history, region has a number of technical heritage memorials. These include narrow and standard gauge railways, coal and silver mines, shafts and its equipment from 19th and 20th century.
Cities and towns
Due to its industrial and urban nature, the voivodeship has many cities and large towns. Of Poland's 40 most-populous cities, 12 are in Silesian Voivodeship. 19 of the cities in the voivodeship have the legal status of city-county (see powiatPowiat
A powiat is the second-level unit of local government and administration in Poland, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture in other countries. The term powiat is most often translated into English as "county", although other terms are also sometimes used...
). In all it has 71 cities and towns (with legal city rights), listed below in descending order of population (according to official figures for 2006):
Economy
The Silesian voivodship is predominantly an industrial region. Most of themining is derived from one of the world's largest bituminous coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
fields of the Upper Silesian Industrial District (Górnośląski Okręg Przemysłowy) and the Rybnik
Rybnik
Rybnik is a city in southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship. Rybnik is located close to the border with the Czech Republic and just outside the southern border of the largest urban area in Poland, the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union...
Coal District (Rybnicki Okręg Węglowy) with its major cities Rybnik
Rybnik
Rybnik is a city in southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship. Rybnik is located close to the border with the Czech Republic and just outside the southern border of the largest urban area in Poland, the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union...
, Jastrzębie Zdrój
Jastrzebie Zdrój
Jastrzębie-Zdrój is a city in south Poland with 92,462 inhabitants . Its name comes from the Polish words jastrząb and zdrój . Until the 20th century it was a spa village situated in Upper Silesia. It was granted city rights in 1963...
, Żory
Zory
Żory is a town and city county in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland with 62,625 inhabitants . Previously it was in Katowice Voivodeship . It is located in the historic Upper Silesia region about southwest of Katowice.- History :...
and Wodzisław Śląski. Lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
and zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
can be found near Bytom
Bytom
Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since...
, Zawiercie
Zawiercie
Zawiercie is a city in the Silesian Voivodeship of southern Poland with 55,800 inhabitants . It is situated in the Kraków-Częstochowa highland near the source of the Warta River...
and Tarnowskie Góry
Tarnowskie Góry
Tarnowskie Góry is a town in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Borders on the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Located in the Silesian Highlands....
; iron ore and raw materials for building - near Częstochowa
Czestochowa
Częstochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta River with 240,027 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Częstochowa Voivodeship...
. The most important regional industries are: mining, iron, lead and zinc metallurgy, power industry, engineering, automobile, chemical, building materials and textile. In the past, the Silesian economy was determined by coal mining. Now, considering the investment volume, car manufacturing is becoming more and more important. The most profitable company in the region is Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
Auto-Poland S.A. in Bielsko-Biała with a revenue of PLN 6.2 billion in 1997. Recently a new car factory has been opened by GM Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
in Gliwice. There are two Special Economic Zone
Special Economic Zone
A Special Economic Zone is a geographical region that has economic and other laws that are more free-market-oriented than a country's typical or national laws...
s in the area: Katowice and Częstochowa. The voivodship's economy consists of about 323,000, mostly small and medium-sized, enterprises employing over 3 million people. The biggest Polish steel-works "Huta Katowice" is situated in Dąbrowa Górnicza
Dabrowa Górnicza
Dąbrowa Górnicza is a city in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland, nearby Katowice. The north-east district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of almost 3 millions...
.
Silesian Voivodship is also one of the richiest regions in Poland. Average salary is about 3 800 zlotychs (over 1 200 EUR).
Transport
Katowice International Airport
Katowice International Airport is an international airport, located in Pyrzowice, north of center of Katowice, Poland. The airport has third biggest passenger flow in Poland....
(in Tarnowskie Góry County
Tarnowskie Góry County
Tarnowskie Góry County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Tarnowskie Góry,...
) is used for domestic and international flights, Other Nearby Airports are John Paul II International Airport Kraków-Balice
John Paul II International Airport Kraków-Balice
-Traffic:Figures in MillionsThe busiest international routes are to London and Dublin.-Getting there:In addition to road access by private car or taxi, other options are:-By train:...
and Warsaw Frédéric Chopin Airport
Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport
Warsaw Chopin Airport is an international airport located in the Włochy district of Warsaw, Poland. Poland's busiest airport, Warsaw Chopin handles just under 50% of the country's air passenger traffic....
. The Silesian agglomeration railway network has the largest concentration in the country. The voivodship capital enjoys good railway and road connections with Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
(motorway A4
Autostrada A4 (Poland)
The autostrada A4 in Poland is a motorway which runs from west to east through southern Poland, from the Polish-German border in Zgorzelec , through Wrocław, Katowice, Kraków, Tarnów, and Rzeszów to the Polish-Ukrainian border at Korczowa. The motorway is a part of the European route E40...
), Wrocław (motorway A4), Łódź and Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. It is also the crossing point for many international routes like E40
European route E40
European route E 40 is the longest European route, more than long, connecting Calais in France via Belgium, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan, with Ridder in Kazakhstan near the border to China....
connecting Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, Wrocław, Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
and Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
and E75
European route E75
European route E 75 is part of the International E-road network, which is a series of main roads in Europe.The E 75 starts from Vardø, Norway in the Barents Sea and runs south through Finland, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia and Republic of Macedonia to Sitia, Greece on...
from Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
to the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. A relatively short distance to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
facilitates cross-border co-operation and may positively influence the process of European integration.
Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa (known by its acronym LHS, English: Broad gauge metallurgy line) in Sławków is the longest broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
railway line
Rail tracks
The track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
in Poland. The line runs on a single track for almost 400 km from the Polish-Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
border, crossing it just east of Hrubieszów
Hrubieszów
Hrubieszów is a town in southeastern Poland, with a population of 18,661 . It is the capital of Hrubieszów County. Since 1999 Hrubieszów has been part of Lublin Voivodeship . Earlier, 1975–98, it had been part of Zamość Province...
. It is the westernmost broad gauge railway line in Europe that is connected to the broad gauge rail system of the countries of the former Soviet Union.
Education
There are eleven public universities in the voivodship. The biggest university is the University of SilesiaUniversity of Silesia
The University of Silesia in Katowice is an autonomous state university in Silesia Province, Poland.The University of Silesia should not be confused with a similarly named university in Opava, Czech Republic ....
in Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
, with 43,000 students. The region's capital boasts the Medical University
Medical University of Silesia
The Medical University of Silesia is located in Katowice, Poland. Established on March 20, 1948, it is reportedly the largest Medical school in Poland....
, The Karol Adamiecki University of Economics in Katowice
University of Economics in Katowice
The University of Economics in Katowice , is the only state university specializing in Economics and Business studies in the region. It has an annual enrollment about 13,500 students, and has 480 teachers. It was founded in 1937 as the College of Social and Economic Sciences, closing because of...
, the University of Music in Katowice
University of Music in Katowice
University of Music in Katowice is one of the leading musical schools in Poland. It is located in Katowice, Silesia...
, the Physical Education Academy and the Academy of Fine Arts. Częstochowa
Czestochowa
Częstochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta River with 240,027 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Częstochowa Voivodeship...
is the seat of the Częstochowa University of Technology
Czestochowa University of Technology
Częstochowa University of Technology - the oldest higher education institution in Częstochowa, Poland.-General information:...
and Pedagogic University. The Silesian University of Technology
Silesian University of Technology
Silesian University of Technology is a university located in Gliwice, Silesia, Poland. It was founded in 1945 by Polish professors of the Lwow Polytechnic, who were forced to leave their native city and move to the Recovered Territories .The Silesian University of Technology has 12...
in Gliwice
Gliwice
Gliwice is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Gliwice is the west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union – a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
is nationally renowned. Bielsko-Biała
Bielsko-Biała
-Economy and Industry:Nowadays Bielsko-Biała is one of the best-developed parts of Poland. It was ranked 2nd best city for business in that country by Forbes. About 5% of people are unemployed . Bielsko-Biała is famous for its textile, machine-building, and especially automotive industry...
is home of the Technical-Humanistic Academy. In addition, 17 new private schools have been established in the region.
There are more than 300,000 people studying in the voivodship.
Politics
The Silesian voivodeship's government is headed by the province's voivode (governor) who is appointed by the Polish Prime Minister. The voivode is then assisted in performing his duties by the voivodeship's marshal, who is the appointed speaker for the voivodeship's executive and is elected by the sejmik (provincial assembly). The current voivode of Silesia is Zygmunt Łukaszczyk, whilst the present marshal is Bogusław Śmigielski.The Sejmik of Silesia consists of 48 members.
| Silesian Regional Assembly elections on 21 November 2010 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | |Votes | |Percent | |Seats |
| Civic Platform Civic Platform Civic Platform , abbreviated to PO, is a centre-right, liberal conservative political party in Poland. It has been the major coalition partner in Poland's government since the 2007 general election, with party leader Donald Tusk as Prime Minister of Poland and Bronisław Komorowski as President... (PO) |
? | 33,7% | 22 |
| Law and Justice Law and Justice Law and Justice , abbreviated to PiS, is a right-wing, conservative political party in Poland. With 147 seats in the Sejm and 38 in the Senate, it is the second-largest party in the Polish parliament.... (PiS) |
? | 20,8% | 11 |
| Left and Democrats Left and Democrats Left and Democrats was a centre-left political coalition in Poland which was created on September 3, 2006, before the Warsaw municipal election of 2006. The coalition's aim was to provide an alternative for both the national-conservative Law and Justice party and the liberal-conservative Civic... (SLD) |
? | 16,4% | 10 |
| Silesian Autonomy Movement Silesian Autonomy Movement The Silesian Autonomy Movement is a movement officially declaring its support for the autonomy of Silesia as part of a unified Europe. The association was founded in January 1990 by Rudolf Kołodziejczyk and is based in the Polish part of Upper Silesia... (RAS) |
122,781 | 8.49% | 3 |
| Polish People's Party (PSL) | ? | 7,10% | 2 |
Administrative division
Silesian Voivodeship is divided into 36 counties (powiatPowiat
A powiat is the second-level unit of local government and administration in Poland, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture in other countries. The term powiat is most often translated into English as "county", although other terms are also sometimes used...
s). These include 19 city counties (far more than any other voivodeship) and 17 land counties. The counties are further divided into 167 gmina
Gmina
The gmina is the principal unit of administrative division of Poland at its lowest uniform level. It is often translated as "commune" or "municipality." As of 2010 there were 2,479 gminas throughout the country...
s.
The counties are listed in the following table (ordering within categories is by decreasing population).
| English and Polish names |
Area (km²) |
Population (2006) |
Seat | Other towns | Total gmina Gmina The gmina is the principal unit of administrative division of Poland at its lowest uniform level. It is often translated as "commune" or "municipality." As of 2010 there were 2,479 gminas throughout the country... s |
| City counties | |||||
| Katowice Katowice Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2... |
165 | 315,996 | 1 | ||
| Częstochowa Czestochowa Częstochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta River with 240,027 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Częstochowa Voivodeship... |
160 | 246,129 | 1 | ||
| Sosnowiec Sosnowiec Sosnowiec is a city in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland, near Katowice. It is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a combined population of over two million people located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Brynica river .It is situated in... |
91 | 225,202 | 1 | ||
| Gliwice Gliwice Gliwice is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Gliwice is the west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union – a metropolis with a population of 2 million... |
134 | 199,099 | 1 | ||
| Zabrze Zabrze Zabrze is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union is a metropolis with a population of around 2 million... |
80 | 190,610 | 1 | ||
| Bytom Bytom Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since... |
69 | 187,205 | 1 | ||
| Bielsko-Biała Bielsko-Biała -Economy and Industry:Nowadays Bielsko-Biała is one of the best-developed parts of Poland. It was ranked 2nd best city for business in that country by Forbes. About 5% of people are unemployed . Bielsko-Biała is famous for its textile, machine-building, and especially automotive industry... |
125 | 176,678 | 1 | ||
| Ruda Śląska Ruda Slaska Ruda Śląska is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. It is a district in the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union, a metropolis with a population of 2 million. It is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Kłodnica river .... |
78 | 145,929 | 1 | ||
| Rybnik Rybnik Rybnik is a city in southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship. Rybnik is located close to the border with the Czech Republic and just outside the southern border of the largest urban area in Poland, the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union... |
148 | 141,382 | 1 | ||
| Tychy Tychy Tychy is a city in Silesia, Poland, approximately south of Katowice. Situated on the southern edge of the Upper Silesian industrial district, the city borders Katowice to the north, Mikołów to the west, Bieruń to the east and Kobiór to the south... |
82 | 130,842 | 1 | ||
| Dąbrowa Górnicza Dabrowa Górnicza Dąbrowa Górnicza is a city in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland, nearby Katowice. The north-east district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of almost 3 millions... |
188 | 129,753 | 1 | ||
| Chorzów Chorzów Chorzów is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a population of 2 million... |
33 | 114,434 | 1 | ||
| Jaworzno Jaworzno Jaworzno is a city in southern Poland, near Katowice. The east district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Przemsza river .... |
152 | 96,051 | 1 | ||
| Jastrzębie-Zdrój | 85 | 95,149 | 1 | ||
| Mysłowice | 66 | 74,988 | 1 | ||
| Siemianowice Śląskie Siemianowice Slaskie Siemianowice Śląskie aka Siemianowice ; is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions... |
25 | 72,451 | 1 | ||
| Żory Zory Żory is a town and city county in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland with 62,625 inhabitants . Previously it was in Katowice Voivodeship . It is located in the historic Upper Silesia region about southwest of Katowice.- History :... |
65 | 62,625 | 1 | ||
| Piekary Śląskie Piekary Slaskie Piekary Śląskie is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The north district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 million... |
40 | 59,494 | 1 | ||
| Świętochłowice | 13 | 55,172 | 1 | ||
| Land counties | |||||
| Cieszyn County Cieszyn County Cieszyn County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland, on the Czech and Slovak border. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998... powiat cieszyński |
730 | 171,029 | Cieszyn Cieszyn Cieszyn is a border-town and the seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has 36,109 inhabitants . Cieszyn lies on the Olza River, a tributary of the Oder river, opposite Český Těšín.... |
Ustroń Ustron Ustroń is a health resort town in Cieszyn Silesia, southern Poland. It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , having previously been in Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship . It lies in the Silesian Beskids mountain range.... , Skoczów Skoczów Skoczów is a town and the seat of Gmina Skoczów in Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland with 14,783 inhabitants . It lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia.... , Wisła, Strumień Strumien Strumień is a town and the seat of Gmina Strumień, in Cieszyn County, in the Silesian Voivodeship of southern Poland, on the Vistula River.... |
12 |
| Wodzisław County powiat wodzisławski |
287 | 155,228 | Wodzisław Śląski | Rydułtowy, Radlin Radlin Radlin is a town in Wodzisław County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 17,656 inhabitants .- Sport :* Górnik Radlin - men's volleyball team playing in Polish Volleyball League .- External links :*... , Pszów Pszów Pszów is a town in Wodzisław County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 14,035 inhabitants .- External links :*... |
9 |
| Będzin County Bedzin County Będzin County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Będzin, which lies north-east... powiat będziński |
368 | 151,122 | Będzin Bedzin Będzin is a city in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland. Located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Czarna Przemsza river , the city borders the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metro area with a population of about 2 million.It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since its... |
Czeladź Czeladz Czeladź is a town in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland, near Katowice. Borders on the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with a population of 2 million. Located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Brynica river .... , Wojkowice Wojkowice Wojkowice is a small town in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland, near Katowice. Borders on the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Brynica river .It is situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since its... , Sławków, Siewierz Siewierz Siewierz is a town in the Silesian Voivodeship in Poland.-History:In history, Sewerien was first mentioned in 1125, which was administered by the Castellan of Bytom. In 1177, Casimir II granted Sewerien to Mieszko IV Tanglefoot duke of Silesia and Racibórz, together with the duchy of Bytom. The... |
8 |
| Bielsko County Bielsko County Bielsko County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat is the city of Bielsko-Biała, although the city... powiat bielski |
457 | 150,764 | Bielsko-Biała Bielsko-Biała -Economy and Industry:Nowadays Bielsko-Biała is one of the best-developed parts of Poland. It was ranked 2nd best city for business in that country by Forbes. About 5% of people are unemployed . Bielsko-Biała is famous for its textile, machine-building, and especially automotive industry... * |
Czechowice-Dziedzice Czechowice-Dziedzice Czechowice-Dziedzice is a town in Bielsko County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland with 34,867 inhabitants . It lies on the northeastern edge of the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia... , Szczyrk Szczyrk Szczyrk is a town in the Beskid Śląski mountains of southern Poland, situated in the valley of the Żylica river. It is part of the Silesian Voivodeship , previously being part of the Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship . It has a population of 5,810 people .The town is a popular winter sports centre, with... , Wilamowice Wilamowice Wilamowice is a small town in southern Poland, situated in the Bielsko County, Silesian Voivodeship . The endangered language of Wymysorys is spoken here by about 70 native speakers, the majority of them elderly... |
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| Żywiec County Zywiec County Żywiec County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland, on the Slovak border. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and only town is Żywiec,... powiat żywiecki |
1,040 | 149,492 | Żywiec Zywiec Żywiec is a town in south-central Poland with 32,242 inhabitants . Between 1975 and 1998, it was located within the Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship, but has since become part of the Silesian Voivodeship.... |
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| Tarnowskie Góry County Tarnowskie Góry County Tarnowskie Góry County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Tarnowskie Góry,... powiat tarnogórski |
643 | 137,979 | Tarnowskie Góry Tarnowskie Góry Tarnowskie Góry is a town in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Borders on the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Located in the Silesian Highlands.... |
Radzionków Radzionków Radzionków is a town in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Borders on the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Located in the Silesian Highlands.... , Kalety, Miasteczko Śląskie Miasteczko Slaskie Miasteczko Śląskie is a small town in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Borders on the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Located in the Silesian Highlands.... |
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| Częstochowa County Czestochowa County Częstochowa County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat is the city of Częstochowa, although the city... powiat częstochowski |
1,519 | 133,553 | Częstochowa Czestochowa Częstochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta River with 240,027 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Częstochowa Voivodeship... * |
Blachownia Blachownia Blachownia is a town in Częstochowa County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. It lies about 10 km west of the city of Częstochowa.-External links:***... , Koniecpol Koniecpol Koniecpol is a town in Częstochowa County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 6,366 inhabitants . In the times of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth it was the seat of the Koniecpolski magnate family.... |
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| Zawiercie County Zawiercie County Zawiercie County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Zawiercie, which lies ... powiat zawierciański |
1,003 | 124,127 | Zawiercie Zawiercie Zawiercie is a city in the Silesian Voivodeship of southern Poland with 55,800 inhabitants . It is situated in the Kraków-Częstochowa highland near the source of the Warta River... |
Poręba Poreba Poręba is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Pszczyna, within Pszczyna County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately west of Pszczyna and south of the regional capital Katowice.... , Łazy, Ogrodzieniec Ogrodzieniec Ogrodzieniec is town Zawiercie County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,499 inhabitants .It is noted for the extensive ruins of a medieval castle, damaged during the Swedish invasion of Poland in the years 1655–1660.- External links :... , Szczekociny Szczekociny Szczekociny is a town in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,115 inhabitants . The Battle of Szczekociny was fought near the town on June 6, 1794 during the Kościuszko Uprising.-Jewish population of Szczekociny:... , Pilica Pilica, Silesian Voivodeship Pilica is a town in Zawiercie County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 1,948 inhabitants .-History:Since the beginning of its existence, Pilica was part of Lesser Poland. In the 1115-1118 testament of Bolesław III Krzywousty, Pilica became part of the district of Kraków. The probable date of its... |
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| Gliwice County Gliwice County Gliwice County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat is the city of Gliwice, although the city is not... powiat gliwicki |
663 | 114,963 | Gliwice Gliwice Gliwice is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Gliwice is the west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union – a metropolis with a population of 2 million... * |
Knurów Knurów Knurów is a town near Katowice in Silesia, southern Poland. Knurów borders on the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union, a metropolis with a population of two million.... , Pyskowice Pyskowice Pyskowice is a town in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Borders on the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Located in the Silesian Highlands.... , Toszek Toszek Toszek is a town in Poland, in Gliwice County, Silesian Voivodeship, with 4,000 inhabitants.- History :The beginning of the settlement and fortified keep is dated in the 9th and 10th centuries when the area was ruled by the Piasts, Mieszko I of Poland and later Bolesław I the Brave.The fortified... , Sośnicowice Sosnicowice Sośnicowice is a town in Gliwice County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 1,776 inhabitants .- External links :*... |
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| Racibórz County Racibórz County Racibórz County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland, on the Czech border. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is... powiat raciborski |
544 | 111,505 | Racibórz Racibórz Racibórz is a town in southern Poland with 60,218 inhabitants situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship... |
Kuźnia Raciborska Kuznia Raciborska Kuźnia Raciborska is a town in Racibórz County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 5,630 inhabitants .-External links:*... , Krzanowice Krzanowice ----Krzanowice is a town in Raciborz County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 2,206 inhabitants . It lies just a few kilometers from the border with the Czech Republic.- People :* Vincenz Kollar* Max Schirschin* Johannes Slawik... |
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| Pszczyna County Pszczyna County Pszczyna County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and only town is Pszczyna, which lies south of... powiat pszczyński |
473 | 104,638 | Pszczyna Pszczyna Pszczyna is a town in southern Poland with 26,827 inhabitants within the immediate gmina rising to 50,121 inhabitants in the powiat, which includes the town of Pszczyna, itself, Brzeźce , Czarków , Ćwiklice , Jankowice , Łąka , Piasek , Poręba , Rudołtowice , Studzionka , Studzienice , Wisła... |
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| Mikołów County powiat mikołowski |
232 | 91,022 | Mikołów | Łaziska Górne, Orzesze Orzesze Orzesze is a town in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Borders on the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Located in the Silesian Highlands.... |
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| Kłobuck County powiat kłobucki |
889 | 84,730 | Kłobuck | Krzepice Krzepice Krzepice is a Polish town near Częstochowa, in Kłobuck County, Silesian Voivodeship.- Transport :Main road connections from the Krzepice include those with Wieluń and Częstochowa via the National Road .... |
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| Lubliniec County Lubliniec County Lubliniec County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Lubliniec, which lies ... powiat lubliniecki |
822 | 76,628 | Lubliniec Lubliniec Lubliniec is a town in southern Poland with 29,359 inhabitants . It is the capital of Lubliniec County, part of Silesian Voivodeship ; previously it was in Częstochowa Voivodeship .-Geography:... |
Woźniki Wozniki Woźniki is a town in Lubliniec County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,420 inhabitants .It is situated in the historic Upper Silesia region, close to the border with Lesser Poland. According to legend, a Silesian fortress on the nearby Grojec mountain was devastated during the Mongol... |
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| Rybnik County Rybnik County Rybnik County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat is the city of Rybnik, although the city is not... powiat rybnicki |
225 | 73,527 | Rybnik Rybnik Rybnik is a city in southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship. Rybnik is located close to the border with the Czech Republic and just outside the southern border of the largest urban area in Poland, the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union... * |
Czerwionka-Leszczyny Czerwionka-Leszczyny Czerwionka-Leszczyny is a town in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Borders on the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Located in the Silesian Highlands.... |
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| Myszków County Myszków County Myszków County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Myszków, which lies ... powiat myszkowski |
479 | 71,619 | Myszków Myszków Myszków is a town in Poland, with 33,016 inhabitants . It is the capital of Myszków County.Situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Czestochowa Voivodeship .-External links:... |
Żarki Zarki Żarki is a town in Myszków County, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,387 inhabitants .- External links :* Sanctuary devoted to the cult of the virgin mary.... , Koziegłowy |
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| Bieruń-Lędziny County Bierun-Ledziny County Bieruń-Lędziny County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Bieruń, which lies ... powiat bieruńsko-lędziński |
157 | 55,868 | Bieruń Bierun Bieruń is a town in Upper Silesia, in southern Poland, about south of Katowice. The town belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since its formation in 1999, previously to Katowice Voivodeship and, before World War II, was part of the Polish Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship.-Geography:It is located... |
Lędziny Ledziny Lędziny is a town in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. It borders the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a population of 2 million which is located in the Silesian Highlands.... , Imielin Imielin Imielin is a small town in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Borders on the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Located in the Silesian Highlands.... |
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| * seat not part of the county | |||||
Protected areas
Protected areaProtected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
s in Silesian Voivodeship include eight areas designated as Landscape Parks
Landscape Park (Poland)
A Landscape Park is the name given in Poland to a type of protected area, of lower status than a National Park and with less stringent restrictions on development and economic use....
:
- Eagle Nests Landscape ParkEagle Nests Landscape ParkThe Eagles' Nests Landscape Park is a protected area in south-western Poland, and one of over a hundred Polish Landscape Parks. It was established in 1980, and covers much of the area of the Trail of the Eagles' Nests, marked as No...
(partly in Lesser Poland VoivodeshipLesser Poland VoivodeshipMałopolska Voivodeship , or Lesser Poland Voivodeship, is a voivodeship, in southern Poland...
) - Little Beskids Landscape ParkLittle Beskids Landscape ParkLittle Beskids Landscape Park is a protected area in southern Poland, established in 1998, covering an area of . It lies within the Little Beskids mountain range. Its highest peak is Czupel, at ....
(partly in Lesser Poland Voivodeship) - Rudy Landscape ParkRudy Landscape ParkRudy Landscape Park is a protected area in southern Poland, established in 1993, covering an area of .The Park lies within Silesian Voivodeship: in Gliwice County , Pszczyna...
- Silesian Beskids Landscape ParkSilesian Beskids Landscape ParkSilesian Beskids Landscape Park is a protected area in southern Poland, established in 1998, covering an area of in the Silesian Beskids mountain range. Administratively the Park is contained within Silesian Voivodeship....
- Stawki Landscape ParkStawki Landscape ParkStawki Landscape Park is a protected area in southern Poland, established in 1982, covering an area of .The Park lies within Silesian Voivodeship....
- Upper Liswarta Forests Landscape ParkUpper Liswarta Forests Landscape ParkUpper Liswarta Forests Landscape Park is a protected area in southern Poland, established in 1998, covering an area of ....
- Załęcze Landscape Park (partly in Łódź Voivodeship)
- Żywiec Landscape ParkZywiec Landscape ParkŻywiec Landscape Park is a protected area in southern Poland. It was established in 1986 and covers an area of .The Park lies within Silesian Voivodeship and is named after the town of Żywiec....
Most popular surnames in the region
- Nowak: 31,838
- KowalskiKowalskiKowalski is the second most common surname in Poland . During the previous century it was the most common name. Jan Kowalski are synonymous with John Doe or John Smith in English-speaking countries....
: 11,811 - WójcikWójcikWójcik, Wojczik, Wojczyk, or Wojszyk is one of the oldest and the 4th most common surname in Poland.Wójcik as a toponymic surname is derived from villages Wójcia, Wójciki, as a patronymic surname from popular in medieval Central Europe, as a first name Wojciech , as a cognominal surname from the...
: 11,440
External links
- The Website of Silesia
- Województwo Śląskie Official website