Chorzów

Understand

Chorzów was already a mining and metal-working village in 1136 when first documented by Pope Innocent II, one of dozens in forest clearings across Silesia. They all remained small until the 17th / 18th centuries when better mining and steel-making techniques caused them to expand and grow into each other. In that era Silesia lay within Germany, and Chorzów was one of several towns that voted to remain German when Poland re-unified in 1921. From the 1930s Chorzów incorporated its nearby small towns, and was in turn almost engulfed by Katowice. After Germany was defeated in 1945 most of Silesia was allocated to Poland but the west around Ostrava re-joined Czechoslovakia. 20th century Chorzów earned its living from mining, steel, electrical machinery, electronics and chemicals. All these industries then collapsed and the region has been trying to re-invent itself since.

Getting there

For long-distance connections see Katowice#Get in. From Katowice-Pyrzowice Airport (KTW IATA) take the local bus into Katowice and change, there's no direct transport to Chorzów. Similarly from Kraków John-Paul II Airport (KRK IATA) travel via Kraków city centre.

By train 1 Chorzów Batory Station. This is the main station, 1 km south of town centre. Trains from Katowice take only 8 minutes, and continue west every 30 min to Swietochlowice, Ruda Chebzie, Ruda Śląska, Zabrze and Gliwice. Inter-city trains from Wrocław and beyond rush through non-stop, but you could change at Gliwice rather than backtracking through Katowice. Another hourly train from Katowice branches north from Chorzów Batory to Chorzów Miasto in town centre, Chorzów Stary, Bytom (6 stations) and Tarnowskie Góry; in early 2024 this train is replaced by a bus. Batory station is gloomy and has no facilities. (updated Apr 2024) 2 Chorzów Miasto Station is on the line towards Bytom and Tarnowskie Góry. It's a modern building opposite the hospital and close to town centre. But it's dark and dismal, and in 2024 is closed as the trains are replaced by buses - these stop just outside on Truchana. Chorzów Stary Station is another 3 km north on that line but you're very unlikely to use it. It's just a halt amidst freight yards, the station building has been demolished, and you may find a parked freight train blocking access across the tracks to the platforms. Use the tram to reach this corner of town. Trams run frequently along the boulevard from Katowice, and are the most convenient way to reach facilities in Park Śląski at the east edge of Chorzów. They continue into town centre, where one line turns south to Batory station, one goes west to Ruda Chebzie, and one heads north to Bytom. Tram tickets are the same as city bus tickets, see "Get around".

By bus Bus 48 runs every 30 min from Katowice, taking 10 min to Chorzów town centre.

By road From Warsaw take E67 / 75 southwest past Częstochowa to Byto

Getting around

ZTM Metropolia run almost all buses and trams across the 40-some cities of Upper Silesian Metropolis, which straddles the Czech border. They have a unified ticket system. See Katowice#Get around for ticket options and where to buy them.

See

Centre The original village was 3 km northeast, but from 1797 the coal mines and ironworks caused this area to mushroom into Königshütte or Królewska Huta. Today this is known as Chorzów I or Miasto meaning town centre. 1 Rynek is the central square and former market place. It's large, lined with civic buildings such as the town hall of 1876 and the post office of 1892, plus lots of modern tat, and with a busy highway flyover slicing through. Other cities that carved up their historic centres in that manner, such as Dresden and Genoa, have lost their UNESCO listing in consequence, but the local governors shrewdly deduced that no such risk hung over Chorzów. 2 Martin Luther Church (Kościół Marcina Lutra), Powstańców 13, ☏ +48 32 241 1397. The Protestant church was built from the 1890s in neo-Gothic style. The exterior is fairly plain but it's ornate within. (updated Apr 2024) 3 Chorzów Museum, Powstańców 25. Temporarily closed. Small museum in city centre. (updated Apr 2024) Municipal Savings Bank a block west of the museum on Zjednoczenia was one of the tallest buildings in Poland when completed in 1935, at the dizzy height of 40 m. 4 St Hedwig Church, Wolności 51. M-F 08:00-12:00, 15:00-17:00. Neo-Romanesque RC church from the 1870s; its cemetery is two blocks south. Hedwig or Jadwiga of Silesia (1174 – 1243) at age 12 married Henry the future High Duke of Poland. After his death in 1238, Hedwig's relentless charity works and donations to the church led to her being canonised. (updated Apr 2024) Bismarck was the name of the steelworks and district further south by the main railway station. When Chorzów transferred from Germany to Poland in 1945 they needed a new name, but it had to start with "B" as that was the trademark embossed on the steel products. What they came up with was Batory, ruler of Poland, Lithuania and Transylvania 1576-86. 5 Church of the Assumption (Kościół Wniebowzięcia NMP), Farna 3. Neogothic church built 1898–1901. (updated Apr 2024)

North

Do

1 Teatr Rozrywki, Marii Konopnickiej 1, ☏ +48 32 346 1931. A large theatre. (updated Apr 2024) 2 Śląski Stadium, Katowicka 10 (Tram or bus to Stadion), ☏ +48 500 006 415. Large stadium, rebuilt 2009-17 to have a capacity of 54,378. It formerly hosted the national soccer team; it no longer has a resident team but stages athletics events and rock concerts. (updated Apr 2024) Football: Ruch Chorzów were relegated in 2024 and now play soccer in 1 Liga, the second tier. Their home ground Ruch Stadium (capacity 9300) is just north of Batory Station.

Events Bluestracja is a blues festival organized by MDK Batory in late April. Constitution Day is May 3, with civic parades. City Festival is at the beginning of June. Port Poetycki is poetry, music and visual arts in June, at the site of the former President Mine. FEST Festival was in August but went bust in 2023. If Summer Ends is an alternative music festival in late August. Beer Festival is in September in the Fields of Mars in the Park of Culture. Independence Day and Chorzów Anniversary Feast is on 11 Nov. Christmas Market is held in the run-up to Christmas.

Buy

AKS Shopping Center (Galeria Handlowa AKS), Parkowa 20 (southeast of Hotel Diament Arsenal). The anchor store is Carrefour, open M-Sa 06:00-22:00. (updated Apr 2024) S1 Shopping Center (Centrum Handlowe S1), Strzelców Bytomskich 42 (west of the tracks into Chorzów Miasto). The main store is Lidl, open M-Sa 06:00-22:00. (updated Apr 2024)

Eat

Rynek and Wolności have a strip of eating places. They include Pod Beczką (below), Na Winklu, Kartel, Kaskada, Everest, Pod Drewnianym Bocianem, Cafe Paterman, Piwniczka Piccolo, Tygiel Kulinarny and Włoskie. Pod Beczką Bistro & Pierogarnia Restauracja, Rynek 7, ☏ +48 790 779 889. M-F 11:00-18:00, Sa 11:00-16:30. Selection of Silesian food, good price, friendly service. (updated Apr 2024)

Drink & nightlife

Pubs around Rynek are Hard Ro