GLIWICE REGIONAL GUIDE

Transcription

1 GLIWICE REGIONAL GUIDE I. WELCOME Welcome to our Region We are pleased that you have chosen our region as a place where you can make another step in the development of your research career and take an active holiday in your free time. We hope that what we can offer to you will live up to your expectations. This Guide gives an insight into the geography and culture of our region, as well as a few practical tips for foreigners on how to find their way in our region. The Guide has been published by the Polish network of Mobility Centres created to provide information and help to mobile researchers in administrative, legal, educational and cultural matters. The Mobility Centre in Gliwice is a part of the European Programmes Office of the Silesian University of Technology. The Centre covers the entire Silesian Voivodship. Address: European Programmes Office Silesian University of Tehcnology Akademicka 2A St Gliwice Tel. (+48) Tel. (+48) Fax. (+48) rw3@polsl.pl How to get to the Mobility Centre From the Katowice Airport (Lotnisko Katowice) Bus: Take a bus marked PKM Katowice (the stop right beside the arrival hall exit). You should get off at the Katowice Dworzec PKP stop, and then take a train to Gliwice. Taxi: Use only those with taxi company numbers (avoid taxis which are not well marked and do not have a clearly displayed price per kilometre). From the Railway Station (Dworzec PKP) in Gliwice: On foot: minute walk. Taxi: Ca 10 minutes. The Centre is located in the building of the Faculty of Mining and Geology, Silesian University of Technology (Akademicka 2A St., 1 st floor, room no. 47). 1

2 II. ABOUT THE REGION Introduction The Silesian Voivodship is situated in the southern part of Poland. While its area of 12,294 sq km represents only 3.9% of the total area of the country, its population of 4.83 million accounts for 12.5% of the total population in Poland. It is the most densely populated voivodship in Poland, with 393 people per square kilometre. The voivodship borders the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and the Opole, Łódź, Świętokrzyskie and Małopolska voivodships. It is divided into 17 counties, 19 cities with county status and 165 communes. The capital, or the administrative centre, of the voivodship is Katowice. The main cities and towns of the region include: Katowice, Gliwice, Zabrze, Bielsko-Biała, Częstochowa and Sosnowiec. Our region is often said to have two faces: black and green. The black Silesia has grown on hard coal, and on metallurgy and heavy industry booming subsequently in the area. The region has created its own mining traditions, local customs and even cuisine specialities. You may find examples of such local colour in the folk building skansen in the Culture and Leisure Park situated between Katowice and Chorzów, or in the Black Trout Drift and underground routes of historic mines in the town of Tarnowskie Góry. To see the other green face of Silesia, you are invited to go to the Silesian and Żywiec Beskid Mountains in the southern part of the region. The gate leading to the area is Bielsko-Biała, a large centre of industry, culture and business tourism. The Silesian Beskids with the centres in Szczyrk, Wisła and Ustroń are the best developed mountain range in Poland, attractive for tourists not only in winter and appealing not only to skiers. You will be enchanted with colourful folklore still so much alive in villages such as Brenna, Istebna or Koniaków. Rival to the Silesian Beskids is the Żywiec Beskid range, with an artificial lake on the Soła spread in a valley, centres in Korbielów and Zwardoń, and in Żywiec an old town with a Habsburg castle and the brewery which has produced excellent beer for 150 years. Major cities and towns Bielsko-Biała The town is called the tourist capital of the Beskid region: it is a base for trips to nearby tourist places, and its suburbs have been frequented for years as summer and winter holiday resorts. In a cable car taking you to Szyndzielnia, you can sit comfortably while admiring the peaks of the Silesian Beskid Mountains. It is also worthwhile to have a look at the historic layout of buildings in the town, densely concentrated along narrow, steep and winding streets in the old district. Częstochowa This is the religious heart of Poland, one of the largest and most important sanctuaries in the world. Displayed in the monastery basilica, the icon of the Mother of God of Częstochowa, commonly called the Black Madonna, is the centre of the Marian cult. The nearby land of rocks and castles in the Cracow-Częstochowa Upland attracts hiking, biking and caving enthusiasts. Gliwice The city is an economic, research and cultural centre in the western part of the Upper Silesian Industrial District. A particularly charming place in Gliwice is its market square surrounded by arcaded tenement houses from the 18 th and 19 th century, with the recently restored 18 th century Town Hall in the centre. Today, Gliwice is above all an academic city as the seat of the Silesian University of Technology. 2

3 Katowice The capital of the Silesian Voivodship is located in the region dominated until recently by coal mines, steelworks and large-scale industry. Today, it is a centre of business, research as well as tourism which all make use of a growing number of post-industrial facilities now available. The city is a major transport hub, a centre of culture and research, and home to many theatres and galleries. Zabrze The city is situated in the Silesian Upland, has over 199,000 inhabitants (2004), and is a major centre of heavy industry, as well as a centre of science (with its famous cardiac surgery clinic) and culture (hosting, for example, the Upper Silesia Philharmonic). Tourist attractions If you like active holiday, you are invited to visit the website at: It will guide you to places which are interesting and worth visiting, including a few presented below. Cieszyn The town is situated at the foot of the Silesian Beskid Mountains. According to legend, it was the place where three brothers-knights met on the bank of the Olza River after the hardships of the army life. They decided to stay together from then on and to found a settlement there, giving it the name of Cieszyn to express their joy ( cieszyć się means to enjoy in Polish). The real past of the town manifests itself in a Roman chapel dating from the times when the Benedictine Order settled down there (year 1211). Cieszyn will enchant you with the beauty of its location and picturesque backstreets. Walking around the market square and small nearby streets, you will find houses dating from the 18 th and 19 th centuries. It is also worthwhile to see the historic complex of the Old Town. Tourist Information Centre (Centrum Informacji Turystycznej) ul. Rynek 1, Cieszyn Tel.: (+48) Silesian and Żywiec Beskid Mountains The Silesian Beskid Mountains are a massif with a heavy snow cover in winter, numerous mountain hostels, tourist routes, ski routes and lifts, in particular in Szczyrk, Wisła and Ustroń. The Żywiec Beskid Mountains are a popular region for holiday and winter sports, with its best known centres in Korbielów, Zawoja, Zwardoń and Węgierska Górka. The region is particularly famous for its well preserved folklore and folk handicrafts (lacemaking) in Istebna and Koniaków. Tourist Information Centre (Centrum Informacji Turystycznej) Pl. Ratuszowy 4 Bielsko-Biała Tel.: (+48) Tourist Information Office (Biuro Informacji Turystycznej) Rynek 12, Żywiec Tel./fax: (+48) Silver mine in Tarnowskie Góry This is an old centre of mines extracting lead ores with an admixture of silver. An underground labyrinth of galleries, chambers and off-take drifts, which remained after the closure of the mines, has been adapted for sight-seeing and now forms two underground tourist routes. In the Historic Silver Ore Mine, tourists may have a tour around the workings of the silver and lead mine, partly accessible only by boat. You will also take a boat 3

4 underground to see the Black Trout Drift. Back on the surface, you are invited to visit the Museum of Mining and the Steam Machines Skansen. Tourist Information Centre (Centrum Informacji Turystycznej) ul. Gliwicka 2, Tarnowskie Góry Tel./fax: (+48) Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Auschwitz has become a symbol of terror, genocide and the Holocaust for the world. The Auschwitz concentration camp was established by the Nazis on the outskirts of the town of Oświęcim which, like other areas of Poland, was occupied by the Germans during World War II. Beginning in 1942, the camp became the site of the greatest mass murder in the history of humanity, committed on European Jews as part of Hitler s plan for the total extermination of this nation. National Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum (Państwowe Muzeum Auschwitz-Birkenau) ul. Więźniów Oświęcimia 20, Oświęcim Tel.: (+48) Trail of Eagle Nests It shapes the karstic landscape of the Cracow-Częstochowa Upland, with white calcareous island mountains, rocky hills, caves and ravines, and the diversity of fauna and flora, giving unique charm to the uplands. You will also find there numerous ruins of medieval castles to admire. Apart from a hiking route, you may take a biking or horse-riding route. Podzamcze Tourist Information Point (Informacja Turystyczna Podzamcze) ul. Kościuszki 66, Ogrodzieniec Tel.: (+48) Hunting Castle in Promnice A 19 th century hunting castle of a Pszczyna prince in the English Neo-Gothic style, situated amidst woods by a lake. Beautiful windows, wooden panelling and stone mouldings create an unforgettable climate. At present, the castle houses a luxury hotel and a restaurant. Promnice Hunting Castle (Zamek Myśliwski Promnice) Kobiór k/tychów Tel.: (+48) Castle in Pszczyna A castle in the old times, at present the palace of the Pszczyna princes which was restructured in the late 19 th century in the French Neo-Renaissance style. It is surrounded by a beautiful landscape park. The Castle Museum has retained about 80% of the original interior furnishings from the turn of the 19 th and 20 th centuries. Tourists can visit, among other things, imperial apartments of the castle, the hall with a collection of miniatures and the armoury. Castle Museum (Muzeum Zamkowe) ul. Brama Wybrańców 1, Pszczyna Tel.: (+48) Scenery and climate Despite the heavy industrialisation of the region, Silesian scenery has preserved many beautiful places which are worth visiting. One of them is certainly the Jurassic Cracow- Częstochowa Upland which offers excellent opportunities for rock climbing and admiring beautiful calcareous rocks. Large numbers of tourists are also attracted to the Silesian Beskid Mountains. This is an area where the Vistula, the largest Polish river, has its sources. Numerous tourist routes and attractively situated mountain hostels are waiting there for hikers, and skiers will find there the best ski lifts and runs in the country. The valleys host fashionable resorts such as Wisła, Ustroń or Szczyrk. 4

5 The climate of the Silesian Voivodship is described as transitional between the warm marine climate of Western Europe and the continental climate of the East. As a result, weather conditions vary considerably from day to day as well as between seasons in successive years. Because of the impact of the nearby uplands and mountains, the climate of the region is characterised by abundant precipitation and significant variances between local weather conditions. The warmest areas are the central and western parts of the region. January is usually the coolest month and July is normally the warmest month of the year in the region. The distinctive feature of the mountain region is the long duration of the snow cover (over 150 days). Annual events GLIWICE THEATRE ENCOUNTERS in May Every year Gliwice offers a wide range of cultural events. Its Musical Theatre, cinemas, clubs and galleries have netted a regular audience. Some Polish writers had special bonds with Gliwice; for example, Tadeusz Różewicz, an outstanding playwright and poet, and Horst Bieniek, the author of a novel about Upper Silesia. The Museum in Gliwice is the pride of the city as the oldest one in Upper Silesia. The tradition of the Gliwice Theatre Encounters in May attracts many visitors to the city every year. NATIONAL DIRECTORS FESTIVAL INTERPRETATIONS in March The Festival is held every March in Katowice and lasts eight days. The event reviews the work of young directors who made their debut not longer than 15 years ago. The Festival aims to promote achievements of younger artists, and to present their performances to the public and theatre managers. Performances are open to the general public. CONCERTS AT THE CASTLE IN PSZCZYNA Music concerts in the Mirror Hall of the Pszczyna Castle have a very rich tradition. During its artistic season, the Castle Museum hosts outstanding Polish and international artists, for example: Światosław Richter, a world-famous pianist. BESKID CULTURE WEEK In August, the towns of Szczyrk, Wisła, Ustroń and Żywiec celebrate the Beskid Culture Week, a folklore event involving ca 4000 performers. Tourist information Tourist Information Centre (Centrum Informacji Turystycznej) in Bielsko-Biała ul. Plac Ratuszowy 4, Bielsko-Biała Tel.: (+48) ; it.bielsko@skg.pl Tourist Information Centre (Centrum Informacji Turystycznej) in Częstochowa ul. Aleja Najświętszej Maryi Panny 65, Częstochowa Tel.: (+48) ; mci@czestochowa.um.gov.pl Tourist Information Centre (Centrum Informacji Turystycznej) in Katowice ul. Młyńska 2, Katowice Tel.: (+48) ciom@um.katowice.pl 5

6 III. RESEARCH IN THE REGION The Silesian Voivodship is proud to have a large number of research and academic institutions which make it one of the leading regions in the area of education in Poland. Higher education institutions in the region offer a wide choice of fields of study, and the research base of its institutes ensures active involvement of the voivodship in scientific research and European programmes. A list of higher education institutions, research institutions and major libraries in the Silesian Voivodship is given below. Selected higher education and research institutions: Public higher education institutions: Silesian University of Technology / Politechnika Śląska: ul. Akademicka 2A, Gliwice Main switchboard number: (+48) Częstochowa University of Technology / Politechnika Częstochowska: ul. J. H. Dąbrowskiego 69, Częstochowa Main switchboard number: (+48) University of Silesia / Uniwersytet Śląski: ul. Bankowa 12, Katowice Main switchboard number: (+48) University of Bielsko-Biała / Akademia Techniczno-Humanistyczna: ul. Wilowa 2, Bielsko-Biała Main switchboard number: (+48) Medical University of Silesia / Śląski Uniwersytet Medyczny: ul. Poniatowskiego 15, Katowice Main switchboard number: (+48) Karol Adamiecki University of Economics / Akademia Ekonomiczna im. K. Adamieckiego: ul. 1 Maja 50, Katowice Main switchboard number: (+48) Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music / Akademia Muzyczna im. K. Szymanowskiego: ul. Zacisze 3, Katowice Main switchboard number: (+48) Non-public higher education institutions (leaders in the rankings of Polish HEIs): Polonia University in Częstochowa / Akademia Polonijna: ul. Pułaskiego 4/6, Częstochowa Silesian School of Economics and Languages / Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania Marketingowego i Języków Obcych: ul. Gallusa 12, Katowice Research institutions: Department of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Katowice / Oddział PAN w Katowicach ul. Krasińskiego 8, Katowice 6

7 Tel.: (+48) , fax: (+48) Institute of Environmental Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences / Instytut Podstaw Inżynierii Środowiska PAN ul. M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 34, Zabrze Tel.: (+48) ext. 116 Institute of Coal Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences / Zakład Karbochemii PAN ul. Sowińskiego 5, Gliwice Tel.: (+48) , fax: (+48) Centre of Polymer Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences / PAN Centrum Chemii Polimerów ul. Skłodowskiej-Curie 34, Zabrze Tel.: (+48) , fax: (+48) Libraries Each higher education institution in the region has libraries well equipped with specialist collections which you are invited to use. Moreover, we recommend in particular books available in public libraries of the city. The address of the largest library in the Silesian Voivodship: Silesian Library (Biblioteka Śląska) in Katowice, Pl. Rady Europy, Katowice Opening hours: Monday , Tuesday-Friday , Saturday IV. PRACTICAL INFORMATION 1. EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS 997 Police 998 Fire Brigade 999 Ambulance Service 986 Municipal Guard 112 Emergency telephone number accessible from both mobile and fixed phones; after an interview about the nature of the emergency, the operator will connect you with the relevant emergency service. 2. PUBLIC TRANSPORT The Silesian Voivodship, situated on the axis of major transport routes, has a very well developed railway infrastructure; the train timetable is available at: Its road infrastructure is developing rapidly as motorways together with a network of intersecting roads between them are now being built. Public transport in the Katowice agglomeration Prices of single tickets for transport services provided by KZK GOP (Municipal Transport Union of the Upper Silesia Industrial District) within the Katowice agglomeration (July 2009): Zone tickets: Within the limits of one city: 2.40 PLN Within the limits of two neighbouring cities: 3.00 PLN Within the limits of three or more cities: 4.00 PLN. Regardless of the number of cities that you travel through, you can buy a single ticket in a bus or tram for 4.00 PLN (full fare) or 2.00 PLN (reduced fare). Zone tickets may be purchased from news-stands at bus or tram stops as well as from ticket outlets. If you often use public transport, you may buy a monthly or quarterly travel card. 7

8 Long-distance transport services in the Silesian Voivodship are provided by PKS (Road Transport Company) coaches. Ticket offices at PKS coach stations in Częstochowa, Katowice and Bielsko-Biała are open daily (except during Easter and Christmas) between 5.30 and PKS Coach Station (Dworzec PKS) in Katowice ul. Piotra Skargi Infoline: (+48) , TAXI In all parts of Poland, you may dial 9192 or 9622 to order a taxi. Before you get in, please check whether the car is marked with a taxi company number and fitted with a taximeter. 3. ADDRESSES OF GOVERNMENT OFFICES Registration GLIWICE: Municipal Office (Urząd Miasta) ul. Zwycięstwa 21, Gliwice Tel.: (+48) , , Monday-Wednesday , Thursday , Friday Department of Citizens Matters (Wydział Spraw Obywatelskich) Tel.: (+48) ; fax: (+48) KATOWICE: Municipal Office (Urząd Miasta) ul. Młyńska 4, Katowice Tel.: (+48) ; fax: (+48) Monday , Tuesday , Wednesday , Thursday , Friday Department of Citizens Matters (Wydział Spraw Obywatelskich) Tel.: (+48) Visa extension, residence permit and residence card: Silesian Voivodship Office (Śląski Urząd Wojewódzki) in Katowice ul. Jagiellońska 25, Katowice Department of Citizens Matters and Migration (Wydział Spraw Obywatelskich i Migracji) Division for Migration and Monitoring of the Legality of Foreigners Stay Visa Section (Oddział Migracji i Kontroli Legalności Pobytu Cudzoziemców - Zespół Wizowy) Tel. (+48) Fax: (+48) Opening hours: Monday-Friday Work permit Silesian Voivodeship Office / Ślaski Urząd Wojewódzki Department of Social Policy (Wydział Polityki Społecznej) ul. Powstańców 41 a, Katowice Tel.: (+48) Embassies and consulates A list of embassies and consulates is available on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at: 8

9 4. HEALTH SERVICE Researchers holding a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) are entitled to free primary medical services in healthcare institutions which have concluded a contract with the National Health Fund (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia, NFZ). These institutions are marked with a plate with the following logo: In the event of an emergency, you may use the ambulance service. Please remember, however, that should your call be unjustified, you will be charged for the services provided. The Silesian Voivodship has over 25 hospitals and over 300 out-patient clinics which have concluded a contract with the National Health Fund. Once you have found a hotel or other accommodation for your stay in the Silesian Voivodship, please check where you have the closest out-patient clinic. It is advisable to go there and obtain all the necessary information before you may urgently need their services. If you wish to see a general practitioner, you should first make an appointment (preferably by phone) and remember then to bring your identity card and medical insurance document. If you wish to see a specialist medical doctor (other than a gynaecologist or obstetrician, dentist, dermatologist, venereologist, oncologist, ophthalmologist or psychiatrist), you need a referral from your general practitioner. Please remember that prescriptions given by a medical doctor are valid only for 30 days, and those for antibiotics for 7 days. Selected hospitals and pharmacies: Hospitals in Gliwice: Institute of Oncology (Instytut Onkologii): ul. Wybrzeże Armii Krajowej 15; tel SPZOZ Hospital No.1 (Szpital Nr 1 SPZOZ): ul. Kościuszki 29; tel Multi-Specialisation Hospital (Szpital Wielospecjalistyczny): ul. Kościuszki 1; tel Military Hospital No. 106 with an SPZOZ Outpatient Clinic (Szpital Wojskowy 106 z Przychodnią SPZOZ): ul. Zygmunta Starego 20; tel Municipal Hospital No. 3 (Szpital Miejski nr 3): ul. Radiowa 2; tel hour Hospital Emergency Departments: SPZOZ Hospital No.1 (Szpital nr 1 SPZOZ): ul. Kościuszki 29, Gliwice; tel hour pharmacies in Gliwice: PHARMACY CITO (APTEKA "CITO"): ul. Górnych Wałów 26; tel PHARMACY POD KORONĄ (APTEKA "POD KORONĄ"): ul. Zygmunta Starego 16; tel Moreover, virtually every bigger shopping centre has a pharmacy which is also open on Saturdays and Sundays in the business hours of a given centre. 5. BANKS, PAYMENTS When choosing a bank, you should first of all check its charges and commissions for operating a newly opened account and ease of access to cash machines in all parts of the city. Banks are open from Monday till Friday, few of them also work on Saturday, and all are closed on Sundays and public holidays. However, you will find many 24-hour cash machines (ca 50 only in Gliwice). Large banks have their own cash machines, and there are also independent cash machine networks (Euronet, Cash4YOU). If you have a card of a given bank, you may use its cash machines free of charge, whereas other card holders pay a 9

10 commission. Some banks do not charge their clients for using Euronet cash machines or make only nominal charges. More detailed information can be obtained from your bank. Charge cards are very popular; you may use this non-cash payment method in most bigger and medium-size shops as well as restaurants (where you can see card logos on the entrance door). In some bigger supermarkets or chain shops, designated cash desks accept payments in euro at the exchange rate given there. Currency may be exchanged in banks and exchange desks (the latter usually offering a better exchange rate). You may not pay with traveller s cheques in Poland. However, cheques may be cashed in some bigger banks. Website addresses of major banks together with a list of cash machines in a given city are available in the section for foreign researchers of the Regional Portal. 6. POSTAL SERVICE Post Offices are situated mainly near the city centre and in larger residential areas. Once you have found your accommodation, please check where you can find the nearest post office. Details of some post offices in Gliwice are given below. Address: ul. Kozielska 10 Opening hours: Monday/Wednesday/Friday 7:00-14:00, Tuesday/Thursday 9:00 do 16:00 Address: ul. Dolnych Wałów 8 Opening hours: Monday-Friday , Saturday Address: ul. Daszyńskiego 152 Opening hours: Monday/Wednesday/Friday 8:00-14:00, Tuesday/Thursday 10:30 do 16:30 7. POLISH LANGUAGE COURSES FOR FOREIGNERS School of Polish Language and Culture, University of Silesia, Katowice (Szkoła języka i kultury polskiej, Uniwersytet Śląski, Katowice) ul. Plac Sejmu Śląskiego 1, Katowice Tel.: (+48) , (+48) Fax: (+48)