Still a lot to do but there is some progress 😊

From:

Katowice – oficjalny profil miasta

48 comments
  1. i hope the whole country adopts the anti-advertisment and anti-billboard laws like some major cities. There is so much improvement year on year, I’d love to see it continue

  2. Pokaz kible na środku rynku, koniecznie z cała menelnia obok

  3. Holly shit, I haven been in Katowice for 19 years. God damn I still have old memories when you drove with the Tram you we’re shook around like a motherfucker. Did they changed some other parts too Like the train station?

  4. Rest assured, we will *never* have anything like this in the US. Thanks, car lobby (you corrupt fucks)!

  5. Did it go from the bottom photo to the top? Usually cities love pouring as much concrete wherever possible. This is a pleasant surprise. In my city there was a nice path between two streets(pretty long one) with trees, grass, shrubs inside of the city center. Well the city decided we didn’t need that so they flattened everything, made a long ass concrete path with about 30 benches that no one even sits on and got rid of all the greenery. They also mounted cameras there that literally rotate and watch you when you’re sitting there.

    Last year they planted like over 20 trees under a bridge before they realized that it doesn’t make sense so they had to uproot them again and take them somewhere else. Back to the topic, that looks so much nicer now, hope they keep up the good work and it spreads to other cities. We’re tired of the concrete look.

  6. Ah.. I remember yelling about decreasing number of lanes of street. I got hope public transport will be improved in next few years in Silesia, more streets will be more green and pedestrian/cyclist oriented.

  7. This is nice. But how about coal power plants during winter? I passed by before covid and could feel the smell almost anywhere except the center of the city.

  8. Yup Katowice is pretty nice. Honestly a lot nicer than most Dutch cities. Tons of lovely green areas as well.

    Most Poles utterly hate it and I can’t fathom why.

  9. Am still pissed they shortened the 149 bus line to Zawodzie. Why couldn’t it just go to Sądowa like M22?

  10. Can you tell me the approx time both the images were taken? It looks really really nice. Removing cars off the streets is the way to go. India is just focusing on developing car infrastructure while Europe is already moving to more public transport and cycling infra which is really nice. 🙂

  11. I just came from there today. It’s still car-centric overall, with wide stroads just 1 km outside the city center, even just a few blocks away from rynek in some places.

    I kept getting the sense that it was like a smaller American city. The center of rynek is just empty concrete with 1 Italian-style trattoria and that “jumping stream of water” fountain/light show thing. The natural stream that runs through rynek was moved underground “because it’s too dirty.” Galeria Śląska, which is primarily accessible via highway, is like this cavernous, sprawling maze of shops, very different from other Polish malls I’ve been in. Oh and there’s like 5 Pizza Huts and 10 Subways within a few KMs of the center.

    I told a friend there some of these reasons, and she told me that Katowice hosted an “urban planning forum” years ago and the keynote speaker from Denmark lambasted them for “taking all the worst ideas from the US and USSR.”

    I get the sense that they’re trying but there’s still some investment needed.

  12. Lived here for over 10 years and the progress has been night and day. If you are from the area do you remember the old train station with the sky bridge? It’s a long way from the Gucci filled modern multilayer shopping center. Mariacka street used to have busses and.. uhem questionable men and enterprising women, is now beautiful and full of restaurants and bars. As an American the transformation is breathtaking; my Polish wife and friends ‘this country is shit, backwards ext.’ I will never understand it. I ❤️ Kato

  13. I am American and go to Katowice once every other month or so. I never had that high opinion of Poles (stereotypes mainly) and Katowice and the people there made me do a complete turnaround. I do wish there was less advertising in places but nothing is perfect. Can’t wait till my next trip there next month

  14. Too bad poland can’t get a better government in the same way

  15. Just visited Poland (and that region) after more then 15 years living in North America. What I loved about the scenery is that there is no obsession with cutting grass and it’s allowed to grow wild (just like I remember it). Even this tram has the grass under it and although it’s properly trimmed this would be a no/no in many other countries. Hope it stays this way.

  16. Must be all that csgo money finally coming in. Gotta sell the skins eventually, can’t hold them forever.

  17. Looks pretty hope it will be whole country like this soon without those disgusting billboards.

  18. That’s beautiful, and what all city/town centers should strive for! Blending modernity and nature looks more futuristic and progressive than just concrete everywhere

  19. As a European living in America, I’ll go cry in the corner now.

  20. Wow. I actually confused the top pic to be the new one. Great transformation though

  21. crazy how they found the contrast setting for the whole city!!

  22. That’s beautiful. I was there in 2008 or so and it was very gray, gloomy and depressing. This transformation is great to see.

    Thanks for posting OP!

  23. You know I wonder a lot why America doesn’t get on board with upgrading its s***. But we can’t do that because we’re too busy arguing with each other about stupid s*** like X.

  24. I love how the tracks are covered with grass. Łódź also had them in some places. It looks so cool and magical to me for some reason.

  25. I’ll be in Katowice for a couple of days next week for a competition. Does anyone have some recommendations to visit in the city? Food/coffee/touristy places? Thanks!

  26. Katowice is the best transformation story I ever seen. Maaany years ago I was moved there for project and the city was in shambles. Mix of dying post soviet brutalism and rund down townhouses. Everything was grayish and felt dangerous.

    About 3 years ago I went there for bussines meeting and – wow. Totally different city. Clean, nice and well kept. The smelly and dirty train station is now great looking shoppinng mall. And no junkies in sight. Totally different vibe.

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