Frioday 28th February 2014

Sites worth seeing in Silesia

History

The Upper Silesian Industrial District is not only the today coal and steel region, but also a very old mining centre of lead-ores with silver admixture, to be called in the former times the silver carrier ore and the mining of iron-ores which in the past centuries formed this land. Later on, came time for mining of zinc-ore and coal. The first documentary mention of the lead-ore mining has dated from 1136 and said about the dig miners of silver in the vicinity of Bytom, the later mining town, which inhabitants used silver cradles for their children, as other people told about them. From the XIII century the mining of lead-ore has already existed in the neighbourhood of Repty village (now the quarter of Tarnowskie Góry). However the later discovery of the new deposits of lead-ores with a rich admixture of silver near the Tarnowice village caused to form of mountains (gory) or mines, today called Tarnowskie Góry as the miners settlements. In the XVI century these above mentioned settlements received the town-rights. Only the later application of steam engines to be used in industry, and coke in iron metallurgy brought in the XIX century a dynamic coal mining development, which in that time began to dominate in the Upper Silesian industry, pushing down the other industrial branches at the background. The mining and metallurgy of zinc-lead ores existed in the neighbourhood of Tarnowskie Góry up to the interwar time, and in the Bytom - Piekary region to the eighties of XX century. A lot of labyrinths, galleries and underground chambers have remained after the zinc-lead ores mining. If you are disirous to see the beauty of these undergrounds, visit therefore, restored for tourists the underground tourist routes, they are.

The Black Trout Gallery - Tarnowskie Gory Has been accessed for visitors from 1957, is to be found on the south-west part of town in the large Repecki Park, situated near the Górnośląskie Centrum Rehabilitacji "Repty" ("Repty" Upper Silesian Rehabilitation Centre). We have to climb down on foot by winding stairs and next to go by boats through the sector of about 600 m long and nearly 25 m deep, next we continue the underground travel along the water-gallery hollowed out in 1821-1835, in darkness brightened only by a twinkling carbide lamp. It remains unforgettable impresions. 

Virtual tour  you can travel click this address

http://www.kopalniasrebra.pl/EN/kopalnia/wirtualna.htm

GUIDO mine in Zabrze

INFO_CIACHO_INFO

• Main
• Tourist routes
• History
• K8 Zone
• Gallery
• Information for visitors
• Queen Louise Adit
• Contact and driving directions

History of the GUIDO Mine

The Coal Mining Museum is the largest and most important tourist and cultural institution in Zabrze. From April 2nd 2013 the Museum is a single entity, established on the basis of merging the Historic Guido Coal Mine with the former Coal Mining Museum in Zabrze (with a seat located in the former county office at 3 Maja Street 19). The new institution comprises the Queen Louise Adit complex as well, which, along with the Guido Mine, will soon become one of the most interesting tourist attractions of Zabrze. The complex consists of the Queen Louise Mine and Main Key Hereditary Adit underground galleries.

The newly established Coal Mining Museum offers a wide range of tourist and museum offer, above all aimed at exploring the region's mining heritage. The visitors can enjoy here the deepest located tourist routes in a coal mine in Europe, offering many activities, relating to both the contemporary and historical mining.

 Train in mine for visitors

Enjoy your travel

Mine level 320

An Amazing view . tomorrow next famous landmarks

Sites worth seeing in Silesia


Once upon a time, in 966... Poland was born.


Capital : Warsaw
Populatiin 38 million
Currency PLN ( 1 euro = 4PLN)
Climate:moderate, continental.

Four seanons; spring, summer, autumn ( fall) , winter.
Despite the fact that majority of Poland is lowland, the Polish landscape is varied.

Sport : football ( soccer) is the most popular sport with a rich history of international competion.




Silesia landmarks:

Jasna Gora Monastery in Czestochowa

Jasna Góra (latin: Clarus Mons) – sanctuary and Pauline Monastery in Częstochowa, located on Jasna Góra.

The complex is one of the most important sites of the worship of Our Lady and has for centuries been the heart of pilgrimage in Poland. It is home to the Icon of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa, as well as a collection of many other pieces of art, mostly sacral, presented as thanksgiving offerings by believers.

 Black Madonna  the most important painting for roman- Catholic here...

 At the weekend I put more pictures of Silesian landmarks.

Wednesday 26 th February 2014

Shopping centres/mall - new fashion.

W hen I was a child Poland was a communist country so any shopping centres didn't exist. I remember ugly, dull corner shops and almost empty shelves in them. I had to wear ugly, unfashionable clothes and shoes which I really hate.

Since 1990 when Poland became a democratic, independent country situation was completely different. In 2004 when The Republic of Poland became the member of European Union we have had the same shops all over Europe.

I live next to very busy street in my city and the longest one. But the most amazing situation is we have had 6 shopping centres here so you can walk and buy what you want. We have French, English, German ang Holland shopping mallls rthe same which you can meet in European Union.

I have been to many European countries the shops are the same, different is currency and language. Now it;s difficult buy something original because Zara, H&M , Ikea, Tesco, are everywhere.Now Polish families spend a lot of thier free time in shopping malls is very trendy.

Tuesday, 25th February 2014

Katowice the biggest city in Province Silesia.

Katowice is a capitol city pof our province. It is a young city about 100 years old comparing to my Bytom 760 years old is very vary young. It's completely modern city comparing to Bytom.

The most famous is Spodek the best known building .

Katowice are going to be a European Capital of culture it will be very difficult because other candidates are very interesting too.

Polish cities pretending to the title of the European Capital of Culture in 2016

View the candidates sites: Białystok, Bydgoszcz, Gdańsk, Katowice, Lublin, Łódź, Poznań, Szczecin, Toruń, Warszawa,Wrocław

Vote for your favourite candidate city and check the current poll results on kulturaonline.pl or on the Association of Candidate Cities to the European Capital of Culture.

The title of the European Capital of Culture is granted annually by the European Union for the period of 12 months. Such honour translates into the reinforcement of the prestige and popularity of the city, region and even the country. The candidate cities strive for the best promotion of what they perceive as valuable in themselves and their vicinities. The body of the Polish candidate cities aiming at receiving the title in 2016 includes Białystok, Bydgoszcz, Gdańsk, Katowice, Lublin, Łódź, Poznań, Szczecin, Toruń, Warszawa and Wrocław. The Minister of Culture and National Heritage Bogdan Zdrojewski has already announced a competition for the Polish city pretending to the title. The applications are to be submitted by 31st August 2010. A special Polish committee will evaluate and select the candidates in two rounds and the final verdict will have been revealed by the end of 2011. The Polish verdict will then have to be approved by its European counterpart at the beginning of 2012.

In 2016 the title of the European Capital of Culture will be shared by two cities, one from Poland and the other from Spain. The Spanish candidate cities include Alcalá de Henares, Burgos, Cáceres, Kordowa, Cuenca, Oviedo-Gijón-Avilés (wspólnie), Pampeluna, San Sebastián, Santander, Segowia, Tarragona and Saragossa.
The title was already awarded to, for example, Cracow (2000), Vilnius (2009) and Essen, Pecs and Istanbul (2010).

Monday 24 February 2014

Spring is coming

Just beginning of the week as usual very busy at my school and at home. Luckily the weather is great and sunny 12C.
So I am in a great mood despite a  lot of  papework which I have to do for tomorrow.

Today I have seen the first daisies in my hometown so it means it's spring this year  two months earlier. It is wonderful because last yeat winter lasted till 12 th April.


Bytom is one of the oldest city in Poland. This year is 760 years old so is older than Cracow one of the most famous city in Europe.

Sunday 23 February

The weather is great  - almost spring temperature 10 C and sunny. So the best solution is walking and looking for first spring flowers. I am going to walk with my daughter and dog in the afternoon.

Now I would like like to come to our public transport - espiacially trams which I use every day as a commuter to my work. We produce trams in Poland.in three cities Bydgoszcz, Poznan and Chorzow.

 Bydgoszcz tram

 Poznan tram

Chorzow tram

Public transport
In Upper Silesia public transport consists of trams and buses and is very well organized. 

My hometown

I live in Bytom -Upper Silesia. It's located 15 km from Katowice. Bytom is one of the oldest city in Poland wht is more interesting older than Cracow. There are many interesting landmarks to visit.  It is a typical mining city in the past but now we have only one coal mine. Howevewr we have got a very famous Opera House.

Definitely it's worth visiting this city.

Hi everyone,

I am Polish teacher in High Junior School and Silesia University in Katowice. I teach English.
Love travelling, readinng books and I am into genealogy.
I am interesdted in the USA because my grandparents were born there.


Bye for now.

Have a nice day.