It is high to the other episode of the World Championships cities presentation. In this part, one of the most beautiful city in the world- Cracow, city of freedom – Gdansk, and a dream of all participants of the tournament – Katowice and Spodek Arena, where finalists is going to face on September, 21. Hurry up! 17 days remaining to start. Tickets for sale yet.
Katowice
At first glance Katowice seems to be rather less than attractive, unless you want to learn more about post-communist transformations. However, deeper exploration of its industrial areas and unusual monuments reveals that Katowice is actually very interesting. It is the heart of the biggest agglomeration in central Eastern Europe, resembling the Ruhr in terms of the development of industry and urbanisation. Presently it is undergoing transformation into an energetic business and trade centre, with a great economic potential.
Katowice is the capital of a historical region known as Upper Silesia and the main city of the current Silesian Province. Katowice itself has around 308,000 inhabitants, one part of a 3-million agglomeration of several towns and cities. The region is the most densely populated and urbanised area in Poland.
The city had its heyday in the 1950s when its numerous coalmines and steelworks flourished. Nowadays, the heavy industry has significantly decreased and Katowice is moving towards small businesses and trade. There are still several dozen collieries, ironworks, steel plants, and the city remains the centre of GOP (Upper Silesian Industrial Region). Each year Katowice plays host to trade fairs, including the second biggest event of such type in Poland. Travel to Katowice is convenient with the nearby Katowice-Pyrzowice international airport and an important railway hub.
Apart from being the principle science and educational centre of the region, this lively city with its tall buildings comparable to Warsaw in number, offers a wide range of entertainment that can compensate for the rarity of sights. Most buildings reflect the architecture of the communist period, though there are several remnants of its 19th century impressiveness and numerous examples of modern architecture from 1920s and 1930s. Many buildings’ design was influenced by Bauhaus and De Stijl, as well as Le Corbusier’s ideas. There are also two unique districts of Katowice, which are really worth a visit: a historical worker’s area Nikiszowiec and Giszowiec, designed as garden-town. One characteristic landmark of the city is Spodek (literally “saucer”, since it resembles a UFO flying saucer), a great hall used for many purposes, including the biggest rock concerts in Poland.
Sports Hall
Spodek (Capacity: 11.000)
This place is called ‘Mecca of volleyball’ because of atmosphere, which is usually created by fans gathered inside. As Spodek resembles anUFOship, all people that will visit this sport hall at the World Championships, can live out unearthly.
Worth visiting:
- Silesian Theatre of Stanislaw Wyspanski
- Church of St. Michael Archangel
- ‘Spodek’ Sports Hall
- Summary for fans and tourists:
- Culture & monuments: ★★★
- Food & accommodation: ★★★★★
- Entertainments: ★★★★
- Nightlife: ★★★★
Katowice at the World Championships Poland 2014
- First group stage – (Brazil, Cuba, Germany, Tunisia, Korea, Finland)
- Second group stage – 4 top teams of Pool B and Pool C
- Third round
- Semifinals
- Great final
- Fans Zone with animations
Cracow
Probably the most beautiful and fascinating city in Poland. The attraction is not just the splendid architecture and the treasures of art – reminders of the times when Cracow was a royal capital city – but also the unique ambience of the former Jewish district and the masterpieces of Polish Art Nouveau. However old and beautiful it is, Cracow is not limited to its monuments and museums. Thanks to an amazing density and variety of bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants, Cracow sparkles with life. Anyway, there is no point in merely talking about its attractions – everyone should see Cracow with their own eyes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPSGM2V0hDw
Cracow, with a population of over 755,000 people, is Poland’s second largest city. Although it ceased to be a capital city in 1596, it still plays the role of cultural centre for Poland. Fortunately, it escaped World War II with no major fighting or bombing, and it remains almost unscathed even after fifty years of communist rule while concrete blocks of flats were built outside the city centre.
Cracow is also an important academic city, famed for its ancient university of consistent and continuing repute. But above all, the city is known as the most popular tourist destination in Poland, with the former royal “Wawel” castle being rated among its major attractions. The majority of monuments are situated in the Old Town, framed by the ring-shaped park, known as “Planty”. In the centre of the Old Town there is Europe’s largest market square, with the “Sukiennice” (the Cloth Hall) dating from the 14th century and one of the best-known landmarks of Cracow. The charming and exuberant atmosphere of the city attracts visitors in every season.
Teams that will be staying in Cracow and their supporters are real lucky, they will be spending time in this beautiful city full of monuments, vibrant culture, climate places, as well as a large entertainment center. There is absolutely no case that the former Poland’s capital was ranked among the 25 most beautiful cities in the world by the prestigious magazine ‘Conde Nast Traveler’ ahead of, among others, Rome, Paris, Venice and Berlin.
Sports Hall
Arena Cracow (Capacity: 15.000)
The largest, newest and most modern sports hall in Poland. Viewers who are attracted excellent visibility from anywhere in the hall and the acoustics worthy of the best opera.
Worth visiting:
- Cracow’s Historic Centre
- Main Market Square
- Wawel Royal Castle
- National Museum
- Church of the Virgin Mary
- Jewish District
- Summary for fans and tourists:
- Culture & monuments: ★★★★★+
- Food & accommodation: ★★★★★+
- Entertainments: ★★★★★ +
- Nightlife: ★★★★★+
Cracow at the FIVB World Championships Poland 2014
- First group stage – Italy, USA, Iran, France, Puerto Rico, Belgium)
- Fans Zone with animations
Gdansk
This cheerful maritime city owes its present grandeur to a thousand year of Polish-German history, with a significant period when the town was a key member of the Hanseatic League. Reflecting those times is the exclusive architecture of the Old Town, including the largest brick Gothic church in the world. Home of Lech Walesa, in 1980 it witnessed the birth of the Solidarity movement, bringing the end of Communism in Eastern Europe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTvKj8kOAWk
Situated on the coast of the Baltic Sea, Gdansk is the capital city of Pomeranian Voivodship. Together with two other cities, Sopot and Gdynia, it forms a conurbation known as the Tricity with a total population of 750,000 (Gdansk itself has 456,000 inhabitants). While Gdynia serves mainly as a port and Sopot as a seaside resort, Gdansk is popular among visitors with its thousand-year history and impressive architecture.
Its Old Town attracts almost as many people as that of Krakow or Warsaw. In the past the city enjoyed a high degree of autonomy, which together with its participation in Hanseatic League, led to great prosperity. During its Golden Age, the turnover of Gdansk was bigger than that of London’s East India Company. Later periods in Gdansk’s history were complicated and sometimes even dramatic.
At present this maritime capital of Poland is an important cultural and academic centre. The economy is developing quickly and moving into new fields: the traditional shipping and amber trade is being joined by the petrochemical, electronic and telecommunication industries. The seaport and international airport make the city a significant transport hub.
Gdansk – the city of freedom changes its face from day to day. Not long ago it was in the centre of events that changed the history of Europe. August 1980, strike in the Gdansk Shipyard led by Lech Wałęsa and creation of Solidarity, a great social movement, captured imagination of millions. Precisely these events gave a great impulse to the freedom movements around the world and let people believe that impossible is after all possible.
Sports Hall
Ergo Arena (Capacity: 11.500)
Due to its modern construction, can host up to 11000, and when we include standing places even 15000 people. It allows to organize whole spectrum of sports competitions. Our advanced PA system, great venue acoustics, roof truss construction supporting up to 144 tons of lighting or sound equipment, and lots and lots of space, guarantee the highest quality of any music or theatrical event.
Worth visiting:
- Old Town
- European Solidarity Center Roads to Freedom
- Dluga Street
- Westerplatte
- Three Crosses Monument
- PGE Arena Stadium
- Summary for fans and tourists:
- Culture & monuments: ★★★★★
- Food & accommodation: ★★★★★
- Entertainments: ★★★★★
- Nightlife: ★★★★★
Gdansk at the FIVB World Championships Poland 2014
- First group stage –Russia, Bulgaria China, Canada, Egypt, Mexico)
- Fans Zone with animations
Tickets to buy RIGHT HERE
The first part with presentations of Warsaw, Wroclaw, Bydgoszcz and Lodz to read and watch RIGHT HERE
Sources: staypoland.pl/own materials, videos – YouTube