Gliwice

Gliwice, Poland

The Gliwice Radio Tower stands against a sunset sky across a meadow, its wooden lattice lit gold at evening.

Gliwice is a working Silesian city with a small, well-kept old centre, a wooden radio tower and almost no tourist crowds.

The place

Gliwice lies in Upper Silesia, in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica river, a tributary of the Oder, at about 200 metres above sea level. It has about 174,000 residents and sits at the western end of the conurbation around Katowice, bordered by the towns of Zabrze, Knurów and Pyskowice. The name changes with the language: Gleiwitz in German, Hlivice in Czech, Glywice in Silesian. That layering is part of the character. The city grew rich on steelworks and coal, and after the economic upheaval of the 1990s it reinvented itself around car-making and machine-building. A technical university founded in 1945 by academics from Lwów keeps the streets young, and Gliwice counts as one of Poland's major student towns. The old core, laid out in the 13th century, has survived well. Its market square, the Rynek, is ringed by cafés and bars, with a classical town hall that still carries traces of medieval walls. Brick Gothic churches and the stump of a fortified tower stand a few minutes' walk away. Beyond the centre are villas, a Victorian palm house and a radio mast on the northern edge. Expect a working city rather than a heritage set: a modern railway station, students with laptops, factory suburbs, and a compact centre that can be covered on foot in a morning. Visitors are few, so there is rarely a queue.

Its story

Gliwice first appears in the records as a town in 1276, although Duke Władysław of Opole, a Piast, had granted it town rights a little earlier. Its position on a trade route between Kraków and Wrocław made it worth holding, and brewing and crafts fed its medieval prosperity. Ownership shifted with the fortunes of the Piast duchies, passing between Opole and Bytom, and for about two decades in the early 14th century Gliwice was the seat of a small duchy of its own. In 1335 the region came under the Bohemian Crown, part of the Holy Roman Empire, and in 1526 that crown passed to the Habsburgs. In 1433 the town was briefly seized by Duke Bolko V, who had thrown in his lot with the Hussites. When the Duchy of Opole and Racibórz was dissolved in 1532, Gleiwitz, as it was now called, became Habsburg land. The dynasty was short of money after its wars with the Ottomans, so it leased the town to a nobleman, Friedrich Zettritz, for 14,000 thalers. Prussian and later German rule followed, before Gliwice became part of Poland. Its modern chapter began in 1945 with the new technical university. In the 1990s the economy turned away from coal and steel towards automotive and machinery work. The old postcards labelled Gleiwitz are a reminder of how many flags this one town has lived under.

What to see

Culture

Gliwice belongs to Upper Silesia, a region where Polish, German, Czech and Silesian influences have mixed for centuries, and the town still feels that blend. Catholic tradition is strong: the Church of Sts Peter and Paul became a cathedral when Gliwice was made the seat of a diocese, and churches fill on feast days. Older neighbourhoods keep the Silesian habits of tidy gardens, Sunday family lunches and a quiet pride in local dialect. Industrial heritage is also part of the identity, and the shift from mines and steelworks to technology is spoken of with a mix of nostalgia and satisfaction. The city also remembers a Jewish community that was once part of everyday life. A museum branch beside the new Jewish cemetery tells the story of Upper Silesian Jews, in a building that began as a funeral home. Student life gives the centre a relaxed evening rhythm, with cafés, craft beer bars and live music around the Rynek. Locals are friendly but reserved with strangers, and a few words of Polish, such as dzień dobry for good day and dziękuję for thank you, are warmly received. Dress neatly, keep your voice low inside churches and the Jewish cemetery, and ask before photographing anyone at prayer or at a grave.

What to wear

Gliwice has no single costume of its own, but Upper Silesian folk dress is still seen at festivals, church feasts and in dance ensembles. It typically pairs a fitted bodice, often embroidered or in velvet, with a full skirt and a bright apron in wool or cotton, and headscarves for women. Men wear dark waistcoats and felt hats. These outfits are for celebrations, not for daily life. Day to day, people dress as they would in most of central Europe: jeans, trainers, practical jackets and dark coats in winter. Students and office workers favour casual smart clothes, and sportswear is common. Evenings out on the Rynek call for nothing more formal than a clean shirt or a simple dress. A visitor should dress for a continental climate, with warm layers, a hat and gloves in the cold months, and a light waterproof at almost any time of year. Summers can be warm, so pack breathable fabrics. Comfortable shoes matter more than style, since the old centre has cobbles and uneven paving. For churches, cover shoulders and knees, and carry a scarf or light shawl that can be put on at the door. Trainers are fine everywhere.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. May–June and September–October, when days are mild and the streets and terraces are at their best; winters are cold and grey, and mid-summer can be hot.

How long. 1–2

Getting there. Fly to Katowice Airport (KTW), where the M14 bus runs hourly straight to Gliwice. Alternatively reach Katowice by any route and take a regional train west; services are frequent and the ride is short. Gliwice station sits at the north-west edge of the centre, with the bus station beside it.

Budget. low

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources