Katowice founded
1598 CE.
Shown on the map at 50.250°, 19.000°.
Katowice (/ˌkɑtəˈvitsə/, Polish: [katɔˈvit͡sɛ] ; Silesian: Katowice; German: Kattowitz) is the capital city of the Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland and the central city of the Katowice urban area. As of 2021, Katowice has an official population of 286,960, and a resident population estimate of around 315,000. The Katowice metropolitan area has a population of 2.5 million, and is part of a larger Katowice–Ostrava metropolitan area that extends into the Czech Republic and has a population of around 5 million people. Katowice was founded as a village in the 16th century, whereas several modern districts of Katowice were founded as villages in the Middle Ages. Throughout the mid-18th century, Katowice grew following the discovery of rich coal reserves in the area. In the first half of the 19th century, intensive industrialization transformed local mills and farms into industrial steelworks, mines, foundries and artisan workshops. The city has since reshaped its economy from a heavy industry-based one to professional services, education and healthcare.
Text from the Wikipedia article Katowice, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.