Katowice, the crown jewel of the Silesian Voivodeship, serves as the heartbeat of the Upper Silesian metropolitan area and the remarkable Metropolis GZM, home to over 2.3 million people. Its gritty past is marked by the explosive growth following the discovery of substantial coal deposits in the 19th century that transformed this unassuming settlement into a thriving industrial hub. Today, Katowice stands proudly as a Gamma - global city, reshaping its once-ironclad economy towards professional services, education, and healthcare.

A beacon of culture in southern Poland, Katowice houses revered institutions such as the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra and is a hotbed for music festivals such as the Off Festival and Tauron New Music. The city is also the host for earth-shattering esports events like the Intel Extreme Masters, taking place at the well-connected Katowice Korfanty Airport. Academic minds flock here for the University of Silesia, Silesian University of Technology, and the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music, reiterating the city's status as a powerhouse in higher education.

From its origins as an ethnic Silesian settlement, Katowice has been under the rule of multiple powers, from the Polish Silesian Piast dynasty to the Habsburg monarchy. Its industrial prowess skyrocketed during the Industrial Revolution, leading it to become a diverse city rich with Germans, Poles, Silesians and Jews. Despite the travails of World War II and the destruction it faced, Katowice bounced back, once again becoming Poland's most industrialised city.