Discover Gleiwitz

Gleiwitz offers several different perspectives on the city: the medieval Rynek, technical and industrial history, museum collections, and botanical and green spaces. When choosing a hotel for your stay, these highlights can shape your choice of destination and how you plan your days. The specific themes range from the political, economic and social role of the Rynek to plant collections and outdoor activities.

The square and the city’s history

The Rynek in Gliwice was laid out in the second half of the 13th century and has been the city’s most important centre of political, economic and social life since its creation. Zamek Piastowski adds another historical perspective: the Gothic building dates back to the 14th century, and its origins are connected with the construction of Gliwice’s city walls. Exhibits at the castle include guild mementos from the 17th and 18th centuries, memorabilia relating to the Silesian Uprisings and the plebiscite, as well as memorabilia relating to the activities of the Union of Poles in Germany. The collection also includes photographs from the 19th and 20th centuries of Gliwice and industrial sites in Upper Silesia.

Industrial history and architectural heritage

Radiostacja Gliwice was added to Poland’s list of Pomniki Historii in 2017. It lies along the Szlak Zabytków Techniki Województwa Śląskiego, which is part of the European Route of Industrial Heritage. The national distinction and the European route connection highlight different aspects: the site’s protected heritage status in Poland, and the broader context of European industrial history.

Willa Caro is a well-preserved 19th-century residence in the style of Renaissance villa architecture. It houses a permanent exhibition on the living quarters of Upper Silesian industrialists in the 19th century. The house and exhibition thus connect villa architecture with the subject of how people lived during that era. Among those buried at Cmentarz Hutniczy are John Baildon, mechanical engineer August Holtzhausen and sculptor Theodor Kalide. They made significant contributions to Gliwice’s industrial development; their names add people associated with this development to the history of its buildings and exhibitions.

Collections offering different perspectives

The permanent exhibition “Żydzi na Górnym Śląsku” is displayed at Dom Pamięci Żydów Górnośląskich. It explores the history, significance and contribution of the Jewish community to the development of Upper Silesia from the Middle Ages to the present day. Its broad timespan sets this perspective apart from collections that focus on individual buildings, objects or people: here, the subject is the development of a community over many centuries.

The exhibition “Słusznie słyną dziś Gliwice” presents four cubes shaped like blast furnaces. Inside, you can explore multimedia presentations and exhibits on a range of topics. The blast furnace shape gives the presentation a technical connection, while the multimedia content and exhibits cover different themes.

Plant collections and outdoor activities

Established in the 19th century, Palmiarnia Miejska now houses more than 6,000 specimens of flora and fauna. On display are citrus and spice plants such as pepper, cinnamon and cardamom, as well as exotic palms and cacti from Australia, Africa and both Americas. These groups offer different ways to explore the botanical collection.

Park Chrobrego has a playground with spring riders, various swings, carousels and a large climbing net. There is also a boules court and nine disc golf baskets near the park. So, in addition to the botanical highlights, there are specific outdoor play and sports activities to choose from.

Discover more destinations: Przyszowice, Paniówki, Chudów, Rudziniec, Knurów, Sośnicowice, Poniszowice, Niewiesze

Go to the main travel overview: Gliwice.