Top 15 Attractions and Activities in Zabrze, Poland

Located between Katowice and Gliwice, Zabrze is an industrial city within the Silesian Metropolis. For those with an appreciation for industrial technology, Zabrze offers three remarkable show mines dating back to the early 20th century, the peak of coal mining activity. Among these, the Guido Mine provides visitors with mining equipment to explore 355 metres below the surface, offering insights into the life of a miner.

In addition, this city is home to two more preserved mines along the Route of Silesian Industrial Monuments. At ground level, Zabrze features a botanical garden and a coal mining museum, both worthy of a visit. Notably, the cities of Katowice and Gliwice are only a short train ride away and offer their own attractions.

Let us delve into the top attractions in Zabrze:

1. Zabytkowa Kopalnia Węgla Kamiennego Guido (Guido Mine and Coalmining Museum)

This mining museum is unique, calling visitors deep underground into tunnels that extend as far as 355 metres below the surface.

Here, you will gain a firsthand understanding of what it meant to work in Zabrze’s mines, equipped with a hard hat and lamp, experiencing the drafts along the tunnels and observing signs of tectonic activity in the walls.

Additionally, the tour takes you through tunnels at 320 and 170 metres, showcasing a timeline of Upper Silesia’s mining operations, where visitors can even enjoy refreshments at a subterranean café.

Above ground, the enormous blue headframe stands as a testament to this facility, which began coal extraction in 1871.

2. Skansen Górniczy Królowa Luiza (Queen Louise Mining Museum)

This mine, named in honor of the Queen of Prussia, operated from 1791 until 1998. Since 1993, before its closure, the underground chambers and infrastructure have been accessible to the public.

The guided tour descends to a depth of 36 metres and includes a ride on an underground train.

At the Carnall Shaft, visitors can explore the intact engine room, switchgear, shower hall, and union hall.

The engine room features a steam-powered winding engine from 1915 with 2,000 horsepower available, while the headframe also offers an observation platform, providing panoramic views of Zabrze and the Silesian Metropolis.

3. Municipal Botanical Garden

Established in 1928, the Municipal Botanical Garden opened its doors to the public in 1938, following delays due to the Great Depression.

Post-war, the garden was restored and expanded several times, now covering over six hectares and housing thousands of plant species, trees, and shrubs.

A notable modern addition is the rose garden, featuring 2,500 individual plants from 65 varieties, which bloom vibrantly in spring and summer.

The greenhouses house 5,000 plants from various global climate zones, including a diverse collection of palms, ferns, and succulents.

Visitors can stroll paths that showcase a variety of species, including Chinese Amur cork trees, tulip trees, and Canadian hemlock.

4. Coalmining Museum

For those interested in the culture and technology related to coal mining in Zabrze, the museum operating within the Louisa Mine is an ideal destination.

The exhibits are housed in a Historicist government building dating back to the 1870s, with extensions completed in 1906. Here, one can explore various aspects of coal and mining, including its geology and paleobotany, the evolution of mining technology, and coal processing techniques.

On a more personal note, visitors can listen to testimonies from miners, gaining insight into their daily routines and the broader mining culture.

5. Dom Muzyki i Tańca (House of Music and Dance)

Zabrze’s most recognizable landmark is this expansive performing arts venue, inaugurated in 1959. The House of Music and Dance exemplifies the Socialist Realist architecture of its era, characterized by a hexagonal design and a capacity exceeding 2,000 seats. The hall is renowned for its superior acoustics and has hosted performances by prestigious artists such as José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, and Krystian Zimerman.

As you enter, you will follow in the footsteps of distinguished figures such as Charles de Gaulle and Finnish Prime Minister Urho Kekkonen.

A café operates every day of the week with outdoor seating, and patrons can check the venue’s schedule to find live performances or classical concerts that appeal to their preferences.

6. Muzeum Miejskie (City Museum)

To gain a deeper understanding of Zabrze, the City Museum showcases a wealth of artifacts that illuminate the city’s folk culture, art, and history.

Noteworthy displays include numerous everyday objects from the industrial era, such as identity cards, diplomas, checkbooks, factory catalogs, and photographs.

Visitors will also find examples of traditional agricultural equipment, costumes from the early 20th century, and tools pertinent to various crafts such as saddlery, cobbling, tailoring, weaving, and more.

Look out for the numerous sculptures carved from substantial pieces of coal, a distinctive feature of this region of Poland.

7. Muzeum Techniki Wojskowej (Museum of Military Technology)

For military hardware enthusiasts, this museum offers an impressive array of weapons and vehicles displayed in an open courtyard.

The extensive collection features various types of exhibits, primarily from the Second World War and the era of the Polish People’s Army.

This includes tanks, armored vehicles, troop carriers, transport trucks, fire trucks, motorcycles, aircraft, and anti-aircraft artillery.

Most exhibits appear in exceptional condition, with approximately 90% of the vehicles operational.

Some highlights include a Soviet PTS amphibious vehicle, a Sukhoi Su-20 fighter jet, and Soviet T-34-85 and T-72 tanks.

8. Szyb Maciej (Maciej Shaft)

Located along the Silesian Route of Industrial Monuments, Szyb Maciej represents an industrial site associated with the early 20th-century Concordia mine.

After undergoing a period of neglect, the new owners have thoroughly revitalized the site, restoring its headframe, engine room, switchgear, steam engine, and numerous other mechanisms and structures.

Visitors can participate in an hour-long walking tour of the site, with the opportunity to peer down into the mine shaft from the headframe.

The facility also features an events hall beneath a metal and glass canopy, a restaurant, a bistro with outdoor seating in summer, and a playground for children.

9. Jewish Cemetery

The Jewish Cemetery in Zabrze, established in 1874, has been closed for over 60 years.

Despite the tumultuous events of the 20th century, the cemetery still contains 500 gravestones and monuments, which are maintained by volunteers.

If the brightly painted gates are locked, access is available at the rear of this two-hectare site.

The cemetery has become a sanctuary for nature, with ivy entwining the tombs and wild trees growing freely.

Culturally, this site is fascinating: the inclusion of German and Yiddish inscriptions on the headstones signifies the high level of integration in Zabrze a century ago.

10. Kino Roma

The slightly worn, temple-like structure located at Ulica Padlewskiego 4 is recognized as the oldest cinema in Upper Silesia.

Kino Roma debuted as the Kino Lichtspielhaus (Cinematograph) in 1912, featuring an orchestra pit during the silent film era.

More than a century later, it continues to serve as a beloved gathering spot for film enthusiasts.

The auditorium accommodates 275 seats and hosts concerts and seminars, while the cinema features a selection of international independent films and contemporary Hollywood releases.

11. Filharmonia Zabrzańska

Founded in 1950 by the miners’ trade union, the philharmonic orchestra aims to promote classical music among workers.

Over nearly 70 years, many renowned conductors and soloists, including Krystian Zimerman, have performed with the orchestra.

In 2010, the philharmonic relocated to a new permanent venue within Zabrze’s Neoclassical former library building.

The schedule is vibrant, featuring performances every few days, with a repertoire that caters to diverse tastes, including operas, operettas, symphonies, movie scores, and music from iconic bands like the Beatles.

12. Zamek w Chudowie

Situated in Chudów, not far to the south, is a restored 16th-century castle.

From 1874 until the 1990s, this monument had fallen into a state of disrepair, with only a wall and part of a tower left standing following a fire.

The reconstruction was completed by 2004, fully restoring the square tower and hipped roof while conducting archaeological excavations on the site.

The artifacts uncovered during the excavations are now displayed within the tower as a museum, alongside a year-round events program, including a medieval fair in August.

13. Kopiec Wyzwolenia (Mound of Liberation)

As you navigate through the Silesian Metropolis, you may spot this man-made hill located a few kilometers northeast of Zabrze.

The Mound of Liberation was constructed over five years, from 1932 to 1937, to commemorate the 250th anniversary of King Jan III Sobieski’s march to the Battle of Vienna in 1683, where a coalition of Christians triumphed over the Ottoman Empire with the largest cavalry charge ever recorded on a battlefield.

This mound also serves as a memorial for the Silesian Uprisings, during which Upper Silesia gained independence from Germany after World War II.

Modeled after a Bronze Age tumulus, the mound rises 20 meters high and, being the highest point in Piekary Śląskie, offers expansive views from its summit.

14. Katowice

The advantage of being situated in a metropolitan area like the Silesian Metropolis is that neighboring cities are readily accessible.

Katowice, the metropolis’s central city, is barely ten minutes from Zabrze and boasts various notable attractions one would expect from a regional capital.

Among these is the new campus of the Silesian Museum, which opened in 2015, featuring galleries for art, archaeology, photography, and ethnography located within former mine tunnels.

The revitalized miners’ settlement of Nikiszowiec from the early 20th century is also a must-visit, recognized as a Polish Historic Monument.

This area was thoughtfully designed, incorporating a school, hospital, churches, shops, and a police station.

The brick apartment buildings showcase artistic features, including arcades, bay windows, and grand entrances.

15. Gliwice

In close proximity, Gliwice borders Zabrze to the west and can be reached in just one train stop.

Unlike much of the Silesian Metropolis, Gliwice has a medieval heritage, having been granted town privileges in 1250. The compact old town remains intact, with its Rynek (Market Square) providing a pleasant spot to enjoy a cold beverage during the summer.

Additionally, Gliwice was the site of the infamous Gleiwitz Incident on the eve of World War II.

The Gliwice Radio Tower, which still stands today, was assaulted by SS operatives impersonating Polish Army soldiers to justify the invasion of Poland the following day.

Between Gliwice and Zabrze lies Kolejkowo, a detailed model railway and miniature world designed to captivate the imagination of children.