The market square in Katowice – a place which no longer exists – an evolution of the spatial structure

Abstract

This study attempts to explain why the space in the centre of Katowice is formallycalled “The Market Square” even though the square itself no longer exists. Somearchival documents and existing studies are analysed. The evolution of the marketsquare in Katowice is presented against the background of historical and economictransformations, putting an emphasis on depicting valuable and interestingarchitecture that was irretrievably lost and replaced with entirely new urbanfabric. Moreover, the article aims to show that the region of Upper Silesia does notonly constitute industrial plants but also, created by the mixture of cultures andnationalities, other types of architecture, that was irretrievably lost. It was foundout that the market is not actually the main square.