Główne centra Metropolii "Silesia"

Abstract

The main purpose of the article is the need to determine precisely the centres of the currently forming Upper Silesia metropolis, quite frequently called Metropolis ‘Silesia’. Due to the typical conurbation arrangement of the cities a hypothesis has been formulated that in the contemporary forming metropolis main centres exist. It can be expected that within the Upper Silesian conurbation not only Katowice will build the metropolis, but also other cities of a well developed high-order (metropolitan) functions. Location of colleges, research and development institutions, showrooms selling expensive cars and luxurious hotels are the right institutions. Due to a complex analysis of four selected factors determining development of the metropolis, a few potential metropolitan centres have been chosen out of several dozens of cities. First of all the centre of Metropolis ‘Silesia’ is very distinctly formed in Katowice. As the second centre, although with lesser significance and in some part complementary to Katowice, Gliwice at the western end of the metropolis could be appointed. On the other hand Sosnowiec, Zabrze, Chorzów and Tychy appear as auxiliary and constantly developing centres of the vast Metropolis ‘Silesia’.