Katowice historic railway station

At its inception the station was intended primarily as a maintenance and resupply stop for passing trains; Katowice was simply a convenient location en route to Mysłowice and the other railway lines to connect to.

The city kept growing, becoming the capital of the Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship in the Second Polish Republic in the aftermath of World War I.

[2] The representative neoclassical station, completed in 1859,[1][3] grew together with the city, quickly expanding beyond its original smaller purpose, and consequently, size.

The terminals were large enough to provide additional services, from hosting commercial shops to sport facilities.

[2] After World War II the train station was judged obsolete, primarily because of the inefficient layout of the platforms.

[8] The ruined state of this historic building is one of the most controversial issues in the modern history of Katowice, leading to repeated news coverage of occasional demonstrations by concerned citizens.