Sosnowiec is not as bad as it is painted

Sosnowiec – the city of Jan Kiepura, of many myths, unfair stereotypes and urban legends. People joke that it is the furthest-flung district of Warsaw. So what is it really like? It is the largest city in the Dąbrowa Basin and the third largest in the Silesian Voivodeship, after Katowice and Częstochowa. It is marked by enormous diversity, which stems from the fact that it was created in 1902 by merging many settlements: Kuźnica, Stary Sosnowiec, Sielec, Środulka, Ostra Górka, Pogoń and Radocha. 13 years later, Dębowa Góra, Konstantynów, Milowice, Modrzejów, Pekin and Środula were also incorporated into Sosnowiec.

• If not Silesia, then what?
• Mountains in the heart of the metropolis?
• Or perhaps overseas?
• Leisure, recreation and… shopping
• Why live in Sosnowiec?

Today it is a modern, fast-developing city that focuses on regeneration. The Dąbrowa Basin Media Library, the covered swimming pool in Zagórze, the modernisation of Modrzejowska Street, the city's pedestrian promenade, the City Monitoring Centre, a playground on Górka Środulska worth 3 million PLN, a network of cycle paths, the construction of an operating theatre block at the City Hospital, a city bike rental scheme, a new tram line, bus lanes… – these are just a few of the most important investments of last year. All this attracts investors and makes large production companies, such as Amazon or the Hillwood Logistics Centre, keen to locate their sites here.

If not Silesia, then what?

Sosnowiec is admittedly in the Silesian Voivodeship, but it lies in the Dąbrowa Basin. What is more, it is situated in the western part of Lesser Poland (sic!). So it is no wonder that when the people of Sosnowiec hear that they live in Silesia, they see red… The city is surrounded by three rivers: the Czarna Przemsza, the Biała Przemsza and the Brynica, which forms a mythical border that often falls victim to tasteless jokes.

Mountains in the heart of the metropolis?

Everyone will find something suitable here. Do you love winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding, but dislike travelling to well-known and therefore crowded mountain resorts? There is a solution! On Górka Środulska in Sosnowiec you can pursue your passions. More than a decade ago, on fields that once belonged to a state farm (PGR), the Środula Ski Slope was created, equipped with artificial lighting, three drag lifts and snow cannons. If we grow tired of the white madness, we can move to a somewhat more favourable climate. A trip to the Exotarium, located in the city park named after Lieutenant Pilot Jan Fusiński, would then be ideal.

READ ALSO – SOSNOWIEC: HOW MUCH DOES A FLAT FOR A LARGE FAMILY COST?

Or perhaps overseas?

For the people of Sosnowiec, Pekin (Beijing), Abyssinia or Brazil are only a few kilometres away. However, these places do not enjoy a good reputation here. To visit them, residents do not have to travel thousands of kilometres. It is enough to get on a bus. Why? Well, these are the names of former districts that were razed to the ground, and modern housing estates grew up in their place. And so the city-centre Abyssinia was replaced by the "Naftowa" estate. Sosnowiec's Pekin was once a small settlement by the road leading from Konstantynów to Klimontów. This was the site of the famous infectious diseases hospital run by Dr Nadzieja Griniuk-Berdo, an outstanding doctor who fought tuberculosis. Brazil, in turn, was once a slum estate in Czeladź.

Leisure, recreation and… shopping

The most characteristic place in Sosnowiec is the famous Three Emperors' Corner, also known as the meeting point of three empires. The name comes from the fact that in the years 1846–1915 the borders of the powers that took part in the partition of Poland – Prussia, Austria and Russia – met at this spot. It lies in a picturesque spot where three rivers meet: the Biała Przemsza, the Czarna Przemsza and the Przemsza.

Or perhaps a trip to Balaton? Not the Hungarian one, but the one in Sosnowiec, located in Porąbka, an eastern district of the city. This pond is a popular place of recreation and leisure for the people of Sosnowiec.

Sosnowiec is full of parks. Green areas take up as much as 2,250 ha. And there is no shortage of historic buildings either. It is worth mentioning, for example, the Sielec Castle, whose history reaches back to the late Middle Ages, the neo-Baroque Dietel Palace, the Schön Palace, which houses a museum and the Registry Office, Oskar Schön's Palace, which has served as a court building since 1945, as well as Wilhelm's Palace and the People's House in the Zakopane style, or the Mieroszewski manor in Zagórze, which houses an Art Conservation Studio. Besides many churches, there is also an Orthodox church dedicated to Saints Vera, Nadezhda, Lyubov and their mother Sophia (Saints Faith, Hope and Charity). Which city can boast of so many outstanding buildings with such an interesting history?

The people of Sosnowiec are on the best of terms with culture and sport. They can pick and choose among the attractions offered by the local cinemas, theatre, museums, cultural centres, stadiums, pitches and sports and entertainment halls. And after the attractions for body and spirit, you can go shopping at Designer Outlet Sosnowiec, the only large outlet centre in the region.

Why live in Sosnowiec?

Sosnowiec is not waiting for its population to start falling drastically, as in other cities of the conurbation. It is betting on new residents, for whom the New Resident Card was introduced. It entitles holders, among other things, to a 50 per cent discount at municipal cultural institutions, to buy entry tickets to the facilities of the Sosnowiec Municipal Sports and Recreation Centre (MOSiR) for 1 PLN, or to take advantage of various discounts offered by the scheme's partners. What is more, the mayor is considering providing residents with night taxis in place of public transport – and as a way of saving money! The passenger would pay only the price of a ticket. The municipality would cover the rest. Unfortunately, the project is only at the testing stage for now.

Many modern housing estates have been built in Sosnowiec recently. More are being built before our eyes, in increasingly attractive locations – both on the outskirts and in the centre – so they can satisfy the discerning tastes of future owners. When thinking about buying a new flat, you should treat it as an investment, because putting capital into property is a proven practice. You can later sell it at a profit or let it out. Prices here are much lower than for similar flats in crowded Katowice. And it is worth noting that Sosnowiec is only 7 kilometres from Katowice. You can cover this distance in no time on the S86 expressway. Those without a car can take buses, trams or trains connecting the capital of the Silesian Voivodeship with the city of Jan Kiepura.

What are flat prices like here? For a square metre we will pay from 3.5 to 4.5 thousand PLN, although the value of flats is steadily rising. The cheapest flats can be found in Dańdówka, Środula and Niwka. They cost from 2.5 to 3.2 thousand PLN per square metre. It is a little more expensive in Śródmieście, Zagórze, Pogoń and Stary Sosnowiec. Here we will pay about 3.3-3.5 thousand PLN per square metre. If you dream of a home in Klimontów, you need to pay about 3.6 thousand PLN per square metre. The most expensive area is Milowice, where you should expect to spend about 3.9 thousand PLN per square metre.