St Herbert Square in Katowice

St Herbert Square (Plac św. Herberta) is the central point of the Witosa estate in the north-western part of Katowice. It is roughly rectangular in shape and is bounded by Kwiatkowskiego, Witosa and Barlickiego streets. Its name was set by a City Council resolution of 27 January 1997, and the square was laid out in 1997-1999.

What is on the square

The middle of the square is occupied by a fountain, created under the Katowice civic budget. Next to it lie a large boulder from Strzegom and a figure of a bebok (a creature of Silesian folklore) named Witosiak. The western part of the square is partly wooded, and in the southern part there are a playground and an outdoor gym. In the northern part a cycle path crosses the square, and on its western edge stands the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and St Herbert, consecrated in 1993.

Where the estate came from

The estate was designed by a team from Inwestprojekt; the plan was approved in 1975, and a year later the demolition of the colonies of Finnish houses on the site of Załęska Hałda began. The square is a venue for neighbourhood fairs and concerts.

Practical information

• By the square there is a public transport stop and a Metrorower (city bike) station.
• The nearest sight is the Iron Theatre, about 1.6 km away.