Gliwice – Palm House, History and Culture

The Municipal Palm House is one of Gliwice’s notable visitor attractions: it is the third-largest facility of its kind in Poland. More than 6,000 specimens of flora and fauna are represented here. The combination of plant and animal life gives the venue a different focus from the city’s historic buildings and exhibitions.

Nature between the Palm House and the park

Four themed aquariums complement the Palm House’s collections. They include a 60,000-litre tank that is home to fish from the Amazon Basin. The number of aquariums and the large tank offer a tangible point of reference if you are particularly interested in aquatic environments.

By contrast, time spent outdoors takes centre stage in Fryderyk Chopin Park. The park covers about six hectares and offers walks among impressive floral arrangements. Its facilities also include a playground with slides, climbing structures, a carousel and a sandbox. In Gliwice, you will therefore encounter different ways to experience nature and open spaces: collections in the Palm House and floral arrangements in the park, as well as outdoor play equipment.

Architecture and the history of technology

Willa Caro is a well-preserved 19th-century residence in the style of Renaissance villa architecture. Its character can first be understood through its architectural history and style. At the same time, it hosts temporary exhibitions, concerts, meetings and conferences; workshops accompanying exhibitions are also part of the programme. The villa thus combines a historic building with a range of cultural events.

At the Gliwice Radiostation, a technical structure and a defining historical event come together. Its antenna tower is 111 metres high; the Radiostation is on the Silesian Route of Technical Monuments. In 1939, its buildings were the scene of the so-called Gleiwitz incident: a German special unit staged a fake attack on a German facility of its own. The event was part of the propaganda and disinformation campaign preparing for the attack on Poland. The tower, the technical monuments route and the history offer different ways to explore this site.

Exhibitions in historic buildings

Zamek Piastowski is one of the oldest buildings in Gliwice. The permanent exhibition “Gliwice – a city of many cultures” explores early history and ethnography, as well as the history of Gliwice and the Gliwice region. The castle also displays Japanese armour and samurai swords, as well as Chinese and Korean swords. The historical themes and these varied objects give the exhibition several different points of focus.

The Artistic Foundry Department is housed in the former machine hall of the “Gliwice” coal mine, built between 1912 and 1914. Its modern, interactive and multimedia permanent exhibition is devoted to artistic cast iron. The collection consists mainly of products made by the Gliwice Royal Iron Foundry in the 19th century. Here, the history of the former machine hall and the craftwork on display are two distinct aspects of a visit.

The Upper Silesian Jews Memorial House is a branch of the Muzeum w Gliwicach. It is housed in a former mortuary built in 1902–1903. The Jewish cemetery, where more than 600 gravestones have been preserved, is next to the former mortuary. The building, its institutional affiliation and the cemetery offer different points of reference for exploring the site.

Getting around and planning your visit

Road connections are another consideration for getting around the wider area: the A1 and A4 motorways intersect in Gliwice. For a different view of the surrounding area, Marina Gliwice in Łabędy offers passenger trips along the Gliwice Canal aboard the Foxtrot. If you would like to plan a trip, check in advance whether one is available on your visit date.

The attractions described here have a range of focuses: nature and flowers, architecture, the history of technology, exhibitions and a trip along the canal. When planning your days in Gliwice, you can take into account which of these matter most to your stay.

Discover more destinations: Gleiwitz, Bojszów, Pyskowice, Paczynka, Paniówki, Niewiesze, Rudziniec, Przyszowice, Sośnicowice, Knurów, Poniszowice, Chudów.

For the regional travel overview: Silesia.