The Silesian Parliament building in Katowice is one of the most important administrative buildings of the interwar period. It was erected as an expression of the region’s ambitions after it gained autonomy and still impresses today with its grandeur and refined architecture, in which a classicist form meets decoration inspired by folk art and the 1920s. The interiors with an amphitheatre-like sitting room, representative staircases and carefully elaborated details emphasise the former importance of the building. The building still serves an administrative function while remaining one of Silesia’s most important monuments.
The Silesian Sejm Building in Katowice: originsand idea for the project
The creation of the building is directly linked to the events of 1922, when part of Upper Silesia was incorporated into Poland. The autonomy granted to the region required a representative seat for the new Silesian Sejm and Voivodship Office. The temporary premises did not meet expectations, so a Committee for the Construction of the Office Building was established as early as December 1922. In May 1923, an architectural competition was announced, which met with a wide response. A monumental and functional design was expected. The jury selected the concept by Kazimierz Wyczyński, Stefan Żeleński, Piotr Jurkiewicz and Ludwik Wojtyczka. The winning design envisaged a grand edifice with a layout subordinate to the central meeting hall.
Construction of the building and participation of artists
Work began in 1924. The scale of the project attracted many highly regarded artists. Jan Raszka created a series of reliefs, capitals and friezes with eagle and griffin motifs. Marcin Rożek created portraits of important Silesian activists for the assembly hall. The details used were intended to emphasise the rank of the place and its importance to the region. The building was ceremonially opened in 1929. It was attended by President Ignacy Mościcki himself. Finishing work, however, continued for several more years. The edifice later served as a model for the expansion of the parliamentary seat in Warsaw, which only confirms its considerable influence on the public architecture of the interwar period.
The Silesian Parliament building and its fate
During the occupation, the building was taken over by the German authorities. At that time, changes were made, the most prominent of which are the modifications to the Reception Hall prepared according to a design by Albert Speer. After 1945, the building continued to serve the administrative functions of the region. Since the late 1980s, regular restoration work has been carried out. In 2015, the restoration of the historical decoration of the meeting rooms and backstage areas was completed. The building is now a historical monument and one of the city’s key landmarks.
Urban layout and massing
The building occupies the entire quarter of Jagiellońska, Ligonia, Lompa and Reymonta Streets. It has a nearly square ground plan with an inner courtyard and an extended set of risalits. The body has six overground storeys and two underground storeys. The façades are finished with neo-classical detailing emphasised by pilasters and a relief frieze with state symbols and legionary motifs. The attic conceals the sunken roof and an imposing staircase leads to the main entrance. The widely spaced windows and carefully developed proportions create an extremely representative image. The high-quality stone cladding used in the ground floor adds to the elegance of the building.
Representative interiors of the seat of the Silesian authorities
The interiors were designed with a balanced combination of classicising order and decorations inspired by Polish art of the 20th century. The vestibule leads to the main staircase covered by an elliptical dome, with galleries supported by octagonal pillars. A meeting room is located on the first floor. A glazed dome illuminates the space, and balconies for the audience accentuate the symmetry of the design. Nearby are further representative rooms, including column halls and provincial government offices. The western risalit hides a set of flats originally intended for the Speaker of the Silesian Sejm and the Governor. The interiors are furnished with beautiful furniture and ornaments inspired, among other things, by folk art.
The Silesian Parliament building –technicalparameters
The building has a reinforced concrete structure with a brick infill. The building area is over 6,500 square metres. The 33-metre-high body houses some 634 rooms and nearly 1,300 windows. The volume exceeds 160,000 cubic metres, confirming the exceptional and rare scale of the building.
Bead lift
One of the most interesting features to be seen in the building is the bead lift, known as a paternoster. The first one was put into operation here in 1929. Years later, it was taken out of use before being reconstructed and reopened in 1980. In 2025, another renovation was completed. The casing was replaced with mahogany, gilded handrails and new lighting was added.
Today’s role of the edifice
The building still serves as the administrative centre of the region. It houses the Marshal’s Office of the Silesian Voivodeship, the Sejmik of the Silesian Voivodeship and the Silesian Voivodeship Office. Regular conservation work and attention to the smallest details have made the building one of Katowice’s icons since its completion. What is more, it is also an extremely valuable architectural ensemble on a national scale, which is why it was declared a monument of history on 22 October 2012, not without reason.
Source: zabytek.pl
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