Silesian Voivodeship

This administrative region in southern Poland stretches from the Beskid and Tatra ranges to flatter areas in the north. The landscape shifts between forested ridges, former industrial zones, and farmland on rolling plains.

After the territorial reform of 1999, the voivodeship emerged from three former administrative units and united areas with different traditions. Before the reorganization, these parts had separate administrations and distinct economic focuses.

The name comes from the Silingi, a Germanic tribe that settled here during the early Middle Ages. The landscape today mixes industrial sites with coal-mine headframes and traditional villages where wooden churches still stand.

Most towns sit along main roads and rail lines running north and south from the center of the region. Mountain trails are usually passable from spring through autumn, while lower areas remain accessible year-round.

Some mountain roads wind through narrow valleys with bends that were already difficult for traders in medieval times. These routes today connect smaller towns with historic market squares that still keep their old cobblestones.

Location: Poland

Inception: January 1, 1999

Capital city: Katowice

Reference: ŚL

Shares border with: Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Łódź Voivodeship, Opole Voivodeship, Moravian-Silesian Region, Žilina region

Website: http://silesia-region.pl

GPS coordinates: 50.33333,19.00000

Latest update: December 11, 2025 19:25