Wojciech Korfanty Avenue in Katowice is a major arterial road running from the city center northward through the districts of Koszutka and Weà Ânowiec-Józefowiec, eventually leading to the neighboring city of Siemianowice à Âlàskie. Along the avenue, there are numerous public utility buildings and residential structures from various periods, particularly from the post-war era. The avenue is named after Wojciech Korfanty, a prominent figure in the history of Upper Silesia.
Wojciech Korfanty Avenue begins in the à Âródmieà Âcie district of Katowice at the Market Square and its intersection with . Heading north, it crosses and Piastowska streets, passing notable landmarks such as the former Grand Hotel (No. 3), the building, , the , and the Superjednostka residential building. Nearby stands the Monument of Silesian Insurgents.
At the Jerzy ZiÃÂtek Square, the avenue intersects with (forming part of National Roads 79 and 86, Expressway S86, and Drogowa Trasa à Ârednicowa) and Chorzowska Street (National Road 79, Drogowa Trasa à Ârednicowa). The road then enters the Koszutka district, flanked by the KTW high-rises, Spodek arena, and the near , crossing and streets.
Continuing northward, it enters the Weà Ânowiec-Józefowiec district near the intersection with and Jesionowa streets. In , it crosses Konduktorska and streets (), passing by the historic building of the Court of Appeal and the site of the former Hohenlohe steelworks, followed by the Fryderyk colony. The road ends at the intersection with next to , the , and , at the city border with Siemianowice à Âlàskie.
Around 1360, a forge was established by the Roà ºdzianka river (today's Rawa river, covered with concrete slabs and flowing under the avenue near the Market Square) at the site of today's building in the former (present-day à Âródmieà Âcie). The first written mention of the forge at this location dates back to 1397, in the text of a verdict from the Kraków diocesan court resolving a dispute over the patronage of the Mysà Âowice parish. The forge's buildings survived until the second half of the 19th century.
The road to Siemianowice already existed in the 17th century as an estate road. At the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, in the area of today's Piastowska and Uniwersytecka streets, and Wojciech Korfanty Avenue, there was a metallurgical farmstead (owned from the second half of the 18th century by the proprietors of Kuà ºnica Bogucka).
In 1818, in the area of today's Spodek, on land belonging to , the "Franz" steelworks was established. In 1860, it merged with the "Fanny" steelworks to form the combined "Fanny-Franz" works, which operated until 1903. Its buildings were repurposed for the construction of the so-called Maria Manor â a factory complex with a metallurgical character â owned by the Kurtok family. It was demolished in the 1960s.
From 1899 to 1922, the street was known as SchloÃÂstrasse, from 1922 to 1939 and in 1945 as Zamkowa Street, from 1939 to 1945 as LudendorffstraÃÂe, and since 11 October 1946 as Red Army Street. On 8 October 1990, a resolution by the Katowice City Council renamed it Wojciech Korfanty Avenue. From its inception, the street has hosted public utility buildings.
During the interwar period of the 20th century, the then Zamkowa Street was home to: Consulate of the Republic of Latvia (at number 16), Zamkowa Restaurant run by Franciszek Matula (at number 1), Adelista Dawid's dining hall (at number 2), à Âlàski Przemysà  Rowerowy ( at number 20), "Polhurt" Industrial and Commercial Association (at number 20), "Steinhoff" chemical factory (at number 20), "Progress" United Upper Silesian Mines (coal sales office, at number 10), H. Schwidewski's gasoline, oil, and grease store (at numbers 37 and 38), Branch of à Âlàski Kupiecki Bank and "Przyszà Âoà ÂÃÂ" insurance company (at number 1). At the site of today's Jerzy ZiÃÂtek Square, there used to be a railway crossing for a narrow-gauge railway leading to the "Ferdynand" mine.
On 4 September 1939, across from the House of the Insurgent, on what was then Zamkowa Street, Wehrmacht soldiers executed captured Polish defenders of the city â around 80 scouts and former Silesian insurgents, including . In 1945, a branch of the "Papyrus" company from Kraków was opened at number 38.
In 1959, Katowice authorities decided to redevelop the city center, including the Market Square. The northern row of tenements was demolished to widen Red Army Street and initiate the expansion of the city center to the north, which until then had been occupied by the former buildings of the "Marta" steelworks and the von Thiele-Winckler palace. Plans for the street widening began as early as 1938, with the demolition of buildings at numbers 4 and 5. During the 1960s, the so-called Block Zachód was constructed, a series of galleries and service-commercial buildings. The project also involved building high-rises: Separator (1968), à Âlizgowiec (1968), and Superjednostka (1967âÂÂ1972). In 1965, a roundabout at the intersection of Feliks Dzierà ¼yà Âski Street (now Chorzowska Street) and Walenty Roà ºdzieà Âski Avenue was built, featuring underground pedestrian passages designed by W. Lipowczan.
On 9 December 2006, a renovated roundabout with a glass dome and an underground tunnel, approximately 650 meters long, was opened. On 3 August 2010, the third stage of the 2010 Tour de Pologne passed through the avenue, and on 2 August 2011, the third stage of the 2011 Tour de Pologne also went through this route. In the following years, cyclists also passed through this avenue.
Later, the avenue was redeveloped from the Market Square to the Jerzy ZiÃÂtek Square. On 18 May 2011, administrative proceedings were initiated to issue a decision for a road investment project named "Reconstruction of the road system, public squares, tram tracks, and technical infrastructure in the RondoâÂÂRynek area for the project Reconstruction of the city center of Katowice". The construction work was completed by 2015. As part of this project, the tram tracks, roadway, and technical infrastructure from the Market Square to the roundabout were reconstructed, sidewalks were resurfaced, and new bus shelters were installed.
Wojciech Korfanty Avenue runs through three districts: à Âródmieà Âcie, Koszutka, and Weà Ânowiec-Józefowiec. It is one of the longest roads in Katowice, with a length of 3,885 meters. It is classified as a county road of the collector road class and is managed by the Municipal Road and Bridge Authority in Katowice. In the system, it is listed under the number 38509.
From the Market Square to the intersection with Jesionowa and SÃ Âoneczna streets, the road has two lanes in each direction and an additional side lane for buses. At its widest point, the roadway measures 15 meters, and the sidewalk is 9.5 meters. At its narrowest, they are 7 meters and 1.5 meters, respectively. Beneath the avenue runs a branch of the main water supply pipeline GPW with a diameter of 600 mm, operated by Katowickie WodociÃÂ gi. The historical runs along the edge of the avenue.
Wojciech Korfanty Avenue is one of the roads in Katowice where the highest number of collisions and accidents occur. According to studies conducted in September 2007, the average traffic volume during the afternoon peak hour on the section of the avenue from Piastowska Street to Jerzy ZiÃÂtek Square was 1,702 vehicles per hour, of which 92.9% were passenger cars.
Buses and trams run along the entire length of Wojciech Korfanty Avenue under the Metropolitan Transport Authority and the . The following stops are located along the avenue: Katowice Aleja Korfantego, Katowice Rondo, Koszutka Misjonarzy Oblatów, Koszutka GIG, Koszutka Sà Âoneczna, Koszutka Jesionowa, Weà Ânowiec Poczta, Weà Ânowiec Koà Âcióà Â, Weà Ânowiec Gnieà ºnieà Âska, and Weà Ânowiec Plac Alfreda. Tram loops are located at the intersections with Sà Âoneczna Street and Telewizyjna Street; the first was opened on 5 September 1964, and the second at its current location in 1956.
The following structures were built along Wojciech Korfanty Avenue:
As of March 2021, the following institutions are located along Wojciech Korfanty Avenue: