Ruda Śląska

Ruda Śląska [ˈruda ˈɕlɔ̃ska] (listen) (German: Ruda O.S.; Silesian: Ślōnsko Ruda) is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. It is a district in the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union, a metropolis with a population of 2 million. It is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Kłodnica river (tributary of the Oder).

Ruda Śląska
Niedurnego Street in Ruda Śląska
Flag
Coat of arms
Ruda Śląska
Ruda Śląska
Coordinates: 50°15′46″N 18°51′13″E
CountryPoland
Voivodeship Silesian
Countycity county
Established13th century
Town rights1959
Government
 • MayorGrażyna Dziedzic
Area
 • City77.73 km2 (30.01 sq mi)
Population
 (31 December 2019)
 • City137,360 (26th)[1]
 • Urban
2,746,000
 • Metro
4,620,624
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
41–700 to 41–718
Area code(s)+48 32
Car platesSRS, SL
Websitehttp://www.rudaslaska.pl/

It has been part of the Silesian Voivodeship since its formation in 1999. Previously, it was in Katowice Voivodeship, and before then, part of the Autonomous Silesian Voivodeship. Ruda Śląska is one of the cities in the Katowice urban area (population 2.7 million) and within the greater Silesian metropolitan area (population 5,294,000).[2] The population of the city is 137,360 (December 2019).[1]

History
St. Paul the Apostle Church

A large village is known to have existed at the location of the present day city center in 1243. The city name appears to indicate the awareness and perhaps exploitation of ores from early times.

The area underwent rapid industrialization (coal, steel, zinc) in the 19th and the beginning of 20th century. However, it remained a cluster of industrial settlements and villages until the 1950s, when it was administratively united. However, it never developed into a truly unified city.

After the fall of communism in 1989, the significant heavy industry was largely scaled down or restructured. The area has been transforming to a service-based economy. The well-known still operating coal mine is "Halemba".

Since 2007, Ruda Śląska has been a member of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union, the largest legally recognized urban area in Poland.

Transport and infrastructure

Significant roadways are Highway A4 and the Drogowa Trasa Średnicowa. There are several small railway stations, mainly on the line Katowice-Gliwice.

Since 1950, Ruda Śląska is the site of a transmission facility, which was used from 1950 to 1988 for medium-wave radio broadcasting.

Higher education

The neighboring cities of Katowice and Gliwice are large academic centers. Ruda Śląska is a seat of the Higher Academy of Commerce (Wyższa Szkoła Handlowa).

Sports
Wawel Community Centre
Holy Trinity Church
  • Zgoda Ruda Śląska – women's handball team playing in Polish Ekstraklasa Women's Handball League
  • Rugby Club IGLOO Ruda Śląska – men's rugby team playing in Polish Ekstraliga Rugby Seven's

Subdivisions

The city of Ruda Śląska is divided into following subdivisions:

Notable people
Liberty Street in Ruda Śląska

Ruda Śląska is the largest population center in Poland never to have been visited by Lech Wałęsa. This is shown on a brass plaque on the side of the ratusz (town hall).

Twin towns – sister cities
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Poland

Ruda Śląska is twinned with:[3]

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References
  1. "Local Data Bank". Statistics Poland. Retrieved 27 June 2020. Data for territorial unit 2472000.
  2. European Spatial Planning Observation Network (ESPON) "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 July 2009. Retrieved 28 March 2009.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Miasta partnerskie". rudaslaska.pl (in Polish). Ruda Śląska. Retrieved 10 March 2020.

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