TYCHY

Tychy - DAY I

Time to go to the South. But no. We are not going to take you to the warm countries. Sorry for building your hopes up.

We suggest you a trip to the southern edge of the GOP. We take the road from Katowice to Bielsko. We pass on our the left side the large concrete housing estate, in what Giszowiec has changed (fortunately only part of it). Do you remember the third part of the trilogy of Kutz 'The Beads of One Rosary'? It is the place where it takes its action. Then, another southern district of Katowice - Murcki. Why there is such a name? Murcek means something like dirty, grimy, filthy in Silesian dialect. Previously, miners did not bath in the mining bath, but at home. So that, such Murcki (dirty people) were walking down the streets of the housing estate. Behind Murcki we climb up the Wanda hill (up to the year 1945 Białobrzeska Mountain), which is the highest point in Katowice at 357 metres. Around there is a forest with a beech reserve. But why? Such forests in the heart of industrial Silesia? Yes, it is. It is Murckowski Forest that is the former Duke Forest. You can find there specimen of beech trees of more than 300-year-old. Suddenly, even if this is a forest, there are traffic lights and pedestrian crossing. For what? Well, there is a former small old village called lumberjacks (in Polish: Siągarnia named after the activity done by its inhabitans, siągać, which means cutting trees). We pass the lights and on the right side there is a high slag heap (in Polish hałda). It is formed by the remnants of one of the oldest mines in Silesia, called 'Murcki', which dates back to the eighteenth century. And we climb on in. Total surprise. We can see around the ​​greenery. Yes, here and there one can see the mine pits and chimneys. In the foreground, there are high building from Tychy. But it is dominated by green forests. A little further south ridges loom Beskid Maly and Slaski.

The top of Babia Góra.

And if we're lucky and the visibility is good, we can see … the Tatra Mountains! It was worth to stop and take a walk, wasn’t it?? We are now at the crossroads in Tychy. On the right side there is the petrol station and a big modern Tychy Brewery complex. In 1945, at the meadows which now belong to the brewery, took off and landed Soviet PO-2. Famous biplanes 'Mule' (in Polish kukuruźnik). Behing the crossroad one can see the old brick buildings of the Prince Brewery.

Let’s leave the explanation of the origin of the brewery’s name to the guides of the Brewery Museum. Besides, they will accompany us, not only in the museum, but also will guide us throughout the vast facility, explaining the technology of the beer production. Modernity mixes with tradition.

Next to the modern cooling and fermentation towers we pass the nineteenth-century brick buildings of malthouse or cooper’s workshop. This is a must see for everyone visiting Tychy. No words can describe it. Visiting the brewery we can almost tangibly feel that the ghosts of the old famous brewers hover above us. They could check the quality of beer organoleptically better than all the modern measuring instruments. They are a living legend. How can I describe the taste of the beer sampled at the end of the tour? You definitely have to taste it! After the beer tasting your mind is somehow clearer and your sight keen. But be careful! The excess is not good. It is still alcohol and the hops can make you sleepy. On the other hand, apparently beer gives you the wisdom and strength, and in water there are bacteria!!!

But Tychy is not only the brewery and the new housing estates, whose roots are up to the sixteenth century, began to develop intensively, initially as a bedroom Katowice, in the early 50-s of the former century.

It is also the car factory which exists since 1971. It was known as the Fabryka Samochodów Małolitrażowych (FSM) up to the year 1992. It is the place where the cult Polski Fiat 126p was produced (Polish nickname for this car is maluch which means “small child', “toddler',“small one' thanks to its size). The FSM plant in Bielsko Biala were producing once wildly popular car called Syrena (which is mermaid in English). By the year 2014, in the plant known as Fiat Auto Poland, were produced various models of Fiat, and now the tradition continues FCA Poland SA.

We walk carefully through the production halls dressed in yellow vests. We observe the next stages of car production. There are not many people. Powerful machine shoulders assemble various delicate parts of car.

It seems that the glass held in the robot arms will fall apart in a moment. But, no. In the last moment, the dashing arm stops and with the delicacy of a mother who takes care of her baby the window is mounted in its place. We leave the plant impressed and frankly speaking, a little tired.

Perhaps these industrial experience is enough for today. There were a brewery and beer. Yummy. There was a modern automotive production line. Maybe, do you want to know the other face of Tychy? What? You no longer have the strength? It is no wonder. It is too much for one day. We are then back home in our pied-a-terre on Mariacka Street in Katowice.

TYCHY - DAY II

We come back to Tychy dressed in sport clothes. We pass the brewery, reminding ourselves of the taste of the golden drink and we get to the southern area of the city. In front of us suddenly appears a big lake surrounded by forests (sic!) with white sails on it. This lake is called Paprocany. It is impossible to get bored here. You are with children?

Well, you will keep them busy for at least a few hours. The children rage on various playgrounds. Meanwhile, you dear guests relish the chance to stroll in the deep shade of the trees, or just the opposite, go basking in the sun or in the warm water. What about canoeing or hiring a pedalo? Are you getting hungry? Oh no. That is just impossible. There are many places where one can dine out. Maybe you just cannot decide which place to choose? I advise you to eat well, because we are about to take a 6-kilometer walk on the new paths around the lake. We walk among the beautiful lush greenery .These are not poor suburban woods. It is the verge of the former forest of Pszczyna. They are so-called the lower Prince forests. The lake sparkles in the sunlight. The water birds roam in the rushes. It makes us want to look for some place to stay for longer. No problem. The Prussian wall of the Neo-Gothic hunting lodge shines through the trees.

It is Promnice. Beautiful palace from the mid-nineteenth century formerly belonging to the princely family of Pszczyna. Surrounded by forest, invites you to interiors of the dining room or outside on the terrace. The menu tempts with its opulence. You can return to the memories of the previous day. They also sell beer here!!! We continue our walk. We pass another yacht marinas. We suggest finishing our walk with a visit to the famous Pyramid in Tychy.

It is a 5-star hotel built by the bioenergotherapeutist Tadeusz Ceglinski in the place, which has to emanate the exceptionally strong positive energy. From the benefits of chakra, as this is how we call the source of this energy, benefited among others the Polish national team in football.

You can benefit from a physical therapy but also you can let the owner of the Pyramid to treat you with his 'wonderful' hands. The fatigue disappears immediately. One more time, we go back to our hostel. Please rest well, because tomorrow there is a new trip full of all sort of attractions. During the trip you will learn where the names of the prince brewery, the prince's forests, and so on come from I can see that you are bothered about it. Where this time will we go? We cannot say because it is a secret. You will found out in the next part of our mini-guide. We will guide you on the wildly interesting (I hope we managed to convince you about that fact) Silesian ground.

Tychy Prince brewery

Katowicka Street 9

Telephone number: (32) 327 84 30

Walking tours:

Mon-Sat: 10.00 to 20.00

Admission: Adults 15 PLN; discounts 10 PLN; Groups 12 PLN;

FCA - Tychy - plant tour to appoint on telephone number (32) 217 91 00