Palm House in Gliwice

The Gliwice Palm House (Palmiarnia Miejska, roughly "pahl-MYAR-nya") is a large botanical glasshouse in Chopin Park in the center of Gliwice, a city in Poland's Upper Silesian industrial region. Its five pavilions hold palms brought here in 1924, around two thousand cacti, 15-meter araucarias and big freshwater aquariums with fish from the Amazon and Lake Tanganyika. Rain or shine, it is one of the best things to do in Gliwice, especially with kids or on a gray winter day.

Where it is and how to get there

Gliwice lies in Silesian Province, about 25 km west of Katowice. By car the drive from Katowice takes about 25–30 minutes; from Kraków allow roughly 1 hour 15 minutes on the A4 motorway. Katowice Airport (Pyrzowice) is about 40 minutes away. Frequent trains link Katowice and Gliwice, and from Gliwice station the Palm House (ul. Fredry 6) is a walk of around 15 minutes. Drivers can use the DTS city expressway, which runs right past the glasshouses; street parking nearby may fall within the paid parking zone.

A glasshouse with a long history

Gliwice (then the German city of Gleiwitz) built its first exhibition greenhouses in the park in 1880. A major exotic plant show in 1924 launched the Palm House as we know it: three Canary Island date palms displayed then are still growing here, now more than 120 years old. A pool for giant Victoria water lilies, terrariums, aquariums and an aviary followed, and in 1935 a 12-meter-tall main glasshouse opened; by 1936 the site drew 30,000 visitors a year.

In January 1945 the glasshouses were almost completely wrecked and frost killed most plants. Rebuilt by Polish staff, the Palm House reopened in October 1947. It closed in 1985 for a complete modernization, cleverly carried out by erecting new pavilions around the old ones so the plants could stay put. Today it covers about 2,000 m², with a tallest pavilion of 22 m.

What to see

• Useful Plants Pavilion – subtropical crops and everyday plants seen "whole," to the sound of exotic birds.
• Tropical Pavilion – layered rainforest, a waterfall and a pond with piranhas, oscars and African catfish.
• Historical Pavilion – the 1924 palms, fan palms and 15-meter araucarias.
• Succulent Pavilion – nearly 2,000 cacti, from 8-meter columnar cereus to tiny "living stones."
• Aquarium Pavilion – four freshwater habitats: the Amazon (a 60,000-liter tank), Lake Tanganyika, Southeast Asian rivers and Polish rivers.

The official website offers pavilion guides and audio files in English and German – handy to download before your visit.

Opening hours and tickets

As of October 2026, the Palm House is open Tuesday–Friday 9 am–6 pm and Saturday, Sunday and holidays 10 am–6 pm; closed Mondays. Tickets (price list in force since February 2025): PLN 20 standard, PLN 13 reduced (children from age 3, students under 26, retirees), PLN 40 family (up to 2 adults and 3 children under 16); children under 3 and seniors over 75 enter free. Pay in cash or by card. Groups and guides must be booked at least 7 days ahead (+48 32 231 32 39). Pets are not allowed, and flash photography of animals is prohibited.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes. Allow 1–1.5 hours. It is compact, warm and genuinely varied, and children love the piranhas and the Amazon tank (under-12s must be accompanied by an adult). Pavilions are hot and humid, so dress in layers. Afterward, stroll through Chopin Park, explore Gliwice's old market square, or visit the Gliwice Radio Station, scene of the staged "Gleiwitz incident" of August 31, 1939, used by Nazi Germany as a pretext to invade Poland; its wooden tower is among the tallest wooden structures in Europe.