Silesian Stadium in Chorzów

The Silesian Stadium is an arena with a personality of its own. Built between 1951 and 1956 in the middle of Silesian Park, it has played first fiddle in Polish sport from the very beginning, and after the thorough reconstruction of 2009–2017 it returned in top form: 54,378 seats, yellow-and-blue chairs in the colours of Upper Silesia and a full grandstand roof of 43,000 m² — the largest in Europe. The rebuild cost 650 million PLN, and the new venue opened on 1 October 2017.

The stadium's calendar reads like a history of entertainment: 64 official matches of the Polish national team (the nickname „Witches' Cauldron” stuck after the 2:0 win over England in 1973), the annual Janusz Kusociński Memorial and the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial as part of the Diamond League, and since the 2023/2024 season the home games of Ruch Chorzów. The concert list opens with The Rolling Stones, U2, AC/DC and Metallica, and closes with Rammstein and Dawid Podsiadło, who drew about 100,000 people to each of his two shows in 2024. The attendance record — 130,000 spectators — dates back to the 1973 speedway world championship.

The easiest way to experience the stadium is on an event day or during a guided tour (paid, booked through the website). Silesian Park itself — with the Elka cable railway, the Legendia amusement park and the zoo — makes the surroundings a full-day destination. On concert days allow extra time for getting there: public transport and Koleje Śląskie run special services.

Note: since 2025 the venue's official name has carried a sponsor prefix, but everyone still calls it simply Stadion Śląski.