Situated north of theBeskid Mountains, Bielsko-Biała is composed of two former towns which merged in 1951—Bielsko in the west andBiała in the east—on opposite banks of theBiała River that divides the historical regions ofSilesia andLesser Poland. The history of Bielsko dates back to the 13th century, while Biała was founded in the 16th century and obtained city rights in 1723. Despite the administrative separation, both towns effectively functioned as one urban area already in the 19th century. Industrialization, especially thetextile andautomotive industries, was of great importance for its development in the past. Between 1975 and 1998, the city was the seat ofBielsko-Biała Voivodeship and currently lies within theSilesian Voivodeship.
Bielsko-Biała is the administrative, economic, academic and cultural centre for the Silesian-Lesser Polish border region, sometimes colloquially referred to asPodbeskidzie.[notes 1] It is also an important commercial and industrial hub, as well as a road and railway junction. It is a significant tourist destination due to its numerous architectural monuments (a popular sloganLittle Vienna refers to manyRevivalist andArt Nouveau buildings shaping thecityscape of the central districts)[5][6][7] and its direct proximity to the mountains (fourteen mountain peaks lie within the city limits).
a German newspaper from the late 19th century whose title translates to "Bielsko-Biała Weekly"A Polish newspaper issued in 1909 "in Bielsko-Biała"
Both Bielsko and Biała derive their names from theSlavic stem*bělъ meaning "white" (in modernPolishbiały, in modernCzechbílý). Theriver Biała was the first to be named in this way. The reason was probably the general impression of the color of the water: "white", that is, bright and clear.[8] Some researchers also linked the city's name to thebleaching of fiber, which is questionable, however, due to the fact that in the 13th century the cloth industry in Bielsko was not yet developed.[9]
TheGerman name was derived from the Slavic one. In medieval and early modern documents, the name of the town appears both in a form close to modern Polish and Czech (Bilsko,Belsko) and German (Bilitz,Belicz,Bylitz). Over time, the official nameBielitz in German andBílsko in Czech became established, while in Polish there were still various fluctuations in the 20th century, such as betweenBielsko in theneuter gender andBielsk in themasculine gender. In the case of Biała, the Polish wording of the name was the only official one, even when the town belonged to theHabsburg monarchy. The Germanized formBeil was used only in the local dialect. TheWymysorys language uses the formByłc-Bejł which is close to how the two towns were called by the autochthonous German population.
The combined nameBielsko-Biała in Polish orBielitz-Biala in German was used as early as the 19th century in the names of various societies, clubs, branches of institutions and businesses (e.g.Bielitz-Bialaer Leseverein,Bielitz-Bialaer Actienbrauerei orBielsko-Bialski Związek Adwokatów), in the titles of local newspapers (e.g.Bielitz-Bialaer Anzeiger orBielitz-Bialaer Wochenblatt), as the name of a railroad station, on maps printed jointly for both cities, and in many other publications.
Bielsko-Biała is located in the southern part of theSilesian Voivodeship, on the border of historical regions:Cieszyn Silesia (left-bank districts, 57.89% of the area) andLesser Poland (right-bank districts, 42.11% of the area). The city represents 1.01% of the area of the voivodeship and 0.04% of the area of Poland. The latitudinal extent is approximately 13 km (8.1 mi) km and the meridional extent approximately 17.5 km (10.9 mi). The straight line distance from the city center to theCzech border is 31 km (19 mi), and to theSlovak border 35 km (22 mi).
The greater part of Bielsko-Biała lies in theSilesian Foothills (Pogórze Śląskie), which are part of the Western Beskid Foothills (Pogórze Zachodniobeskidzkie) physiographic macroregion. Within the administrative borders of Bielsko-Biała—in the southern districts—there are also mountain massifs of theLittle Beskids (Beskid Mały) and theSilesian Beskids (Beskid Śląski). Most of the mountainous areas of Bielsko-Biała lie within twolandscape parks:Little Beskids Landscape Park andSilesian Beskids Landscape Park. At the same time, they are protected under theNatura 2000 nature protection programme.
Biała River in the city centre
Therelief of Bielsko-Biała is quite diverse. Within the administrative borders of the city there are both upland and mountainous areas. The centrally located Bolesław Chrobry Square is 313 m (1,027 ft) above sea level. The lowest point are Komorowice Ponds at 262 m (860 ft) above sea level, while the highest peak is Klimczok in Silesian Beskids at 1,117 m (3,665 ft) above sea level. The upland part of Bielsko-Biała consists of dozens of hills, separated by valleys of rivers and streams, the central one being the valley of theBiała River. The Beskid massifs are separated by the Wilkowice Gate (Brama Wilkowicka) connecting theSilesian Foothills (Pogórze Śląskie) with theŻywiec Basin (Kotlina Żywiecka). There are 14 mountain peaks within the city limits: Cyberniok, Dębowiec, Klimczok, Kołowrót, Kopany, Kozia Góra, Łysa Góra, Palenica, Przykra, Równia, Stołów, Szyndzielnia, Trzy Kopce and Wysokie. In addition, the slopes of Czupel, Gaiki and Magurka Wilkowicka mountains partly reach the peripheral districts of Bielsko-Biała. On the south-western slopes of Stołów is the Stołów Cave (Jaskinia w Stołowie), whose passages are 21 m (69 ft) long. In 2003, an entrance to the Deep Stołów Cave (Jaskinia Głęboka w Stołowie) was also discovered on the slopes of Stołów. With a length of 554 m (1,818 ft) and a depth of 25 m (82 ft), it is one of the largest caves in the Polish part ofCarpathians. Several smaller caves can also be found in the Klimczok area.
Bielsko-Biała has anoceanic climate (Köppen:Cfb) with cold, damp winters and warm, wet summers. However, using the 0 °C isotherm, the climate is a Dfb-type called ofhumid continental climate, which explains its considerable thermal amplitude forCentral Europe. The extremes may still be moderated by the western patterns and winds of this direction, which still maintains hybrid characteristics in the city's climate.Foëhn winds help maintain a milder winter in Bielsko-Biała and average about 4 °C lower than the surrounding mountains each year. The sunniest days are between late summer and early fall, with a few months reaching 9 sunny days. In the 1960s 55 cm of snow cover was recorded.[10][11]
Climate data for Bielsko-Biała (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1951–present)
Bielsko-Biała is a city with relatively highair pollution. According to a 2016 report by theWorld Health Organization, it was ranked as the twenty-seventh most polluted city in the European Union.[23] Then in a 2020 report by theIQAir company, it was ranked thirty-eighth in Europe and fifth in Poland.[24] The biggest contributor to air pollution is the fact that many households, including in the inner city area, still use traditional heating systems based on burning coal. The environmental situation in the city has been gradually improving in recent years. This is influenced by municipal measures such as the "Low Emission Economy Plan", which has been implemented since 2015.[25] In 2020, 454 coal-fired boilers in residentional buildings were replaced by gas ordistrict heating using municipal subsidies.[26]
Bielsko-Biała belongs to the cities where the environmental condition has been gradually improving over the past few years. The number of days when the permissible daily concentration of suspended particulate matter PM10 was exceeded in the years 2018-2022 were as follows: 52, 30, 33, 41, 24, respectively.[citation needed]
The main contributors to air pollution are the use of outdated solid fuel sources in households, emissions of gases and particles from industrial plants, and traffic.[citation needed]
The operation of outdated heating systems and solid fuel combustion sources within the city promotes the formation of smog during the heating season. Smog has a negative impact on human health and can also have destructive effects on buildings, especially historical ones.
Pollution from traffic is concentrated within densely built-up areas known as "street canyons." The city's air quality is significantly influenced by transregional factors, such as the influx of pollutants from neighboring municipalities.[27]
The quality of the water flowing through the city has been gradually improving. However, in 2022, the state of a significant portion of surface water, both in the Biała and Wapienica rivers, was classified as poor.[28]
The city's ecological situation has been gradually improving in recent years, thanks in part to the actions of municipal authorities, such as the implementation of the "Low-Emission Economy Plan" since 2010. Between 2008 and 2022, with the city's support, over 7200 solid fuel boilers and furnaces were eliminated in residential buildings in Bielsko-Biała.
The first municipal Energy Management Bureau in Poland was established in Bielsko-Biała in 1997, and it currently operates as an energy team within the Department of Environmental Protection and Energy of the Municipal Office.[citation needed]
In 2022, there were three monitoring stations in the city as part of the National Air Quality Monitoring System, and the city installed 36 air quality sensors in urban areas to depict the distribution of pollutants within the city [Source: Data from the Department of Environmental Protection and Energy, Municipal Office in Bielsko-Biała].
Bielsko-Biała is officially divided into 30osiedla, which are auxiliary units of the municipality.
Aleksandrowice
Biała Krakowska
Biała Śródmieście
Biała Północ
Biała Wschód
Bielsko Południe
Dolne Przedmieście
Górne Przedmieście
Hałcnów
Kamienica
Komorowice Krakowskie
Komorowice Śląskie
Leszczyny
Lipnik
Mikuszowice Krakowskie
Mikuszowice Śląskie
Osiedle Beskidzkie
Osiedle Grunwaldzkie
Osiedle Karpackie
Osiedle Kopernika
Osiedle Mieszka I
Osiedle Piastowskie
Osiedle Polskich Skrzydeł
Osiedle Słoneczne
Osiedle Wojska Polskiego
Stare Bielsko
Straconka
Śródmieście Bielsko
Wapienica
Złote Łany
Division of Bielsko-Biała intoobręby ewidencyjne
In parallel, there is a division intoobręby ewidencyjne (cadastral areas), the boundaries of which reflect the former boundaries of themunicipalities gradually incorporated into Bielsko-Biała in the 20th century, as well as the boundaries of the historical districts (suburbs) of Bielsko. These are:
Bielsko Miasto (comprises the Old Town of Bielsko)
Biała Miasto (comprises Biała within the original boundaries from the 18th century)
Dolne Przedmieście (formally divided into thirteen small areas)
Some peripheral areas are also included withinobręby ewidencyjne ofBystra Śląska,Jaworze,Mazańcowice,Międzyrzecze Górne andPisarzowice, which is a result of the incorporation of parts of these villages into Bielsko-Biała. In some cases (e.g. Mikuszowice Krakowskie, Stare Bielsko, Straconka) the boundaries ofosiedla andobręby ewidencyjne are similar, in many others (e.g. Aleksandrowice, Dolne Przedmieście, Lipnik, Mikuszowice Śląskie)osiedla andobręby ewidencyjne with the same names do not correspond territorially. The commons understanding of 'districts' in Bielsko-Biała and the belonging of particular areas to them draws loosely on both types of division.
There has been human habitation in Bielsko since around 1400 BC, wooden tools have been found along with stone axes dating from 1000 BC. The remnants of a fortified settlement in what is now theStare Bielsko (Old Bielsko) district of the city were discovered between 1933 and 1938 by a Polish archaeological team. The settlement was dated to the 12th – 14th centuries. Its dwellers manufacturediron fromore and specialized insmithery. The current centre of the town was probably developed as early as the first half of the 13th century. At that time a castle (which still survives today) was built on a hill.
Boundaries of the Bielsko-Biała German linguistic island (Bielitz-Bialaer Sprachinsel)
In the second half of the 13th century, thePiast dukes ofOpole invitedGerman settlers to colonize theSilesian Foothills. As the dukes then also ruled over the Lesser Poland lands east of the Biała River, settlements arose on both banks likeBielitz (nowStare Bielsko),Nickelsdorf (Mikuszowice Śląskie),Kamitz (Kamienica),Batzdorf (Komorowice Śląskie) andKurzwald in the west as well asKunzendorf (Lipnik),Alzen (Hałcnów) andWilmesau (Wilamowice) in the east. Nearby settlements in the mountains wereLobnitz (Wapienica) andBistrai (Bystra). Those settlements did not undergo Slavonicisation in the following centuries, which led to the creation of a German language island (Bielitz-Bialaer Sprachinsel) that survived until the 20th century.
Bielsko was the first town in the Duchy of Cieszyn where the teachings ofMartin Luther spread in the late 1530s, even before DukeWenceslaus III Adam adoptedLutheranism in 1545. Also later, Bielsko was home to the strongest Protestant community in the whole of Cieszyn Silesia, which in 1587 obtained a privilege guaranteeing that only Lutheran services would be held in the town.Jiří Třanovský was active in the Bielsko castle. Bielsko retained its Protestant character also after theThirty Years' War. The recatholisation campaign, which started in the second half of the 17th century, was not very successful. Throughout theCounter-Reformation period, Lutheran services were held—at first in the Holy Trinity Church with the permission of the authorities, later in homes or in the surroundingBeskid forests (the so-called forest churches)—and immediately after the issuing of thePatent of Toleration byEmperor Joseph II in 1781, an Evangelical district was established north of the historical centre, with theChurch of the Saviour, the present seat of theLutheran bishop and schools, known as theBielsko Zion (Bielski Syjon). To this day, it remains a Protestant cultural centre of supra-regional significance. In 1900, a monument to Martin Luther was unveiled there. It was one of only two in the whole of Austria-Hungary (the other was erected in the Bohemian town ofAš), and now is the only one within the borders of Poland. In the second half of the 19th century, Lutherans ceased to constitute the majority of the population due to the influx of new inhabitants, mostly Catholic or Jewish.
From left: the theater, the main post office and the Bielsko CastleA 1905 postcard of Franz-Josef-Strasse (now 3 Maja Street) connecting the Old Town with the railway station
The town's development in the 19th century was primarily linked to thetextile industry, and to a lesser extent the engineering industry. The Bielsko-Biała area was described as the third largest centre of the textile industry in theAustro-Hungarian monarchy, afterBrno andLiberec. In the second half of the 19th century, new tenements, villas of wealthy industrialists and public buildings inRevival andArt Nouveau styles began to spring up in the landscape of the city. These were often inspired by the architecture of Vienna, to which the slogan "Little Vienna", which is still popular today, refers.[5] The local architect of the Jewish originCarl Korn had the greatest influence on the architecture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, shaping the character of "Little Vienna", while the plan for urban regulation was prepared in 1899 by the Viennese urban plannerMax Fabiani. In 1855 a branch of theEmperor Ferdinand Northern Railway was built fromDziedzice to Bielsko, which in 1877 was extended toŻywiec and connected to theGalician Transversal Railway. A 268 metres (879 ft) long tunnel under the centre of Bielsko was then built. In 1888, a railway connection toCieszyn andKalwaria Zebrzydowska was opened. In 1895, anelectric tram line was established in Bielsko. It connected the railway station with Zigeunerwald/Cygański Las, which in the meantime was transformed into a forest-park complex on the model of theVienna Forest with many summer villas of Bielsko's factory owners built in its surroundings.
However, the demographic boom was weaker than, for example, in theUpper Silesian conurbation, due to the restriction of the settlement of workers in the city proper. Many of them lived in the surrounding villages, which formally remained separate, even though they were taking on an increasingly urban character. According to the 1910 census, Bielsko had a population of 18,568. 84.3% usedGerman in their domestic interactions, 14.3% usedPolish, 0.7% usedCzech orSlovak, and 0.7% used another language. 55.9% wereRoman Catholic, 27.6%Lutheran, 16.3%Jewish, and 1.1% were of another denomination or with no religion.[29]
Political life during the interwar period was marked by ethnic and national tensions. The influx of Polish officials and teachers increased the proportion of the Polish population, although the city retained a significant German-speaking community.[30]
The interwar period also brought significant urban development. A new residential district inModernist style was built beginning in 1934 on the site of the former castle gardens, and the first Polish high school (today theNicolaus Copernicus High School) was opened in 1927. In 1938, the nearby municipality ofAleksandrowice was incorporated into the city, where an airport and a pilot school were established.
The history of Biała dates back to the second half of the 16th century. The first written mention comes from 1564 and describes a small craftsmen settlement of thirteen houses. It was located near the mouth of Niwka to theBiała River, in the area of today's Łukowa Street. Administratively, it belonged to theSilesian County of theKraków Voivodeship within theKingdom of Poland. The first residents most likely came from the suburbs of neighboring Bielsko. They crossed to the other side of the river tempted by the opportunity to build new houses in the face of restrictions imposed by the Bielsko town council and disputes between the suburban population and the privilegedburghers of the Old Town. The settlement was established on the land of the village ofLipnik, from which it became independent in 1613. Further development of the village was associated with the influx of refugees from neighboring Silesia during theThirty Years' War and theCounter-Reformation.
Though already named a town in the 17th century, Biała officially was grantedborough rights by the Polish kingAugustus II the Strong in 1723. At that time it counted only 40 inhabited houses and about 300 residents, mostly German-speaking andLutheran. There has been a new urban layout made, in the center of which was a rectangular market square - today'sWojska Polskiego Square.
In the course of theFirst Partition of Poland in 1772, Biała was annexed by theHabsburg Empire and incorporated into the crownland ofGalicia. After that the town underwent major urban transformations in the 1780s in connection with the construction of the Central Galician Road, part of which is today's11 Listopada Street. At that time, the New Market was also delineated - the presentWolności Square.
Market Square in Biała around 1910
The town's boundaries were artificially limited as a result of disputes with theLipnik municipality, which refused to give up part of its territory, even though the western part of Lipnik formed an urban and functional unity with Biała. West Lipnik also formed the de factoJewish quarter of Biała, due to the official ban on Jewish settlement in the town, which was in effect from 1757 to 1848. Joachim Adler's cloth factory, considered the first mechanized factory in the Bielsko-Biala area, was also established within Lipnik's borders in 1810. Lipnik was finally incorporated into Biała in 1925. The town thus expanded its territory more than sixteen times (before 1925 it had only 1.22 square kilometres (0.47 sq mi), while Lipnik had 20.76 square kilometres (8.02 sq mi)), and the population increased two and a half times.
In the 19th century, Biała formed a single industrial region with Bielsko, also with a predominance oftextile industry. From 1867 it was the capital ofBiała County. At the turn of the 20th century, a number of "Vienna-like" buildings were constructed in Biała, too, including a pompousNeo-Renaissance town hall in 1895–1897.
With the dissolution ofAustria-Hungary in 1918, Biała became part of theSecond Polish Republic. Throughout the interwar period it belonged to theKraków Voivodeship. From 1925, the official name of the town wasBiała Krakowska.
German soldiers in the ruins of a destroyed synagogue in 1939
Although the two towns effectively functioned as one urban area for a long time, they were administratively combined for the first time by the Nazi authorities after theinvasion of Poland in September 1939. Biała became a district of Bielsko under the nameBielitz-Ost. During theWorld War II, the city was occupied by theNazi Germany, within theprovince of Upper Silesia. Germans committed various crimes against the Polish and Jewish population. Several Polish teachers and principals were deported toNazi concentration camps and murdered there.[33][34] ManyJewish residents were murdered at the nearbyAuschwitz extermination camp. Only less than 1000 people of the city's Jewish community of nearly 8000 survived the war. Several widely knownHolocaust survivors from Bielsko-Biała wereRoman Frister,Gerda Weissmann Klein andKitty Hart-Moxon, all of whom wrote accounts of their experiences during the war.[35][36] However, when it comes to material losses, the city survived the war almost intact. It was not bombed, and fighting during theSoviet offensive in the winter of 1945 was limited to today's peripheral districts, such asHałcnów and the eastern part ofLipnik.
The new Polish authorities initially restored the pre-war borders, including the division into Bielsko and Biała in two different voivodeships. But soon the decision to re-unify the two towns was made. The new municipality under the nameBielsko-Biała was created on 1 January 1951.[37] Until 1975, it was part of theKatowice Voivodeship.
Demolition of the so-called Castle Markets to build a two-lane thoroughfare through the inner city in 1974Production of the Polski Fiat 126p "Maluch" in the FSM factory (1970s)
In post-war Poland, the city has remained an important centre oftextile industry (second only toŁódź), alongside which new branches have developed: in 1946 theGliding Institute was established and in 1948 the car engine plant WSM, on the basis of which theFSM Automobile Factory was founded in 1972. The factory was born from an agreement between theFSO andFiat for the construction of a new model, thePolski Fiat 126p, Polish version ofFiat 126 commonly known asMaluch. A huge industrial complex has been built in the northern part of the city. Thousands of people came from all over Poland to work then; in the 1970s Bielsko-Biała observed the biggest population boom in its history. The influx of new residents was associated with the construction of new housing estates withlarge panel system-buildings, like Złote Łany (1970–1975), Wojska Polskiego (1976–1980), Beskidzkie (1976–1982) or Karpackie (1979–1982). The population has also increased due to the incorporation of surrounding communes:Kamienica andMikuszowice (together withOlszówka [pl]) in 1969,Straconka in 1973,Stare Bielsko,Komorowice,Hałcnów andWapienica in 1977.
The general strike launched by the workers of the Bewelana textile factory in January 1981 is considered the most effective strike of thefirst wave of Solidarity. The strikers forced the mayor of the city, the provincial governor, the commander ofMilicja Obywatelska and the municipal and voivodeship secretaries of theCommunist party to resign.
From 1975 to 1998, Bielsko-Biała was the capital of theBielsko-Biała Voivodeship, covering most of PolishCieszyn Silesia and south-westernLesser Poland (counties ofŻywiec,Oświęcim,Wadowice andSucha Beskidzka). To describe its territory, the namePodbeskidzie was adopted, which is still popular among Bielsko-Biała residents ("Bielsko-Biała - the capital of Podbeskidzie"), but elsewhere it is criticized as an artificial term that is trying to replace traditional historical and geographical lands.[38][39][40] The subject of a lively public debate is the long-term effects of the loss of the status of a provincial capital as a result of theadministrative reform in 1998, when the area of the former Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship was divided and Bielsko-Biała was incorporated into theSilesian Voivodeship.[41][42][43]
Theeconomic transformation after 1989 affected the industrial city with a serious socio-economic crisis. The textile industry, which almost disappeared from Bielsko-Biała, was the most affected. The car factory bought directly byFiat limited its production only to components. The bad condition of the historic Old Town was the clearest sign of the city's decline in the 1990s, while its gradualrevitalization started in 2002 became an important symbol of changes for the better. During the first and second decades of the 21st century, Bielsko-Biała managed to return to the path of economic prosperity. Between 2001 and 2009, on the site of the demolished Lenko and Finex textile factories, a large shopping mall,Galeria Sfera, was built. It is a characteristic post-modernist architectural structure on the banks of the Biała river, however criticised for its negative influence on the traditional commercial zone located around the nearby 11 Listopada Street pedestrian zone.[44][45] Like other contemporary cities, Bielsko-Biała is strongly affected bysuburbanization, which results in a decrease in the number of inhabitants while the population of the neighboring communes is increasing.
On December 31, 2021, the population of Bielsko-Biała was 168,835, including 79,740 (47.2%) men and 89,095 (52.8%) women. This means that there were 112 women for every 100 men. 56.4% of Bielsko-Biała's residents were ofworking age, 17.5% were of pre-working age, and 26.0% of residents were of post-working age. The city's population accounted for 3.77% of the population of the Silesian Voivodeship. Population density was 1,356 people per square kilometer.[3]
Thenatural increase, according to data for 2020, was negative, at -610 (-3.58 per thousand residents). 1519 children were born and 2129 deaths were registered. Thefertility rate at 1.44 was slightly higher than that of the voivodeship and Poland as a whole. The balance ofinternal migration was -355 in 2020, while foreign migration was +24. 592 marriages were concluded. 28.6% of residents were single, 55.0% were married, 6.9% were divorced, and 9.4% were widows and widowers.[3]
At the time of the merger of Bielsko and Biała in 1951, the city had a population of about 60,000. Over the years, the population increased with the development of industry and the incorporation of nearby municipalities, particularly fast in the 1970s. Bielsko-Biała reached its highest population (184,421) in 1991. Since then, as in most cities in Poland, there has been a gradual decline in population. Between 2002 and 2021, the population declined by 5.1%. According to forecasts by theCentral Statistical Office, Bielsko-Biala is expected to have a population of 161,900 in 2025, 150,400 in 2035 and 133,300 in 2050.[3]
In the2021 Polish census 99.30% of the population of Bielsko-Biała (167,913 people) declaredPolish ethnicity. 2.30% declared another ethnicity (there were a possibility to declare dual ethnicity, so percentages do not add up to 100%), of which: 0.66% (1,108 people)Silesian, 0.21% (321 people)German, 0.20% (335 people)Ukrainian, 0.19% (313 people)English and 0.13% (222 people)Italian.[46] 99.70% of the population (168 582 people) speakPolish at home. Other most commonly used languages (exclusively or together with Polish) are:English (2.30% or 3,893 people),German (0.44% or 743 people),Italian (0.23% or 388 people),Silesian (0.19% or 319 people),Ukrainian (0.16% or 275 people) andRussian (0.13% or 227 people).[47] Detailed statistics on the religious structure are not available.
For the period before 1951, aggregated data for Bielsko and Biała. Source:Polska w liczbach web site for data since 1995,Monografia Bielska-Białej for data before 1945,Roczniki statystyczne for data 1945–1990
In the National Census of Population and Housing 2021, 99.30% of Bielsko-Biala residents (167,913 people) declared Polish nationality. 2.30% declared a different nationality (as the only one or together with Polish), including: 0.66% (1108 people) Silesian, 0.21% (321 people) German, 0.20% (335 people) Ukrainian, 0.19% (313 people) English and 0.13% (222 people) Italian.
In the light of the same census, 99.70% of Bielszczans (168,582 people) speak Polish at home. The other most commonly used languages (exclusively or jointly with Polish) are: English (2.30%, 3893 people), German (0.44%, 743 people), Italian (0.23%, 388 people), Silesian (0.19%, etc%, 319 people), Ukrainian (0.16%, 275 people) and Russian (0.13%, 227 people).
The Old Town of Bielsko is located on the Town Hill. It is characterized by an oval urban layout with a regular street grid running out from the corners of the rectangular Market Square (Rynek), typical of towns founded in the 13th century under theMagdeburg Law. The external appearance of the buildings dates mainly from the first half of the 19th century, when the town was restored after the fires of 1808 and 1836. Among the most picturesque corners are Podcienie Street, where 18th-century arcades are still preserved, and Schodowa Street, which is astep street. Along Orkana, Waryńskiego and Zamkowa Street, fragments of the outer belt oftown walls completed in the 16th century have been preserved.
Within the Old Town are two iconic historic buildings:
Bielsko Castle, also known as the Castle of the Sułkowski Princes (Zamek książąt Sułkowskich), after the family that inhabited it from 1752 to 1945. The history of the castle dates back to the medieval frontier stronghold of theDukes of Teschen, but its current appearance is the result of aneclectic reconstruction carried out in 1855–1864. It now houses the Historical Museum of Bielsko-Biala.
Cathedral of St. Nicholas, a Roman Catholic parish church located on the site since the Middle Ages, which was rebuilt to its present form in 1909–1912 according to a design byLeopold Bauer. In 1992, the church became the cathedral of the newly createddiocese of Bielsko and Żywiec.
To the north of the Old Town lies theBielsko Zion (Bielski Syjon), aLutheran quarter founded afterEmperor Joseph II issued the1782 Edict of Tolerance. There are important monuments associated with the Lutheran community here: theChurch of the Saviour (1782-1790, then extended several times in the 19th century, including between 1881 and 1882 byHeinrich Ferstel), the onlyLuther Monument in present-day Poland, unveiled in 1900, a complex of school buildings from the 19th century, and the Old Lutheran Cemetery.
To the west of the Old Town, along Cieszyńska and Sobieskiego Street, extends theUpper Suburb (Górne Przedmieście). It is a former clothmakers' quarter with characteristic small-town buildings. Particularly notable among them is the woodenWeaver's House with a museum dedicated to the life and work of the clothiers in the pre-industrial era. Somewhat tucked away in Zdrojowa Street stands one of the oldest still preserved villas of Bielsko's rich factory owners - theNeo-Renaissance Villa Bartelmuss from 1872.
The Michl's House, an example of a neo-Baroque townhouse at 3 Maja Street, built in 1895, and the former seat of the Jewish community from 1904 (on the left)
TheLower Suburb (Dolne Przedmieście), which extends to the north, is dominated by the turn-of-the-20th-century architecture. This is where the greatest concentration ofRevivalist andArt Nouveau buildings to which Bielsko-Biała owes the term "Little Vienna" is to be found: the own house of the architectCarl Korn (1883),Villa Sixt (1883), Jędrzej Śniadecki School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering (originally "the High Schools Building", 1883), the former Municipal Savings Bank (Komunalna Kasa Oszczędności, 1889, with an extension of 1901 byMax Fabiani and another extension of 1908–1910),Main Train Station (1890),Theatre (1890),Hotel President (1893),Main Post Office (1898), the former district office (1903, now one of the seats of the Regional Court),Villa Schneider (1904),Bielsko Industrial School (Bielska Szkoła Przemysłowa, 1912). Architecturally valuable are the complexes of the bourgeois townhouses along3 Maja,11 Listopada,Barlickiego orMickiewicza Street.Bolesława Chrobrego Square, commonly known asPigal, stretching between the Bielsko Castle and the former Municipal Savings Bank, is the de facto central square of the city today. A much lesser role is now played byFranciszka Smolki Square which is the historic Lower Market.
Art Nouveau architecture in Bielsko-Biała,clockwise from upper left:Cathedral of St. Nicholas, Municipal Savings Bank (Komunalna Kasa Oszczędności), Stojałowskiego streetview andFrog House
The axis of the historic centre ofBiała is the right bank section of11 Listopada Street, laid out in the 1780s. Numerous townhouses representing the so-called Josephine style (named afterEmperor Joseph II) withBaroque andNeoclassical features have been preserved along it. The street, which today serves as the main promenade, passes through two of Biała's historic markets:Wojska Polskiego Square (delineated in 1723) andWolności Square (delineated in the 1780s). The two main churches in Biała also date from the late 18th century: the LutheranChurch of Martin Luther (1782–1788) and the Roman CatholicChurch of the Divine Providence (1769, expanded in the 19th century). The Lutheran church is located next to Wojska Polskiego Square, while the Catholic church is on what used to be outskirts of the town, near the border withLipnik.
Biała's Town Hall, built between 1895 and 1897 inNeo-Renaissance style according to a design byEmanuel Rost Junior, today serves as the City Hall for the combined city. Other important architectural monuments from the turn of the 20th century in Biała are: the former Polish elementary school at Legionów Street (1898), Jakubecki House at 51 Stojałowskiego Street (1903, byLeopold Bauer),Frog House (Kamienica Pod Żabami, 1903, a prominent example ofArt Nouveau),Pedagogical Library (1903, originally the villa of the architect Emanuel Rost Junior), theformer hotel Under the Eagle (Hotel Pod Orłem, 1904) and the Economic High School (Zespół Szkół Ekonomicznych, 1910, originally the Polish Teachers' Seminary).
The architecture of theinterwar period also plays an important role in the cityscape. The largest concentration of earlyModernist housing is in the area of Bohaterów Warszawy, Wilsona and Grota-Roweckiego Street, which has been built up since 1934 (before that, the castle gardens stretched here). The public buildings of the 1920s and 1930s include:Nicolaus Copernicus High School (Liceum Kopernika, 1925–1927), a complex of buildings at the intersection ofSixta andKrasińskiego Street (1922–1930), the fire station onGrunwaldzka Street (1928), and the new headquarters of the Municipal Savings Bank on the other side ofBolesława Chrobrego Square (1938).
Oldindustrial buildings intersect with urban development in many places, especially in theLower Suburb near the Biała River, in theŻywiec Suburb (Żywieckie Przedmieście), which is the southern part of Bielsko, and inBiała.The Old Factory Museum (Stara Fabryka) in the former Büttner's textile factory ("Bewelana" during the socialist period), the former Jacob Gross's vodka and liqueur factory (later "Polmos") converted into lofts at Stojałowskiego Street, the former Gustav Josephy's machine factory complex ("Befama") at Powstańców Śląskich Street, or the whole area around Podwale and Grażyńskiego Street are some notable examples. In the area of Michałowicza Street a workers' housing estate withfamiloks was built between 1892 and 1911.
Cygański Las (literally "Gypsy Forest") is aforest park located between the districts ofMikuszowice Śląskie andOlszówka Dolna, at the foot of theKozia Góra andRównia mountains. At the end of the 19th century, it was arranged as a space for walking and relaxation for the inhabitants in imitation of theVienna Woods and connected to the centre by atram line (existing until 1971). Adjacent toCygański Las there is a meadow area known asBłonia used as a sports and recreation area. An important attraction of Olszówka Dolna and Mikuszowice Śląskie is a number of bourgeois summer villas from the turn of the 20th century.
Another favourite destination for suburban excursions is theSzyndzielnia mountain, 1,001 metres (3,284 ft), which is accessible by agondola lift. The tourist hostel on Szyndzielnia was opened in 1897. Attractions on the Dębowiec mountain, 686 metres (2,251 ft), are aski complex and atoboggan run. Both Dębowiec and Szyndzielnia offer extensive views of the city.
Church of St. Stanislaus in Stare Bielsko
InStare Bielsko there is the Roman CatholicChurch of St. Stanislaus, built around 1380, with well-preserved fragments ofGothicpolychromies and a valuable altartriptych from the 16th century. The second temple of Stare Bielsko is the LutheranChurch of Saint John the Baptist in Neoclassical style from 1818. Adjacent to it there is a circular undeveloped area that is a remnant of a medievalhillfort (Grodzisko), a settlement that existed at this location before the city was founded.
Another important religious monument are Roman Catholic churches of St. Barbara inMikuszowice Krakowskie (wooden, built in 1690) and of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary inHałcnów (from the 18th century, it serves as a local pilgrimage site). There is also a well-preservedJewish cemetery inAleksandrowice with aMoorish-style pre-burial house from 1885.
The most important public institutions organising cultural life in the city are: Maria Koterbska Bielsko-Biała Cultural Centre (Bielskie Centrum Kultury im. Marii Koterbskiej, BCK), Regional Cultural Centre (Regionalny Ośrodek Kultury, ROK), Municipal House of Culture (Miejski Dom Kultury, MDK) made up of thirteen facilities including district culture centers including eight district cultural centres, Military Cultural Centre "Soldier's House" (Wojskowy Ośrodek Kultury "Dom Żołnierza") and Cooperative Cultural Centre BEST (Spółdzielczy Dom Kultury BEST).
Polish Theatre (Teatr Polski) is a drama theater that was established after World War II as a successor to the GermanStadttheater Bielitz, founded in 1890, and took over its historic building at 1 Maja Street.Banialuka Puppet Theatre (Teatr Lalek Banialuka) was founded in 1947 on the initiative ofJerzy Zitzman andZenobiusz Zwolski. It is one of the leading institutions of its kind in Poland. In addition, numerous performances are staged at BCK cultural centre, and non-professional theater activities are conducted by the Bielsko-Biała Artistic AssociationTeatr Grodzki, founded in 1999.
Headquarters of the animation studio and the Interactive Centre of Fairy Tales and Animation in 2024
Bielsko-Biała is known as the city whereStudio Filmów Rysunkowych (SFR)—one of fiveanimation studios established in post-war Poland—is headquartered. It has existed since 1947, and has produced such cartoons asReksio,Bolek and Lolek,Margo the Mouse and a number of others. Among the most recent works is the seriesKuba i Śruba, filmed between 2011 and 2016. In 2024, the OKO Interactive Fairy Tale and Animation Centre (Interaktywne Centrum Bajki i Animacji OKO) was opened on the studio premises at 22-24 Cieszyńska Street, which serves as a museum and thematic entertainment and educational centre based on the SFR's heritage. The centre includes the Kreska cinema, the only arthouse cinema in the city. Apart from it, Bielsko-Biala has twomultiplexes:Helios in theGaleria Sfera shopping mall andCinema City in the Gemini Park shopping mall.
The largestart gallery isGaleria Bielska BWA. It is a municipally owned institution founded in 1994 based on the transformation of the former Art Exhibition Bureau (Biuro Wystaw Artystycznych). It is located in the former Artists' Pavilion at 3 Maja Street, and since 2020 it has also had a second location in the historic Villa Sixt. There is a club café Aquarium at the main BWA site which hosts numerous cultural and social events.
Among private establishments, the Wzgórze Gallery, founded in 1987 by Franciszek Kukioła, and the Contemporary Art Gallery (Galeria Sztuki Współczesnej), the Ars Nova sculpture and ceramics studio, which has existed since 1991, and the Photography Gallery B&B, established in 1992 byInez andAndrzej Baturo, have the longest and most vibrant tradition.
Interiors of the Historical Museum of Bielsko-Biała
The Historical Museum of Bielsko-Biała (Muzeum Historyczne w Bielsku-Białej) has its seat in theBielsko Castle, where the permanent exhibition is divided into nine parts: "History of Bielsko-Biała and its surroundings" (historical and archaeological exhibition), "Biedermeier" or bourgeois salon of the second half of the 19th century, "Music salon", "Hall of ancient art", "Shooting gallery" (collection of weapons), "Gallery of European and Polish painting of the 19th and 20th century", "Gallery of portrait painting of the 19th and first half of the 20th century", "Gallery of graphics of the turn of the 19th and 20th century", "Gallery of contemporary art of the Bielsko-Biała region" (works of the second half of the 20th century with special emphasis on artists from the Beskid Group around Ignacy Bieniek). In addition, the museum has three branches:
The Old Factory (Stara Fabryka): an exhibition dedicated to the history of Bielsko-Biała's industry with a collection of historical machines placed in the space of a former textile factory at Żwirki i Wigury Square
The Weaver's House (Dom Tkacza): a reconstruction of the interior of a pre-industrialweaver's house and workshop in an 18th-century house at Sobieskiego Street in Górne Przedmieście district
Fałatówka: a museum dedicated to the life and work ofJulian Fałat in a villa inBystra Śląska, where the artist lived from 1910 to 1929
There are several private museums in the city: the Automotive Museum (Muzeum Motoryzacji) with a small collection of old cars and other automotive exhibits made available by the Beskidy Car Club (Automobilklub Beskidzki), the Fiat 126p Museum with a collection ofFiat 126p cars produced since the 1970s at theFSM factory in Bielsko-Biała run by Antoni Przychodzień, the Museum of Armored Weapons and Militaria (Muzeum Broni Pancernej i Militariów) with a collection of military vehicles collected since the 1980s by Rafał Bier, and the Museum of Minerals "Treasures of the Earth" (Muzeum Minerałów "Skarby Ziemi") run by Piotr Kotula.
Handwritten copies of thePromised Land at the Władysław Reymont Museum of Literature
At the end of 2023, the activities of the Władysław Reymont Museum of Literature (Muzeum Literatury im. Władysława Reymonta), which was run in an old town house at 1 Pankiewicza St. by Tadeusz Modrzejewski, who had devoted himself to transcribing the works ofWładysław Reymont by hand since the 1980s, were suspended. The collection secured byKsiążnica Beskidzka is to be made available again after the renovation of the building.
In 2021, a modern concert hall namedCavatina Hall, with philharmonic parameters, was put into operation.
There are several orchestras and musical ensembles affiliated to the Maria Koterbska Bielsko-Biała Cultural Centre: Bielsko-Biała Chamber Orchestra (Bielska Orkiestra Kameralna), Bielsko-Biała Brass Band (Bielska Orkiestra Dęta), Bielsko-Biała Chamber Choir (Bielski Chór Kameralny), Ave Sol youth choir, "Bielsko" Song and Dance Ensemble (Zespół Pieśni i Tańca "Bielsko") and children's "Jarzębinki" Dance and Song Ensemble (Zespół Tańca i Piosenki "Jarzębinki"). In addition, the Telemann Orchestra (Orkiestra im. Telemanna) has been active in the city since 1993, aiming to promoteearly music.
Jazz Blizzard (Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa), an annualjazz music festival organized since 2002 by the Sztuka Teatr Association, headed by Jerzy Batycki.Zadymka is traditionally held (with the exception of the 2022 edition) in February or March using various stages in Bielsko-Biała (Teatr Polski, Klimat club, Cavatina Hall, outdoor concerts in the Market Square and others), as well as inKatowice andZabrze.
Jazz Autumn (Jazzowa Jesień), an annual jazz music festival held since 2003 at the end of November or the beginning of December by BCK
International Festival of Puppetry Art (Międzynarodowy Festiwal Sztuki Lalkarskiej), a theatre festival held every two years in May since 1966 by the Banialuka Puppet Theatre
Bielsko Autumn (Bielska Jesień), a national painting competition held since 1962 (until 1995 as an annual event, since then as abiennale) in November and December by Galeria Bielska BWA
Bielsko-Biała Festival of Visual Arts (Bielski Festiwal Sztuk Wizualnych), a visual arts competition for artists connected to the Bielsko-Biała region held every four years since 2007 in summer by Galeria Bielska BWA
Henryk Górecki Festival of Polish Composers (Festiwal Kompozytorów Polskich im. Henryka Góreckiego), aclassical music festival held annually since 1996 in October by BCK
International Sacred Music Festival "Sacrum in Musica" (Międzynarodowy Festiwal Sztuki Sakralnej "Sacrum in Musica"), areligious music festival held annually since 2000 in April by BCK
International Choir Festival "Gaude Cantem" (Międzynarodowy Festiwal Chórów "Gaude Cantem"), a choir competition held annually in October since 2005 by the Polish Association of Choirs and Orchestras in cooperation with ROK
"Fermenty" Comedy Festival (Festiwal Kabaretowy "Fermenty"), a comedy festival organized annually in September since 1999 by the "Fermenty" Creative Group in cooperation with BCK and MDK
Week of Beskid Culture (Tydzień Kultury Beskidzkiej), an international folklore festival held every year at the turn of July and August since 1964 by ROK, primarily inWisła,Szczyrk,Oświęcim,Żywiec andMaków Podhalański, but some events take place also in Bielsko-Biała
Beskidy Oldtimer Rally (Beskidzki Rajd Pojazdów Zabytkowych), an annualclassic rally held in July since 1977 by the Beskidy Car Club (Automobilklub Beskidzki). The culmination of the event is the presentation of the cars at the Town Hall Square in Bielsko-Biała, followed by the "Parade of Elegance" through the streets.
Days of Bielsko-Biała (Dni Bielska-Białej), a series of diverse cultural events held annually at the turn of August and September
Summer with Culture (Lato z Kulturą), a series of weekend outdoor concerts during July and August
University of Bielsko-Biała (Uniwersytet Bielsko-Bialski, until 2023 called in PolishAkademia Techniczno-Humanistyczna) was founded in 2001 through the transformation of the Bielsko-Biała branch of theTechnical University of Łódź, which had existed since 1969. As of 2023, it is made up of five faculties: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science; Faculty of Materials, Construction and Environmental Engineering; Faculty of Management and Transport; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; and Faculty of Health Sciences. In the 2022/2023 academic year, around five thousand students were educated there. The campus is located in the southern part of the city, in theMikuszowice Śląskie district.
Aerial view of the Stellantis Poland plant (formerly Fiat Auto Poland)Galeria Sfera shopping mallKlimczok department store
At the end of 2021, 27,799 enterprises were registered in the National Official Register of Entities of the National Economy. 26,724 (96.13%) of them were in theprivate sector, and 597 (2.14%) in thepublic sector. Enterprises employing up to 9 employees dominated, with 26,619. Only three enterprises had more than a thousand employees.[48]
Theunemployment rate was only 2.2% at the end of 2021 and was significantly lower than the national and provincial average (among the cities of theSilesian Voivodeship, it was lower only inKatowice andTychy).[48] The average gross monthly salary in Bielsko-Biała was PLN 5,789.65, which corresponded to 96.5% of the average gross monthlysalary in Poland. Among the economically active residents, 4,700 people traveled to other cities to work, and 24,302 people came to work from outside the municipality, meaning that the balance of arrivals and departures to work was 19,602. 42.9% of people worked inindustry andconstruction, 21.3% in theservice sector, 2.3% in thefinancial sector, and 0.9% inagriculture.[3]
Historically, Bielsko-Biała was an important industrial center, especially of thetextile industry, which, however, completely lost its importance as a result of the economic transformation after 1989. Among the few factories today that continue these traditions are the Befaszczot brush factory, the Befado shoe factory, the Zipper zipper factory and the Rytex wool fabric manufacturer.
Currently, the largest industrial area is located in the northern part of the city betweenKomorowice,Stare Bielsko andDolne Przedmieście. This is the formerFabryka Samochodów Małolitrażowych, which was taken over byFiat Auto Poland during the transformation and since 2021 has been part ofStellantis Poland. While actual car production now takes place inTychy, the plant in Bielsko-Biała producesengines. Since 2000, the area has been one of the sub-areas of the KatowiceSpecial Economic Zone. In subsequent years, further areas inWapienica,Komorowice andLipnik were included. In 2021, a total of twenty enterprises employing more than 4.6 thousand workers operated on the 82-hectare area of the special economic zone.[48]
Other important factories based in Bielsko-Biala include Bielmar, which produces margarines, oils and animal feed, as well as the Silesian Vodka FactoryPOLMOS Bielsko-Biała, where Extra Żytnia vodka is produced.
Bielsko-Biala is among the cities with the highest saturation ofretail space in Poland. According to a 2019 report byColliers International, it was 1,151 square metres (12,390 sq ft) per 1,000 residents. In total, the city had 197,000 square metres (2,120,000 sq ft) of retail space.[49] As much as one-third of this figure fell on the largest shopping mall, which isGaleria Sfera. It consists of two buildings—Sfera I and Sfera II—erected on the site of former industrial plants and completed in 2001 and 2009, respectively.[50] There are a number of other shopping facilities in the immediate vicinity, led by the"Klimczok" Cooperative Department Store owned byPSS Społem, which was built in 1988 and at the time was one of the largest in Poland.[51][52] At the start of the 1990s anurban myth arose about the department store concerning drug users deliberately leaving blood on the escalators. The anthropologistOlga Drenda has suggested the story, relating to the contemporaryHIV epidemic, is symbolic of the era of transition from communism.[53] Other large shopping malls include Gemini Park inLeszczyny and Sarni Stok in the northern part of the city. There are alsoAuchan,Kaufland,Makro,Castorama andLeroy Merlin hypermarkets, as well as number of supermarkets and smaller retail outlets. The traditional shopping promenade is11 Listopada Street. However, the number of stores and service outlets located through it has declined markedly in recent years, which is often attributed to the negative influence of large shopping malls.[54][55][56] Outdoormarketplaces are located on Lompy and Broniewskiego Street, as well as inKomorowice Krakowskie.
The most importanttrade fairs held in Bielsko-Biala are the ENERGETAB Bielsko International Energy Fair organized by ZIAD Bielsko-Biała, as well as those whose organization is the responsibility of the ASTRA Promotion and Exhibition Office: the "Twój Dom" International Construction Fair, the "Instal-System" Fair of Heating Techniques and Energy Saving, and the EKOStyl International Fair. The main venue for the fairs is the multi-purpose hall on Karbowa Street.
Bielsko-Biała Główna, the city's main train station
The railroad reached the city in 1855, when a branch of theEmperor Ferdinand Northern Railway was built. Currently, three railway lines cross the city:
Regional train services to Katowice and Zwardoń are operated byKoleje Śląskie, whilePolregio trains run to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska and Kraków. In addition, Bielsko-Biała has connections with large Polish cities (Białystok,Bydgoszcz,Warsaw,Wrocław,Poznań,Gdańsk) byPKP Intercity express trains. Services on the line 190 were suspended in 2009. In 2023, plans were announced to restore trains on this route.[57]
The main railway station isBielsko-Biała Główna, located in the northern part of the city centre. In total, there are twelve railway stations and stops in the city, eight of which are currently (2023) open for passenger traffic.
Bielsko-Biała is located within a short distance to Czech and Slovakian borders on the crossroads of twoexpressways connecting Poland with neighbouring countries:
It is planned to extend S1 north along the existing dual carriageway DK1 from Bielsko-Biała to Tychy and Katowice, thus building an expressway connection of the city with the national motorway network of Poland.National road 52 connects Bielsko-Biała withKraków in the east. The most important interchange in the area is thecloverleaf north of Bielsko-Biała (Komorowice Śląskie district) where S1, DK1 and S52 meet.
Aleja Andersa and Bora-Komorowskiego Street constitute the Downtown Western Bypass (Śródmiejska Obwodnica Zachodnia), which connects the districts ofLeszczyny,Kamienica,Aleksandrowice andStare Bielsko to the junction with S52.
According to the June 2021 ranking, Bielsko-Biała had 826.7 registered vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants, including 681.3 passenger cars, which means that it was the ninth most motorized city in Poland and the second (after Katowice) in the Silesian Voivodeship.[58]
The public transport system in the city has been in existence since 1895. Until 1972 it included atram network, and since 1927 also a bus network which is currently the only one.
The main carrier isMiejski Zakład Komunikacyjny w Bielsku-Białej (Municipal Transport Company of Bielsko-Biała, MZK), which in 2023 served transport on 40 daily and two night bus lines. Four of them went outside the city limits: toCzechowice-Dziedzice,Bystra,Wilkowice andJanowice. Some stops in Bielsko-Biała are also served by three lines ofPKM Czechowice-Dziedzice, a municipal bus company from the neighbouring town, marked with numbers 5, VII and X (to distinguish from "7" and "10" of MZK). The fares and timetables of the two carriers are not coordinated.
Regional bus transport within theBielsko County, as well as towardsKęty,Andrychów andChybie, is operated byKomunikacja Beskidzka established in 2021 as a result of the transformation of the formerPKS Bielsko-Biała. The bus station from which the KB lines (numbered from 100 upwards) and long-distance bus connections depart, is located at Warszawska Street opposite the Bielsko-Biała Główna railway station.
There also small private bus companies operating in the region, e.g.Linea Trans with services toStrumień and toCieszyn viaSkoczów,Konkret Bus forBrzeszcze andOświęcim, orŻądło going toSzczyrk. Their stops are located near the station: at Warszawska, Podwale and Wałowa Street.
InAleksandrowice there is an airport with a unpaved runway used by the Aeroclub of Bielsko-Biała for sports purposes. Another airport in the vicinity isBielsko-Biała Kaniów Airport, which is part of the Bielsko-Biała Technology Park of Aviation, Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
women'svolleyball team playing continuously since 1976 in thehighest level of women's volleyball in Poland; Polish Champions 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2010; Polish Cup winners 1955, 1979, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2004, 2006, 2009
BTS Rekord Bielsko-Biała – men'sfutsal team playing in theFutsal Ekstraklasa, Polish Champions 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021; Polish Cup winner 2013, 2018, 2019, 2022; Polish Supercup winners 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022; also the women's futsal team plays in the top league
In theSejm elections, Bielsko-Biała is part of constituency No. 27 along withBielsko,Cieszyn,Pszczyna andŻywiec counties. The following deputies represent the constituency in the 2023-2027 term:
Party
Names of elected deputies
% of votes for the party in the constituency
% of votes for the party in the city of Bielsko-Biała
^"Główny Urząd Statystyczny" [Central Statistical Office] (in Polish). To search: Select "Miejscowości (SIMC)" tab, select "fragment (min. 3 znaki)" (minimum 3 characters), enter town name in the field below, click "WYSZUKAJ" (Search).
^"Miesięczna suma opadu".Normy klimatyczne 1991–2020 (in Polish). Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Archived fromthe original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved31 January 2022.
^"Liczba dni z opadem >= 0,1 mm".Normy klimatyczne 1991–2020 (in Polish). Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Archived fromthe original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved31 January 2022.
^"Średnia grubość pokrywy śnieżnej".Normy klimatyczne 1991–2020 (in Polish). Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Archived fromthe original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved31 January 2022.
^"Średnia suma usłonecznienia (h)".Normy klimatyczne 1991–2020 (in Polish). Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Archived fromthe original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved31 January 2022.
^Spyra, Janusz; Kenig, Piotr (2010). "Przeobrażenia struktur społecznych i narodowościowych w Bielsku w drugiej połowie XIX i początkach XX wieku + Przeobrażenia struktur społecznych i narodowościowych w Bielsku w drugiej połowie XIX i początkach XX wieku".Bielsko-Biała. Monografia miasta – Bielsko od wojen śląskich do zakończenia I wojny światowej (1740–1848) (in Polish). Bielsko-Biała: Wydział Kultury i Sztuki Urzędu Miejskiego w Bielsku-Białej. pp. 140, 259.ISBN978-83-60136-41-6.
^Gero Vogl.Klein-Wien – Eine deutsche Sprachinsel in Österreichisch Schlesien: Bielitz und sein letzter deutscher evangelischer Pfarrer. Frank & Timme.
^Polak, Jerzy (2010). "Ostatnie lata pokojowe w Austrii (1908–1914)".Bielsko-Biała. Monografia miasta – Biała od zarania do zakończenia I wojny światowej (1918) (in Polish). Bielsko-Biała: Wydział Kultury i Sztuki Urzędu Miejskiego w Bielsku-Białej. pp. 538–539.ISBN978-83-60136-36-2.
^Wardzyńska, Maria (2009).Był rok 1939. Operacja niemieckiej policji bezpieczeństwa w Polsce. Intelligenzaktion (in Polish). Warszawa: IPN. p. 58.
^Megargee, Geoffrey (2012).Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos. Vol. II. Bloomington, Indiana: University of Indiana Press. pp. 137–139,144–145.ISBN978-0-253-35599-7.
^Frister, Roman (1999).The Cap or the Price of Life. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. p. 352.
^Klein, Gerda Weissman (1957).All but My Life. Hill and Wang.
The list includes the 107 urban municipalities governed by acity mayor (prezydent miasta) instead of a town mayor (burmistrz) ·Cities with powiat rights are initalics · Voivodeship cities are inbold
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