Editing Bielsko-Biała (section)

==Sights==
[[File:Bielsko-Biała Rynek nocą 2.jpg|thumb|Market Square]]
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 the [[Magdeburg 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 a [[step street]]. Along Orkana, Waryńskiego and Zamkowa Street, fragments of the outer belt of [[town walls]] completed in the 16th century have been preserved.
[[File:Zamek Sulkowskich.jpg|thumb|Bielsko Castle]]
Within the Old Town are two iconic historic buildings: 
* [[Bielsko-Biała Museum and Castle|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 the [[Duchy of Teschen|Dukes of Teschen]], but its current appearance is the result of an [[Eclecticism in architecture|eclectic]] reconstruction carried out in 1855–1864. It now houses the Historical Museum of Bielsko-Biala.
* [[Cathedral of St. Nicholas, Bielsko-Biała|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 by [[Leopold Bauer]]. In 1992, the church became the cathedral of the newly created [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Bielsko–Żywiec|diocese of Bielsko and Żywiec]].
[[File:POL_Bielsko-Biała_Kościół_Zbawiciela_2.JPG|thumb|left|Church of the Saviour|upright=0.8]]
To the north of the Old Town lies the [[Bielsko Zion]] (''Bielski Syjon''), a [[Lutheran]] quarter founded after [[Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Joseph II]] issued the [[1782 Edict of Tolerance]]. There are important monuments associated with the Lutheran community here: the [[Church of the Saviour, Bielsko-Biała|Church of the Saviour]] (1782-1790, then extended several times in the 19th century, including between 1881 and 1882 by [[Heinrich Ferstel]]), the only [[Luther Monument in Bielsko-Biała|Luther Monument]] in present-day Poland, unveiled in 1900, a complex of school buildings from the 19th century, and the Old Lutheran Cemetery.
[[File:DOM TKACZA 3.jpg|thumb|The Weaver's House]]
To the west of the Old Town, along Cieszyńska and Sobieskiego Street, extends the [[Górne Przedmieście, Bielsko-Biała|Upper Suburb]] (''Górne Przedmieście''). It is a former clothmakers' quarter with characteristic small-town buildings. Particularly notable among them is the wooden [[Weaver's House Museum|Weaver'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 - the [[Neo-Renaissance]] Villa Bartelmuss from 1872.
[[File:Bielsko-Biała,_pałacyk_Michla.jpg|thumb|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)]]
[[File:Kamienica_Patria.jpg|thumb|left|Former Municipal Savings Bank]]
The [[Dolne Przedmieście, Bielsko-Biała|Lower Suburb]] (''Dolne Przedmieście''), which extends to the north, is dominated by the turn-of-the-20th-century architecture. This is where the greatest concentration of [[Revivalism (architecture)|Revivalist]] and [[Art Nouveau]] buildings to which Bielsko-Biała owes the term "Little Vienna" is to be found: the own house of the architect [[Carl 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 by [[Max Fabiani]] and another extension of 1908–1910), [[Bielsko-Biała Główna railway station|Main Train Station]] (1890), [[Polish Theatre, Bielsko-Biała|Theatre]] (1890), [[Hotel President, Bielsko-Biała|Hotel President]] (1893), [[Main Post Office, Bielsko-Biała|Main Post Office]] (1898), the former district office (1903, now one of the seats of the Regional Court), [[Villa Schneider]] (1904), [[Bielska Szkoła Przemysłowa|Bielsko Industrial School]] (''Bielska Szkoła Przemysłowa'', 1912). Architecturally valuable are the complexes of the bourgeois townhouses along [[3 Maja Street, Bielsko-Biała|3 Maja]], [[11 Listopada Street, Bielsko-Biała|11 Listopada]], [[Norberta Barlickiego Street, Bielsko-Biała|Barlickiego]] or [[Adama Mickiewicza Street|Mickiewicza]] Street. [[Bolesława Chrobrego Square, Bielsko-Biała|Bolesława Chrobrego Square]], commonly known as ''Pigal'', 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 by [[Franciszka Smolki Square, Bielsko-Biała|Franciszka Smolki Square]] which is the historic Lower Market.

{{multiple image
| perrow = 2
| total_width = 250
| image1 = Bielsko-Biała - Cathedral of St. Nicholas (02).jpg
| image2 = Bielsko-Biała, Barlickiego 1.jpg
| image3 = Bielsko-Biała, Frog House.jpg
| image4 = Bielsko-Biała, secesyjna kamienica narożna.jpg
| footer = Art Nouveau architecture in Bielsko-Biała, '''clockwise from upper left''': [[Cathedral of St. Nicholas, Bielsko-Biała|Cathedral of St. Nicholas]], extension of the former Municipal Savings Bank (''Komunalna Kasa Oszczędności''), Jakubecki House at 51 Stojałowskiego Street and [[Frog House]]
}}

The axis of the historic centre of [[Biała, Bielsko-Biała|Biała]] is the right bank section of [[11 Listopada Street, Bielsko-Biała|11 Listopada Street]], laid out in the 1780s. Numerous townhouses representing the so-called Josephine style (named after [[Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Joseph II]]) with [[Baroque architecture|Baroque]] and [[Neoclassical architecture|Neoclassical]] 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, Bielsko-Biała|Wojska Polskiego Square]] (delineated in 1723) and [[Wolności Square, Bielsko-Biała|Wolności Square]] (delineated in the 1780s). The two main churches in Biała also date from the late 18th century: the Lutheran [[Church of Martin Luther, Bielsko-Biała|Church of Martin Luther]] (1782–1788) and the Roman Catholic [[Church of the Divine Providence, Bielsko-Biała|Church 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 with [[Lipnik, Bielsko-Biała|Lipnik]].
[[File:Bielsko-Biała Ratusz.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|left|Bielsko-Biała City Hall]]
[[Bielsko-Biała City Hall|Biała's Town Hall]], built between 1895 and 1897 in [[Neo-Renaissance]] style according to a design by [[Emanuel 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, by [[Leopold Bauer]]), [[Frog House]] (''Kamienica Pod Żabami'', 1903, a prominent example of [[Art Nouveau]]), [[Pedagogical Library, Bielsko-Biała|Pedagogical Library]] (1903, originally the villa of the architect Emanuel Rost Junior), the [[Hotel Pod Orłem|former hotel Under the Eagle]] (''Hotel Pod Orłem'', 1904) and the Economic High School (''Zespół Szkół Ekonomicznych'', 1910, originally the Polish Teachers' Seminary).
[[File:Bielsko-Biała, Bohaterów Warszawy.jpg|thumb|Bohaterów Warszawy Street]]
The architecture of the [[interwar period]] also plays an important role in the cityscape. The largest concentration of early [[Modern architecture|Modernist 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, Bielsko-Biała|Nicolaus Copernicus High School]] (''Liceum Kopernika'', 1925–1927), a complex of buildings at the intersection of [[Teodora Sixta Street, Bielsko-Biała|Sixta]] and [[Zygmunta Krasińskiego Street, Bielsko-Biała|Krasińskiego]] Street (1922–1930), the fire station on [[Grunwaldzka Street, Bielsko-Biała|Grunwaldzka Street]] (1928), and the new headquarters of the Municipal Savings Bank on the other side of [[Bolesława Chrobrego Square, Bielsko-Biała|Bolesława Chrobrego Square]] (1938).
[[File:Stara_Fabryka_Muzeum_w_Bielsku-Białej.jpg|thumb|The Old Factory Museum with a related mural]]
Old [[industrial architecture|industrial buildings]] intersect with urban development in many places, especially in the [[Dolne Przedmieście, Bielsko-Biała|Lower Suburb]] near the Biała River, in the [[Żywieckie Przedmieście, Bielsko-Biała|Żywiec Suburb]] (''Żywieckie Przedmieście''), which is the southern part of Bielsko, and in [[Biała, Bielsko-Biała|Biała]]. [[Museum of Technology and Textile Industry|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 with ''[[familok]]s'' was built between 1892 and 1911.

Significant examples of post-war architecture in the central districts include: [[Osiedle Grunwaldzkie, Bielsko-Biała|Grunwaldzkie housing estate]] (1951–1957), the bus station (1972), [[Książnica Beskidzka|Library of Beskids]] (1973), [[Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Bielsko-Biała|Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus]] (1984), [[Klimczok (department store)|"Klimczok" Cooperative Department Store]] (1988) and Art Exhibition Bureau (1989, now ''[[Galeria Bielska BWA]]''). Post-modern and contemporary architecture is represented by the [[Sfera (mall)|Galeria Sfera]] shopping mall (2000–2001, with an extension from 2007–2011) and by the [[Blobitecture|blob]] concert hall [[Cavatina Hall]] (2019–2021).

[[File:Reksio,_pomnik_w_Bielsku-Białej.JPG|thumb|left|Reksio monument|upright=0.8]]
[[Mural]]s have been created in many places in the inner city in recent years. The street art tourist trail counted 25 sites in 2022. As part of the "Fairytale Bielsko-Biala" trail, small monuments to characters from animated films produced by ''[[Studio Filmów Rysunkowych]]'' are being erected. By 2023, they have been created: [[Reksio]], [[Bolek and Lolek]], [[Porwanie Baltazara Gąbki (TV series)|Baltazar Gąbka]] with the [[Wawel Dragon]], [[Pampalini|Pampalini the Animal Hunter]], and [[Porwanie Baltazara Gąbki (TV series)|Don Pedro de Pommidore]].
[[File:POL_Bielsko-Biała_Laskowa_54.JPG|thumb|Villa Mänhardt in Olszówka Dolna|upright=0.8]]
''[[Cygański Las]]'' (literally "Gypsy Forest") is a [[forest park]] located between the districts of [[Mikuszowice, Bielsko-Biała|Mikuszowice Śląskie]] and [[Olszówka, Bielsko-Biała|Olszówka Dolna]], at the foot of the [[Kozia Góra (mountain)|Kozia Góra]] and [[Równia (mountain)|Równia]] mountains. At the end of the 19th century, it was arranged as a space for walking and relaxation for the inhabitants in imitation of the [[Vienna Woods]] and connected to the centre by a [[Trams in Bielsko-Biała|tram line]] (existing until 1971). It is still very popular today. Adjacent to ''Cygański Las'' there is a meadow area known as ''Błonia'' 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.
[[File:Kolej_linowa_na_Szyndzielnie_z_widokiem_na_Bielsko-Białą.jpg|thumb|left|Gondola lift to Szyndzielnia]]
Another favourite destination for suburban excursions is the [[Szyndzielnia]] mountain, {{convert|1001|m}}, which is accessible by a [[gondola lift]]. The tourist hostel on Szyndzielnia was opened in 1897. Attractions on the Dębowiec mountain, {{convert|686|m}}, are a [[ski complex]] and a [[toboggan run]]. Both Dębowiec and Szyndzielnia offer beautiful views of the city.
[[File:Stare_Bielsko_Kosciol.jpg|thumb|Church of St. Stanislaus in Stare Bielsko]]
In [[Stare Bielsko]] there is the Roman Catholic [[Church of St. Stanislaus, Bielsko-Biała|Church of St. Stanislaus]], built around 1380, with well-preserved fragments of [[Gothic art|Gothic]] [[polychromy|polychromies]] and a valuable altar [[triptych]] from the 16th century. The second temple of Stare Bielsko is the Lutheran [[Church of Saint John the Baptist, Bielsko-Biała|Church 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 medieval [[hillfort]] (''Grodzisko''), a settlement that existed at this location before the city was founded.

Another important religious monument are Roman Catholic churches of St. Barbara in [[Mikuszowice, Bielsko-Biała|Mikuszowice Krakowskie]] (wooden, built in 1690) and of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in [[Hałcnów]] (from the 18th century, it serves as a local pilgrimage site). There is also a well-preserved [[Jewish Cemetery, Bielsko-Biała|Jewish cemetery]] in [[Aleksandrowice, Bielsko-Biała|Aleksandrowice]] with a [[Moorish Revival architecture|Moorish-style]] pre-burial house from 1885.