Zawodzie, Katowice

Zawodzie is a part and a district of Katowice, located in the central-eastern section of the city, between Bogucice, Dąbrówka Mała, Janów-Nikiszowiec, Osiedle Paderewskiego-Muchowiec, and Śródmieście, along the Rawa river. The district is multifunctional, with a well-developed industrial sector (factories such as the Helios Light Bulb Factory and Porcelana Śląska once operated there), including a rich tradition of metallurgy (the Kunegunda Zinc Smelter and Ferrum SA). Due to the presence of the University of Economics in the district, it also has a well-developed higher education sector. The history of Zawodzie dates back to the late 17th century. It was founded as a colony of Bogucice on the other side of the Rawa river – "beyond the water" (za wodą in Polish) – which is said to be the origin of the district's name. Initially an agricultural settlement, it transformed into an industrial center in the 19th century. The main thoroughfare of Zawodzie's development became the present-day 1 Maja Street, along which a number of tenements, industrial plants, and public buildings were constructed, including the Gmina Bogucice Town Hall and the Church of the Divine Providence. Zawodzie belonged to Gmina Bogucice, which was incorporated into Katowice in 1924.