Katowice International Fair

Katowice International Fair (Polish: Międzynarodowe Targi Katowickie, MTK) is an international trade fair in Katowice and one of the largest in Poland (the largest being the Poznań International Fair). Few dozen events are organized there each year, with the participation of some 4,500 companies.

Location

The Katowice International Fair grounds are located in the Silesian Central Park, next to the Silesian Planetarium, in the heart of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union. The fair features a few dozen exhibition halls, large open space area (about 24 ha), conference centers, its own hotel, etc.

History

The grounds were opened as The Center of Technical Progress in 1963. For years, the activities were mostly non-commercial in nature, for example large exhibitions presenting achievement of the Soviet Union space program, at which young people and local space enthusiasts could view and even enter various space capsules (or their real-size mock-ups) and obtain related technical information. After the 1989 transition to the market economy, they grounds took up a more commercial character.

Accident

In January 2006 the fair was the site of the Katowice Trade Hall roof collapse.

See also

• Expo Silesia -alternative sielsian trade fair center;

Coordinates: 50°17′25″N 19°00′08″E / 50.29028°N 19.00222°E / 50.29028; 19.00222