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In recent years Katowice has undergone a huge transformation. Not so long ago, the city stereotyped by many as a symbol of Silesia: the place of heavy industry, coal and steel. The road that Katowice has travelled, becoming the modern capital of a metropolitan area with 2 million inhabitants, is also an example of the transformation that has taken place throughout Poland. Its transformation was an element of revitalisation of the former mine area. The Culture Zone, a unique place not only in Poland, but in the entire Europe, was established in this area. The delightful buildings of the National Symphony Orchestra of the Polish Radio, the Silesian Museum and the International Congress Centre were built here. The Zone is complemented by Spodek, i.e. a sports and entertainment hall referring to the shape of a spacecraft, and modern office buildings: an eye-catching structure of .KTW and the nearby Altus.