Description of the attraction
The parachute tower is a steel 35-meter tower located in the Polish city of Katowice in the park named after Kosciuszko. It was used for the initial flight training of parachutists. It is currently the only surviving parachute tower in Poland.
The tower was built in 1937 at the initiative of the Polish military organization. Construction work progressed with difficulty: financial difficulties and territorial disputes constantly arose. Opponent of the installation of a tower in the park to them. Kosciuszko spoke out as a mining organization, fearing possible damage to its industry, however, the organization subsequently abandoned its position.
In accordance with the technical documentation, which is located in the resource archive of the city of Katowice, the tower had a total height of 62 meters, the height of the steel structure -50 meters. At the top of the tower there was a platform from which jumps were performed. The platform was equipped with a swivel mechanism that allows jumping depending on the direction and strength of the wind.
In 1939, a military observation post was set up on the tower. In September 1939, young Polish scouts with rifles were on duty at the tower, who defended the city for a long time and did not allow the Germans to occupy it. Only when the German troops used artillery did they manage to destroy the Polish defenders from the tower. This story is described by the Polish writer Kazimir Golba, but the reliability of this fact is currently being questioned.
In the post-war years, the parachute tower was restored, but on a smaller scale (the height of the new tower is 35 meters). For a short period, it was again used for its intended purpose by novice paratroopers, but was later abandoned after protests from local residents.
