EN
The article discusses the issue of metropolisation of Polish cities against a background of their historical development and the current global situation. Among numerous researchers dealing with the issue (economists, geographers, lawyers and political scientists) architects and urban planners play a relatively insignificant role. Meanwhile, metropolitan processes cause changes in the economy as well as in urban space. Basic features of a metropolis (size of the city, connection with its surroundings, functions, position in the network, seat of decision-making centres, specific social structure) are reflected in its shape at various scales. Only few Polish cities have long-term metropolitan traditions. Although several of them acquire characteristics of a metropolis there are no important spatial development visions in Poland. That is due to a complicated spatial planning system, demographic depression as well as difficulties in the introduction of metropolitan management resulting from a fear of the management system change. The article, paying attention to these issues, opens a study aiming at the explanation of social concerns about metropolis management attempts to be institutionalized and the unpopularity of the metropolitan idea.