Szlaki województw śląskiego i opolskiego

Kostuchna [Kostuchna] is today a district of Katowice located in the southern part of the city. Previously, it had an agricultural character. The situation changed at the beginning of the 20th century when the construction of the "Böer" coal mine began, later renamed "Boże Dary" (God's Gifts). The original name came from Richard Böer, a mining inspector associated with the venture. Between 1904 and 1914, the Böerschacht workers' colony was established as a patronal settlement for mine employees. The buildings were erected in a historicizing style, overseen by Alfred Malpricht, the building inspector of the Prince of Pless (Pszczyna). Malpricht's design alluded to the "garden city" idea; it was characterized by great attention to architectural detail and a combination of traditional building elements (half-timbered walls) with modern housing requirements. Along today's Boya-Żeleńskiego Street, in addition to residential houses, an inn and a lodging house (Gasthaus) were located. In the 1970s, a significant part of the original colony was demolished – buildings at Filaka Square and the northern fragment of Boya-Żeleńskiego Street disappeared, replaced by new blocks. Today, the former Böer Colony remains a valuable trace of the industrial past of southern Katowice.