CITY CENTER IN THE AWARENESS OF BIALYSTOK CITIZENS (Centrum w swiadomosci mieszkanców Bialegostoku)

The Bialystok city center presently undergoes a deep changes but transformation of this area into the city salon is a long process. Activities leading to create real city center in Bialystok must be characterized in two ways. Firstly, there are authoritative planned operations of municipal authorities and planners, who decide about concrete form which discussed area has to adopt (city center creation). However, this area is also created in the spontaneous manner by it's users. It's inhabitants decide if concrete place is visited by them willfully, or if it becomes rather 'an avoided area'. Citizens by staying in concrete area and using this space cause that it is pounding life, and so it becomes important element of city landscape (city centre self-creation). So, the knowledge of citizens' attitude to this part of a city - their estimates, opinions and expectations are very important. The observation of the area of central Bialystok inclines for putting a question if there is a compact and historically formed center in this city. In opinion of inhabitants, among whom research was made, the capital of Podlaskie Voivodeship has that kind of area. However, it has to be told that inhabitants didn't described it unequivocally. So, it can be acknowledged that Bialystok center is extensive and does not have compact (tight) character, where most important institutions would be concentrated and in which most important processes of social lives would develop.