One thing you may notice on your travels around Upper Silesia is the preponderance of terraced brick houses. Constructed throughout the late 19th century and early 20th century these natty structures were built to house the rank and prole employed in the local mines. Known as ‘familoks’ these houses were to become one of the first experiments with housing for the masses in modern history. Ranging from two to three storeys a typical flat – 35 metres in floor space – would house anything from six to eight people, its habitants sharing communal lavatories found outside. Many of the occupants hailed from the countryside, and their influence was evident by the number of livestock to be found bleating and squawking around the courtyards. But the real tell-tale sign of these projects was the bright red trim found painted onto window frames and doorways; nothing to do with a Silesian affection for scarlet, all the more to do with the ever vanishing pots of paint originally intended for use in the mines. The demise of heavy industry saw a number of miners lose their jobs and these housing estates started to fall into ruin and disrepair, earning a reputation as dens of the criminal underclass in the process. That’s a trend that is now gradually being reversed and many now find themselves listed as protected buildings, restored and renovated with the aid of government funding.