The aim of this article is to look at strategic management of a large city from the two different perspectives: theoretical and empirical. In the first part the author focused on theoretical fundaments of management, particularly of the public strategic management. The second part presented the characteristics of the process of strategic management based on empirical data: two strategic documents adopted in Katowice over the last number of years were analysed. One of these documents is a currently binding one and the other is of an archival character. Referring to both the systematics and the means of preparation of these documents, as well as to their content, the author showed their common elements and the transformation which have occurred over the last number of years concerning the manner and approach to strategic management in the city. Based on documents analysis, the author answered the question asked in the introduction, which is whether in relation to the long-term policy of Katowice can one talk about change or continuation.