Teschen between Castle Hill, printing and the Olza

Museum and Castle Hill

The Muzeum Śląska Cieszyńskiego was founded in 1802 by pastor Leopold Jan Szersznik. It is considered Poland’s oldest public museum and one of Central Europe’s oldest public museums. Its permanent exhibition, “At the Border of History and Cultures,” focuses mainly on the history and culture of the nobility, the townspeople and the rural population of Cieszyn Silesia. In this way, it presents different social perspectives side by side rather than viewing the past from just one point of view.

The Rotunda of St Nicholas, considered one of Poland’s oldest architectural monuments, is located on Castle Hill. The Gothic Piast Tower, which stands 24 metres high, is also located there. The two buildings offer different points of interest for your cultural itinerary: the rotunda as a historic architectural monument and the tower as a distinct feature of Castle Hill’s architecture. Zamek Cieszyn is another special cultural site: the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Design is housed in a Neoclassical hunting lodge built by the Habsburgs.

Writing, printing and crafts

Those interested in books and written culture will find an exceptional collection at Książnica Cieszyńska. It comprises more than 130,000 printed volumes, including around 18,500 early printed books and 17,000 manuscripts. It is housed in the so-called Bludowski House. The building was created in the 18th century by converting a former ducal mint dating from the 13th century. The collection and the building thus bring together two different stories: the preservation of written records and the house’s earlier use.

The Muzeum Drukarstwa commemorates the printing traditions of Cieszyn Silesia. It preserves unique collections as well as machines that are still operational. Izba Tradycji offers another way to explore local traditions, with a focus on the Cieszynka hunting rifle. Its manufacture began in the second half of the 16th century. When choosing cultural themes for your trip, you can explore printing history, book collections and a historic craft as distinct interests.

Walks and trails along the Olza

Cieszyńska Wenecja is a tourist attraction and a walking area. The artificial Młynówka canal there dates back to the 16th century. The Szlak Kociej Szajki is another route to follow: it leads to Castle Hill, the market square and Cieszyńska Wenecja. These destinations give your stay a cultural focus while also offering opportunities to get active, without requiring you to stick to just one theme.

A combined walking and cycling path runs along the revitalised banks of the Olza by the Open Air Museum. The visit to the Cieszyn–Český Těšín Open Air Museum begins on the Polish side at Hala Widowiskowo-Sportowa, follows Aleja Piastowska across the Friendship Bridge and then continues along the Czech bank. For planning your day, these are two distinct routes: the walking and cycling path along the Olza banks and the described visit, which takes in both sides of the border.

Another highlight: the brewing tradition

The Arcyksiążęcy Browar Zamkowy Cieszyn has been operating continuously since 1846 and brews beer using traditional methods. This adds another aspect of local history to the museums, buildings and trails. If you are travelling together, you can decide whether your outings should focus more on architecture and collections, the history of writing and printing, or walks; the brewing tradition adds a topic centred on production to these options.

These different interests can also guide your choice of a holiday apartment in Teschen: what matters is which experiences you would like to make the focus of your trip. When travelling as a family, you can agree in advance whether buildings, books and printing technology or outdoor activities should set the tone. The themes described here offer a range of options, without requiring every day to follow the same pattern.

More destinations

For further inspiration, you can also browse the destination pages for Szczyrk, Cieszyn, Brenna, Pruchna, Istebna, Jaworzynka, Ochaby Wielkie, Ustroń, Wisła, Kostkowice, Skoczów, Koniaków, Zebrzydowice, Międzyświeć, Goleszów, Strumień, Dębowiec, Hażlach, Bąków, Zaborze, Dzięgielów and Cisownica.

For the regional travel overview: Silesia.