Piast Tower in Cieszyn

Of the four towers that once defended the castle of the Dukes of Cieszyn, only one survives. Climb the 120 steps of the Piast Tower and you reach a terrace overlooking two towns on either side of the Olza River — Polish Cieszyn and Czech Český Těšín — and, on a clear day, the ranges of the Beskid Mountains. A few dozen paces away stands a Romanesque rotunda that most Poles know from the 20-złoty banknote.

History: guardian of Castle Hill

The tower was built in the first half of the 14th century as part of the upper castle of the Piast dukes of Cieszyn, a branch of Poland's first royal dynasty. Later that century it was raised and decorated with corner shields bearing the Piast eagle, which tradition links to the workshop of the Prague master builder Peter Parler. At the end of the 15th century a brick storey with battlements and machicolations was added, all under a tall pyramid roof.

The castle burned many times — chronicles record fires in 1484, 1520, 1552, 1570 and 1603. The worst damage came in the Thirty Years' War: in 1647 Austrian troops besieged the castle, held by a Swedish garrison, and the bombardment damaged the roof and upper parts of the tower. From then on the Piast stronghold fell into ruin. The tower was restored in 1819–1840, when a clock was installed, and again in 1976–1989, when it gained a viewing terrace on top and restored heraldic shields.

What to see

At the base, the walls are up to 2 metres thick, stepping inwards as they rise. Below the tower lie partly filled-in cellars that once served as dungeons. On the way up, notice the different window shapes — rectangular, pointed and round-arched — and look for the four Gothic shields with eagles beneath the corner turrets.

From the terrace you can see both banks of the Olza and, when visibility is good, the Silesian Beskids and the Moravian-Silesian Beskids. On Castle Hill, also see the Rotunda of St Nicholas — a Romanesque chapel from the late 11th or early 12th century, built of limestone blocks on a circular plan with a semicircular apse. It appears on the back of the 20-złoty banknote from the "Polish Rulers" series.

Interesting facts

A 65-metre ice tunnel was cut into the rock beneath the hill, where the former castle brewery stored its beer. Ice was collected there in winter, keeping the temperature low all year round. The Piast Tower even features on the label of Brackie beer, brewed at that brewery.

The tower also comes with an unusual privilege. People honoured with a special card issued by the Zamek Cieszyn cultural institution may spend one night a year on the Piast Tower free of charge.

Tripto tip

The tower and the castle chapel are managed by the Zamek Cieszyn cultural institution. According to the visiting rules published by the town, they are open daily: June–August 10:00–19:00, May and September 10:00–18:00, March, April and October 10:00–17:00, and November to February 10:00–16:00. A ticket for the tower and chapel costs PLN 12 (reduced PLN 8, family PLN 35), and the key to the castle chapel is issued against a refundable deposit of PLN 50. You can pay in cash or by card, but hours can change, so check before you go.

Allow about an hour for the tower and rotunda, or an hour and a half including the walk through the Castle Hill park and back to the market square. Climb on a clear morning or late afternoon, when the sun is not glaring from the direction of the mountains. Afterwards, cross the bridge over the Olza and look back at the hill from the Czech side.