The oldest evidence of settlement extends back to the 6th and 5th centuries BC. With time the Cieszyn castle gained in importance, in the 12th century (1155) it was promoted to the rank of castellany, and a century later it became the capital of the independent Duchy of Cieszyn, playing an important role as the state administrative centre of the first Piasts and as a border post. The wooden castle acquired a new, Gothic character in the 14th century, when it was rebuilt in stone.
 
It was divided into two parts: the upper and lower. The upper part, surrounded by a wall and bastions, consisted of living quarters. The castle chapel and the still-surviving defensive tower called the Piast Tower were also located there. In the lower part there were stores and utility rooms, the living quarters of the court servants, an armoury, stables and also dungeons for prisoners.
 
Unfortunately the following centuries were not kind to the castle. The Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) and the dying out of the Cieszyn Piasts (1653) sealed the decline of the ducal residence. The castle became the property of the Hapsburgs for whom it served no strategic purpose. Only in the 19th century (1840) was the hill modified in Neo-classicist style according to plans by Joseph Kornhäusel. A summer hunting palace was built on the foundations of the lower castle, which contained the guest rooms of the Cieszyn archduke and the offices of the Teschener Kammer. A park was established in the remaining part of the hill which contained the Piast Tower and the Rotunda of St. Nicholas. Before the First World War artificial ruins were built on the remains of the keep whose original appearance was restored in the 20th century.
 
The Supervisory Council of the Cieszyn Duchy was located here until the end of 1918 and subsequently the Directorship of the State Forests. Since 1947 some of the rooms of the hunting palace have been occupied by the State Music School, and since 2005 the castle has been the home of a regional design centre – Zamek Cieszyn.
 
Thanks to funding from the EU’s Structural Funds the building underwent a makeover and the palace orangery was totally reconstructed. In 2005 a regional design centre, i.e. Zamek Cieszyn – Research Centre into Material Culture and Design (formerly the Silesian Castle of Art and Enterprise) was opened.

Castle in Cieszyn

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Castle Kończyce is located near the road that leads from Zebrzydowic to Cieszyna, on its left side. The castle was built in the XV - XIV centuries. In 1560 it was expanded by Jerzy Sedlnicki, as evidenced by a stone portal with a coat of arms Odrowaz Sedlnicki. During next years the castle was also in possession of the family Sedlnitski. Then, after the marriage of Katarzyna Sedlnitski, it passed into the possession of the family Czelow. In the XVIII century the castle was restored through the efforts of Waclaw Pelki, who was its owner. Later the castle belonged to the family Folwarcznych, and in 1880, Jan, a member of the family, reconstructed the building. Last restoration of the castle took place in the 1956-1958.
Currently, the building has features of Renaissance style. Its location improves its defensive qualities - it lies on swampy territory, including ponds, surrounded by a moat. It was built on a square plan, central courtyard is surrounded by four wings, two of which are still preserved in the southern corner. The materials used for construction are stone and brick, and the walls were plastered.
All wings were two-storey and remained partially preserved up to this day. From the courtyard there is a low arcade, which probably surrounded the yard. At the junction of the wings there is a hallway from which staircase leads to the right. Barrel vaults are in the corridor, in the other roomson the ground floor have such vaults like cross-barrel, barrel with lunettes, supported by pillars and dome. The internal situation is similar on the second floor.
In the arcades on the ground floor and some rooms on the second floor there are wooden ceiling beams. The southwest facade on the second floor is six-level and divided by eaves. In the south-east facade there is newer balcony. Rectangular windows have different sizes, four of which are in Renaissance stone frames (c. Mid XVI century), profiled with traces of crosses, some in framing of the XIX century. On the southwest side of the windows on the ground floor Renaissance grating is preserved. In the room on the first floor of the south-west wing there is a Renaissance portal closed by arch. The arcade side of the courtyard are unevenly distributed. Roof eaves are supported by wooden pillars. Polish roof is initially covered by tiles, now - by asbestos cement slate.