Already in ancient times there was a castle here, which protect the local population in times of danger. In 1044 years Casimir the Restorer brought to Tyniec Benedictine, who shortly afterwards at the castle erected the first brick elements - the Romanesque church and monastery buildings with a small cloister arcade. Since 1247 years the monastery has increased the importance of defense, as became a fortress frontier. During this period the monastery was already surrounded by the castle wall with towers. In 1259 years was destroyed during the Tatar invasion. The rebuilt monastery again destroyed the army of Bishop John Muskata.

In the fourteenth century stronghold had defensive tower and the building of the county, and the entrance ran through two gates. In the first half of the fifteenth century Polish state border shifted south-west, so the monastery ceased to be an important stronghold. Neglected fortifications were once more renewed, but in the middle of the fifteenth century, the building previously used by the crew of the king was ceded to the monks to serve as a dwelling abbots. In the sixteenth century, the assumption was expanded.

The monastery suffered greatly during the Swedish wars in the seventeenth century the monastery at the foot of the ramparts with towers, later upgraded with the bastions.

Close proximity to Krakow meant that the monastery was used in the eighteenth century by the army during the Bar Confederation. During the construction work carried out since 1769 years Tyniec monastery became a strong bastion fortress, repeatedly plagued by foreign armies.

In 1831 destroyed the monastery buildings destroyed by fire, after which discontinued use of the fortress. It was only in the interwar period to the monastery returned Benedictines who gradually heaved it out of the ruins. Today most of the monastic buildings are already renovated.