The Habsburg Hunting Castle was built on the foundations of the Lower Castle in 1840 and the uppermost part of the hill was turned into a park where the two remains of the old Piast castle – the tower and the rotunda – contributes a romantic accent.

The Habsburg Hunting Castle was designed by the distinguished Viennese architect Joseph Kornhäusel. The guest apartments of the Archduke of Cieszyn and the offices of the Cieszyn Chamber (Teschener Kammer) were located in the castle. The National Council of the Cieszyn Duchy was located there for a period from the end of 1918 and subsequently the Management of the State Forestry Commission.

The State Music School has been based in the castle since 1947, where musicians of the calibre of Stanisław Hadyna, Karol Stryja and Jan Sztwiertnia were to hone their skills.

Kornhäusel built the neoclassical Orangery (dismantled in 1966) on the right of the Habsburg castle. The great Hungarian composer Franz Liszt (1811-1866) accepted an invitation to perform in the Orangery. The Orangery was totally rebuilt in 2004 with funding from EU Structural Funds.

The new building – now the home of the Silesian Castle of Art and Enterprise – is dedicated to supporting small and medium businesses. It contains two conference and exhibition rooms; studios for ceramics, fabric, design, computer and multimedia graphics workshops; and space for newly established businesses.

The Romanesque rotunda is the oldest and most important historical building in the Cieszyn Region. It was built in the eleventh century and for many years was the castle chapel, dedicated to St. Nicholas. The rotunda is a circular building built of limestone. A semi-circular apse abuts to the nave from the east, and there is a gallery in the western part supported on sandstone columns and engaged columns. Stairs leading up to the gallery are located within the wall of the rotunda. Opposite the staircase to the gallery is an arched entrance – now walled up – which probably led to the residence of the castellan (the palatium). The rotunda, the only stone building of the Cieszyn stronghold, was the most important point of resistance during armed conflicts. It also fulfilled the function of centre of religious administration in the Cieszyn castellany. Cieszyn’s oldest cemetery was probably built alongside the rotunda, where the castellans, their families and knights would have been buried.

In the fourteenth century the castle chapel was modified, as a result of which the level of the interior was raised and a floor laid. The rotunda was partly damaged during a fire in the second half of the fifteenth century. In 1839 during modification work on the castle complex designed by Joseph Kornhäusel, the rotunda was remodelled in neoclassical style. Conservation work carried out during the years 1947-1955 restored the rotunda’s Romanesque character. Today concerts are held there during various events.

The Romanesque rotunda is the oldest and most important historical building in the Cieszyn Region. It was built in the eleventh century and for many years was the castle chapel, dedicated to St. Nicholas. The rotunda is a circular building built of limestone. A semi-circular apse abuts to the nave from the east, and there is a gallery in the western part supported on sandstone columns and engaged columns. Stairs leading up to the gallery are located within the wall of the rotunda. Opposite the staircase to the gallery is an arched entrance – now walled up – which probably led to the residence of the castellan (the palatium). The rotunda, the only stone building of the Cieszyn stronghold, was the most important point of resistance during armed conflicts. It also fulfilled the function of centre of religious administration in the Cieszyn castellany. Cieszyn’s oldest cemetery was probably built alongside the rotunda, where the castellans, their families and knights would have been buried.

In the fourteenth century the castle chapel was modified, as a result of which the level of the interior was raised and a floor laid. The rotunda was partly damaged during a fire in the second half of the fifteenth century. In 1839 during modification work on the castle complex designed by Joseph Kornhäusel, the rotunda was remodelled in neoclassical style. Conservation work carried out during the years 1947-1955 restored the rotunda’s Romanesque character. Today concerts are held there during various events.