Pszczyna: Castle, Park and Town History

Parkland and wildlife watching

Pszczyna’s Historic Park covers 156 hectares and comprises the Castle Park, Dworcowy Park and Dziką Promenada. These three areas are part of the described parkland; the area figure refers to the Historic Park as a whole. Those interested in greenery will find it an important part of the town’s character, while the Castle Museum and Old Town offer other, distinctly cultural and historical themes to explore.

Dziką Promenada is home to a well-maintained golf course. The Pokazowa Zagroda Żubrów, a show reserve for European bison, is also located there. It covers 10 hectares of enclosures and paths. From these paths, visitors can also observe fallow deer, red deer, roe deer and pheasants. This makes a visit to the reserve a distinct way to focus your stay on wildlife watching, with these animals complementing the European bison as points of interest.

Castle Museum and historic town

The Castle Museum in Pszczyna represents the history of European residences once inhabited by the nobility. One notable feature is how much of the original furnishings have been preserved: around 80 percent dates from around the turn of the 20th century and has survived. For those interested in culture, this offers a concrete way to appreciate the visit not only through the castle as a building, but also through its historic interiors.

The Old Town offers another way to explore the area’s history: it preserves a medieval urban layout. Piastowska Street is Pszczyna’s main pedestrian street and an important landmark for finding your way around town. The medieval layout and pedestrian street describe different aspects of the town: its historic plan, on the one hand, and an important modern-day pedestrian street, on the other.

Museums and collections

The Silesian Press Museum dedicates its exhibition to the history of the Silesian press from its beginnings to 1939. It also collects historical printing presses and printing equipment. Those interested in media and technology history can therefore combine an exhibition on the development of the press with a look at the tools used in the process. The exhibition’s historical period ends in 1939.

The Izba Telemanna in Pszczyna offers a different perspective through its collection. It displays historical musical instruments, including an 18th-century positive organ. The Zagroda Wsi Pszczyńskiej open-air museum is included in the Silesian Wooden Architecture Trail, as part of the Pszczyna loop. The Princely Stables are another exhibition venue: the Castle Museum took over the complex in June 2013, and exhibitions on various topics are regularly held there.

Since 1979, Baroque concerts called “Wieczory u Telemanna” have been held in the Castle Museum’s Hall of Mirrors. This refers to a concert series that has been running since that year, not to a specific date. Together with the musical instrument collection, it shows that music is one of Pszczyna’s diverse cultural themes, alongside the history of aristocratic residences, press history and architecture.

Getting there and choosing accommodation

Long-distance and local transport routes run through Pszczyna. This is a useful point of reference for planning your travel; which connection suits your trip depends on your starting point and specific plans. Hotels, holiday apartments and holiday homes differ in terms of service, independence, space and options for planning meals; the right choice for you depends on your own expectations.

Other places

Other places in the subregion: Kobior, Pszczyna, Suszec, Łąka, Bad Gottschalkowitz, Warszowice, Wisła Mała, Studzienice, Piasek, Brzeźce, Pielgrzymowice.

Back to the main travel overview: Silesia.