Starý Těšín Hillfort

Welcome to Chotěbuzi, a place that keeps secrets within many centuries. Right now, you're standing on a land that once formed the heart of an entire region. Stop for a moment, take a breath and look around you. In front of you is a landscape that may look calm and ordinary, but under your feet and in the surrounding terrain is the history of Old Těšín. Feel the atmosphere of this place, feel the rustling of the Olš River, which flows in the valley beneath you. This river was the key to why the castle was founded here. Water was a source of life, a path for trade and a natural obstacle to enemies. You are standing on a design that provided a strategic advantage, a clear overview of the surroundings and safety, which was absolutely essential in the early days of Slavic settlement.

Let us now move deep into time into the past, namely the seventh century. Imagine this area as the first inhabitants saw it, the Holasic tribe. They were the ones who built their forts here over a thousand years ago. The Holasice chose this above the left bank of Olš with careful consideration. The fort was not just an ordinary village, but it performed an important settlement and defence function. It was a place where people lived, worked, but in the event of a threat, they could hide behind protective walls. At that time, this fortress was a symbol of power and stability in a landscape that was densely wooded and filled with unknown challenges. For the people of the seventh century Starý Těšín was a safe port and center of their world.

Now pay attention to the terrain around you. Even if you don't see tall walls of stone or monumental palaces today, because the castle is an archaeological site, try to reconstruct its shape in your mind. Notice the slope of the top and how naturally it dominates the surrounding valley. Legally, this landscape configuration determined where the defensive elements were located. As part of the ARCHEPARK Chotěbuz-Podobor, which was opened in the year two thousand and twelve, you can see how this area was organized. Take a look around and see how the area of the castle extends. Note that everything is directed towards optimizing defense and utilizing the natural advantages of the landscape. Don't look for complex ornaments here, but look for logic in the arrangement of space to ensure the survival of the community.

But the history of this place is not just a story of peaceful growth. The ninth century brought a storm to this area. Starý Těšín has become a target of power struggles that have shaken the entire central and eastern space. At that time, there were tough clashes between the Moravian tribes and the Vislan tribes. It was during this period that the castle was badly damaged. Historical sources and archaeological findings suggest that this destruction may have resulted in the raid of the Grand Moravian Prince Svatopluk first. Imagine the contrast that must have existed at the time. Where there used to be order and everyday work, all of a sudden chaos, flames and the sound of weapons. Svatopluk first was an ambitious ruler who expanded his power, and Starý Těšín was one of the victims of this expansion. The destruction of the castle in the ninth century was a deep blow, but it was not the end.

Once the fighting dust settled, it was time for recovery. The fort was rebuilt and gained a whole new role in the following centuries. It was no longer just a defensive fortress, but it became the real center of the region. Imagine people from around here coming here to do their administrative work, to seek spiritual guidance or to trade with their products. Starý Těšín has thus turned into the administrative, spiritual and economic core of the region. It was a place where power, faith and economics met. This era of bloom lasted until the turn of the eleventh and twelfth centuries, when the fort gradually lost its meaning and was abandoned to be taken over later by nature and oblivion.

When we think about this place, we find one interesting thing that shows how strongly Starý Těšín is etched into the memory of the surrounding nations. In Polish history and tradition this place is known as Stary Cieszyn or Cieszynisko. This bilingual and different names suggest that the castle in Chotěbuzi was not just a local matter, but an important point on a map that exceeded the borders of today's states. It's a fascinating mystery how one place can be so strongly perceived in various cultural contexts. Is it possible that it is here that the first treaties have been introduced and the first ties between people who are now two different national identities? This idea adds a special depth to walking on the top.

For years, the fort remained hidden beneath the layers of the earth and grass, until in the year one thousand nine hundred fifty-eight the place of the original castle was officially archaeologically protected. This was a crucial step that allowed this information to reach us at all. Thanks to the patient work of archaeologists, we now know about Holasice, the attacks of Svatopluk and the later blossom of the centre. Without this protection, valuable traces of the past could be lost forever. Now, when you're standing in the space of Archeopark, you realize that every metre of soil under your shoes can hide a fragment of ceramics, a trace of burnt wood, or any other evidence of people who lived here thousands of years ago.

Now invited to further explore. Go through the rest of the premises at a slow pace. Take your time. Try to return in spirit to the time when the guardians from this hill looked at the curved ribbons of the river Olš and guarded the safety of their families. Feel the silence that rules today, and imagine it filled with people's conversations, the sounds of artisanal workshops and the rustling of linen and wool clothes. Starý Těšín in Chotěbuzi is not just a set of data and years, it is a story about human resistance, about the ability to start again even after the greatest destruction and about the constant search for security and stability.

Thank you for spending this short time with us in the depths of history. We hope that this journey has helped you better understand the importance of this unique place and that you are leaving with a sense of respect for our ancestors who once built their world here. We wish you a pleasant next tour and inspiring rest of the day. Goodbye.