Rotunda of St. Nicholas and St. Vaclav, Cieszyn, PL
Posted by: 
Nemo02
N 49° 45.071 E 018° 37.543
34U E 328973 N 5513671
The Romanesque Rotunda of St. Nicholas and St. Vaclav on the Castle Hill in Cieszyn.
Waymark Code: WMD9XH
Location: Śląskie, Poland
Date Posted: 12/11/2011
Views: 25
Erected in the 11th century, it was the first stone building of a religious cult in Silesia and one of the oldest Roman sights in Poland.
It consists of a circular-plan aisle and a semicircular apse from the east connected by three steps. The west part of the aisle includes a gallery supported on three column arcades (reconstructed in the mid-20th century). The gallery can be entered directly from the castle. Initially, the rotunda functioned as a castle chapel, however, it also served the borough people. In the written sources, the rotunda is mentioned for the first time in 1223 as the St. Nicholas chapel. Currently, the depression that the rotunda is placed appeared as a result of strewing earth over the ages. Originally, the ground level on the castle hill was at the same level as the rotunda base.
The masses are held during the chapel patron celebration - St. Nicholas.
The image of the Rotunda can be found on the reverse side of the current Polish 20 zloty note.
Opening times (tickits in Piast Castle Tower):
1.1.-29.2. 9.00-16.00
1.3.-30.4. 9.00-17.00
1.5.-31.5. 9.00-18.00
1.7.-31.8. 9.00-19.00
1.9.-30.9. 9.00-18.00
1.10.-31.10. 9.00-17.00
1.11.-31.12. 9.00-16.00
Building Materials: Stone
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Visit Instructions:
Logs for Medieval churches waymark must contain a date found and any details about the visit there. Also photos and other experiences related to the building are welcome.