The castle, located on a high escarpment on the left bank of the Black Przemsza River, is an example of mid-14th-century defensive architecture. It was a crucial element in the defensive system protecting the western border of Poland from invasions from Silesia and Bohemia. It also safeguarded the safety of trade routes, including the trade route from Silesia to Kraków.
The castle is first recorded in documents from 1349, when it mentions Wiernko, the burgrave of Będzin. It is also mentioned by Jan of Czarnków and Jan Długosz in their lists of fortresses built by Casimir the Great.
In 1364, it hosted Charles IV, the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia. In 1434, a treaty was concluded at the castle between Silesian and Lesser Polish lords regarding the fight against border robbers, and in 1588, the “Będzin-Bytom Pacts” were signed here, obliging Maximilian Habsburg to renounce claims to the Polish throne.
Polish kings visited the castle: Henryk Walezy in 1574, Jan III Sobieski in 1683 on his way to Vienna, and August II the Strong in 1697.
In the mid-14th century, a tower was constructed, to which a residential building known as the “kasztel” was later added. The complex was surrounded by two lines of stone walls separated by a curtain wall. To the west of the upper castle was the so-called lower castle with two towers and a wall. The Będzin Castle was connected to the church walls and city walls.
In 1616, part of the city, including the castle, was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt and adapted for residential rather than defensive purposes. Forty years later, during the Swedish invasion, it was plundered again. However, it was not until the appointment of representatives from the Mierszewski family to the starosty of Będzin (at the end of the 17th century) that the building finally fell into ruin. This situation lasted until 1834.
A romantic neo-Gothic restoration of the castle was carried out in 1834. Count Edward Raczyński, representing the Polish Bank, entrusted the restoration to Franciszek Maria Lanci. The austere Gothic structure was modified with elements of pseudo-Gothic architecture, such as crenellations on the walls and towers, brick window frames, and blind machicolations. Another modification that gave the castle its current appearance was the reconstruction of the kasztel and the lowering of the tower. The building was intended to house the Academic Mining School, but this project was abandoned after the restoration. Once abandoned by its users, it fell into ruin again.
Efforts to rebuild it were resumed in the interwar period. Ultimately, the castle was rebuilt after World War II and, since 1956, has been home to the Museum of Zagłębie in Będzin.
The castle houses an interesting exhibition of historical weaponry and protective gear, and offers insights into the history of Będzin and the castle itself.
Source:
“From the Archives of the Museum of Zagłębie in Będzin”
