Museum of Protestantism in Cieszyn

The Museum of Protestantism in Cieszyn is housed on the gallery of the Evangelical Jesus Church and combines an exhibition of Reformation memorabilia with one of the oldest Lutheran libraries in Cieszyn Silesia. The full name of the institution is the Museum of Protestantism - B.R. Tschammer Library and Archive.

What the museum is and where it came from

It is a museum and library institution operating at the Evangelical-Augsburg Parish in Cieszyn. It continues the Tschammer Library, which had existed since the 17th century, and the museum itself was opened in March 2009. The creation of the institution was co-financed by the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism of 2007-2010, in a project devoted to the protection and conservation of the written heritage of Cieszyn.

What to see

The museum collects items connected with the history of the Reformation and Lutheranism in Cieszyn Silesia. The library collections number more than 23,000 volumes, and in addition the collection includes memorabilia concerning Protestantism in Cieszyn and the life of the town itself.

The exhibition on the gallery of the church shows documents, photographs and publications as well as liturgical vessels, among them a container from 1712. Among the most valuable exhibits are an imperial eagle with the image of Joseph I, from the so-called "staff of grace" with which in 1709 Count Ludwig Zinzendorf marked out the site for building the church, and an imperial armchair connected with an emperor's visit to the town.

The church and the area

The museum occupies part of the Jesus Church, so a visit is easy to combine with seeing the church itself. A few hundred metres away is the Printing Museum, and less than a kilometre from here stands the Rotunda of St Nicholas.

Practical information

• Address: Plac Kościelny 6, Cieszyn, in the building of the Jesus Church.
• The exhibition is on the church gallery, and visits are sometimes arranged in advance, so check the hours and the way in with the parish before a visit.
• The institution operates all year round.