Karviná is an industrial city on the Polish-Czech border. It is associated primarily with the mining of hard coal, but due to its long history, it can also boast some interesting monuments.
The localities that are part of today's Karviná are already mentioned in the Middle Ages. At that time, trade settlements existed here, which played a large role in economic contacts between Poland and the Czech Republic. In Frystat, which is today a district of Karviná, one of the Silesian Piasts had its own castle.
For centuries, the location of Karviná and the surrounding towns meant that they passed from hand to hand. Despite the predominance of the Polish-speaking population, they were incorporated into Czechoslovakia after World War I. As early as the mid-nineteenth century, the entire region developed as a center of coal mining and metallurgy, and Karviná received city rights in 1923. Soon, neighboring villages were incorporated into it.
Currently, Karviná focuses more and more on the development of tourism and services. The mountainous surroundings are perfect for hiking and cycling. However, in the city itself, you can see some interesting sights. Among them is the Baroque-Classicist Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The biggest attraction of Karviná is the Frystat Castle built in the Empire style. It was owned by the Larisch family, and now it houses a museum of noble culture presenting the life of the Czech nobility at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
