Really close to Cieszyn, home to some of the oldest buildings in Poland. The 11th century Round tower, featured on the 20 zloty bill, has turned the mundane legal tender into a transcendental souvenir.

The Rotunda in Cieszyn is the only Romanesque rotunda in Poland preserved together with the vaulted nave. Dated to the 11th or 12th century, it belongs to the group of single-apisid rotundas, erected in Europe (and especially in Central Europe) between the 8th and 13th centuries. 

The 11th century Romanesque Rotunda in Cieszyn served as a castle chapel. It also served a defensive function. Effective defense was possible thanks to the thickness of the walls and the narrow window clearance. Next to the Rotunda was the oldest parish cemetery of Cieszyn. Remains are still found today, every time archaeological excavations are carried out.

The ultimate souvenir is available for purchase just a few miles away, in the nearby small town of Koniakw, where the local artists invented folksy lingerie (reverentially referred to as stringi koniakowskie), an international smashing hit pending EU patenting.

Before moving to its present deluxe location at the META Hotel, the Szczyrk conference was originally held at two venues that can now be considered true gems of Poland's socialist-realist architecture, the Zacisze Hotel (on  the left) and the Włókniarz Hotel (above).