On the upper floors of the western tower you can see an exhibition of photos. It shows how the Castle looked in the past, and what it looks like today. The fortress was not always a ruin – to convince you it is worth to visit "Niemczówka" – a 16th-century Renaissance tenement house, located on Małogoska Street in Chęciny. There is a model of the castle, which probably presents its appearance from 17th century. The turbulent fate of the fortress was mainly related to the war activities of the old years, although for about 300 years it was not conquered by any army! The first great destruction was carried out by the Zebrzydowski Rebellion, when the noble troops looted and burned the castle in 1607. A lot of woes came from the Deluge, when both Swedes and their allied armies (Transylvanians, Cossacks) besieged and captured our fortress. The devastation were completed by the soldiers of Charles XII during the Great Northern War and from the beginning of the 18th century the castle began to fall into disrepair. After the partition of Poland in 1795, much of the castle materials (stone, bricks) was used secondarily for other purposes. Such measures were supported by the Austrian authorities. During the World War II Nazi Germans organized a quarry at the castle. After the liberation began to carry out restoration works, and for a dozen years the Castle of Chęciny is a so-called permanent ruin. All security measures are designed to provide tourists with a safe and pleasant tour of the property. The most significant work performed in recent years was the revitalization of the Castle from 2013-2015, with the help of EU funds. Thanks to them, we managed to get today's appearance of our fortress.
