The present castle was built at
the beginning of the 16th century and later it was converted and
rebuilt many times because of numerous fires and floods, which affected
Oświęcim.
After the fire in 1503 the castle was rebuild and
such restoration and toughening of the preserved fortification wall
lasted till 1534. At the beginning of the 17th century the building was
again destroyed by fire. As result of renovation the building was
widened about 2 meters in the east direction. During the Swedish wars it
fell into ruin and Sejm decided about the urgent restoration works. At
the beginning of the 19th century it was devastated by two floods, which
took place in 1805 and 1813. After this Austrian authorities decided
to pull it down. Luckily Kajetan Russocki bought it on the auction,
saved it and organized there the salt storehouse. Later it belonged to
Jewish merchants: Landau, Schonker and Schnitzer who changed it in the
warehouse.
In 1904 Karol Kaszny became the owner, restored
the building and changed it in the vine tavern and the Zamek Hotel. In
this period the second floor was added and on the east side of shield
with the Piast eagle was placed. In 1910 Kaszny rented the castle to the
Oświęcim community authorities. Jacob Haberfeld, the next owner of the
castle changed it into the warehouse of vodka and vine from his factory.
In 1926 it was bought by the Country Department in Biała Krakowska.
Between the tower and the castle instead of the detached one-storey
buildings, a two-storey building with additional part topped with a
neo-Renaissance attic was erected.
During the II World War the
was the seat of German occupation authorities. After the war it was the
seat of the Collective Community Office and then since 1952 the County
People's Council. From 1975-87 it was the seat of the Municipal Council
of Oświęcim.
In 1993 The Historical and Ethnographical Museum was
opened there and on 1 January 2010 the Castle Museum started its
operations there.
