Once a single city with a history dating back to the 9th century, today it is divided in half between two countries. Český Těšín is the left-bank part of the Olza River, belonging to the Czech Republic. Initially, it was a suburban district of the city of Cieszyn called Saska Kępa, founded by Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen in 1794. After the construction of the railway and the railway station in 1869, the district developed significantly, and after July 28, 1920, a border was established through the middle of the city along the Olza River, dividing the city into two parts: the Czechoslovak, left-bank part, and the Polish, right-bank part. This division occurred as a result of an agreement to divide the disputed territories of Cieszyn Silesia between Poland and Czechoslovakia. The division of the city significantly hampered its development and decreased its importance. After Poland and the Czech Republic joined the European Union and later, on December 21, 2007, the Schengen Area, the borders were finally abolished, and now one can move freely between one part of the city and the other, despite the city still being divided between two countries. In Český Těšín, the dominant architecture is from the 19th century, representing eclecticism and Art Nouveau, as well as interwar architecture in the modernist style. The latter comes from the planned expansion of the city in the 1920s, as the Czech side lacked the necessary facilities for the functioning of the city, such as offices, schools, and residential buildings. Currently, Český Těšín has around 25,000 inhabitants. The walking tour begins at the Cultural Center Střelnice (Kulturní a společenské středisko Střelnice), then proceeds to Český Těšín Railway Station, later through the Main Square and past the Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, ending at the Bridge of Friendship. Enjoy watching the walking tour in 4K Ultra HD quality with captions here: https://youtu.be/G5ZOaf_6EjY
