Cylinder head made of cast iron has valve seats provided therein. The valve seats include an annular bore provided in the cast-iron material, a nickel-based intermediate layer which is provided thereon and a contact layer which is provided on said intermediate layer. The contact layer has an air-hardening tool steel, wherein said layers are provided in such a manner that an annularly acting compressive stress is present near the free surface of said contact layer. The invention further includes a method for the production thereof.