The Polish Tatras
Chocholowska Valley
The Chocholowska Valley is the longest and at the same time the biggest valley in the Polish Tatras. The valley covers an area of 35 square kilometers and is about 10km long. The lower part of the Valley is essentially a deep gorge with narrow passes known as gates. The upper part divides itself into three sub-parts: The Starorobocianska Valley, the Chocholowska Wyznia Valley and the Jarzabcza Valley. The valley is made up of two types of rock: crystalloid gneiss and granites as well as sedimentary rock such as shale, limestone and trias dolomite. The Chocholowska Valley’s origin is partly post glacial and partly was formed by the Chocholowski creek. As a result of these natural occurrences the valley is dotted with caves, with the Chocholowska Niche being the largest. Unfortunately none of these caves are suitable to be penetrated by tourists. The name of the valley hails from the nearby village named Chocholow. The large fields and meadows that can be found in the valley, make it the largest grazing ground in the Tatras. Due to this there are many cottages in the area. The valley was once the site of iron ore exploitation, with the ore initially processed on the spot and later moved to the foundry in Kuznice. Today, the Chocholow Valley is a popular tourist attraction. A PTTK shelter was built at the top of the valley on the so called Chocholowska Field. The shelter is now a base for winter and summer excursions in this part of the Tatras.
The Koscieliska Valley
The Koscieliska Valley is made up of a long and deep gorge, with walls that narrow in three places – known as gates ( the Kantaka Gate, the Kraszewski Gate and the Raptwicka Gate). The creation of this valley is partly responsible to a glacier that once reached all the way up to the Smytna Valley. It is primarily made up of sedimentary rocks that are prone to weathering. Due to this the Koscielski creek played a significant role in the creation of the Koscieliska Valley. The valley boasts fantastically shaped rocks, steep cliffs and numerous caves. The Koscieliska Valley is about 9km long with an area of about 35 square kilometers. It has many valleys branching off it. The highest point in the vicinity of the valley is Blyszcz – 2159 meters above sea level. The Bystra mountain can be seen from the valley – the highest peak in the Western Tatras. A number of popular caves can be explored in the Koscieliska Valley such as Jaskinia Mrozna, Jaskinia Mylna, Smocza Jama (Dragons lair) as well as the Raptawicka cave.
Morskie Oko
Morskie Oko is the largest and most popular mountain lake in the Polish Tartras. It is located in the Rybiego Potoku (Fish creek) Valley at the foot of the Mieguszowieckie heights at about 1395 meters above sea level. The lake is a post glacial remnant with an area of 34,93ha and a maximum depth of 50,8m. The bottom is littered with boulders and sandy. Morskie Oko was once known as Rybim Jeziorem or Rybim Stawem, which translates as fish pond or lake, due to the fact that it is one of the few mountain lakes in the Tatras inhabited naturally by fish. The lake is populated by trout. Rybi (fish) creek flows out of the lake, creating a series of small fish ponds : Male Morskie Oko (Small Morskie Oko), Zabie Oko and Male Zabie Oko. A PTTK shelter was built on the moraine of the lake. North of Morskie Oko, another large lake called Czarny Staw pod Rysami can be found. The first notions of Morskie Oko in history come from the year 1575. In 1637 king Wladyslaw IV passed a decree that entitled the usage of the grazing grounds surrounding the lake to Wladyslaw Nowobilski. Morskie Oko became private property in 1824 when Emanuel Homolacs bought Zakopane’s grounds from the Austrian Empire. It was later owned by Wladyslaw Zamoyski. As of 1933 the lake is national territory.
Polana Kalatówki – the Kalatówki Field
The popular Kalatowki are one of the most scenically situated fields in the Tatra mountains. The field once belonged the Kalatow family from Szaflar. Not far from the field is the Wywierzyska Bystrej, a creek that was long considered the source of the Bialy Dunajec River. There are a few caves in the region that are available for spelunking fans. Sheep graze on the field during the summer, whereas in the winter a ski slope is made available for tourists. Skiing has been a part of Kalatowki since the beginning of the 20th century. The first ski jumps in Zakopane were built here and Kalatowki played venue for the first ever skiing competitions in the whole region. Every year, during Easter, the “lany poniedzialek” (wet Monday) festivities are brought here and a skiing competition in memory of Krystyna Behounek takes place. In the years between WWI and WWII the Gorski Hotel was built and soon became an important base for tourists and skiers. After the war Polish jazzmen gathered here to play and combine jazz with local folk music. These jazz traditions remain strong to this day and have become an attraction for tourists. As Zbigniew Namyslowski once said, “the mountains and jazz go hand in hand exceptionally well”.
Wielka Krokiew Ski Jump
The Wielka Krokiew ski jump, named in memory of Stanislaw Marusarz, is the largest ski jump in Poland. It’s considered to be one of the most beautifully set ski jump arenas in the world and has forever attracted the worlds best jumpers. It was built according to Karol Stryjenski’s design on the northern face of the Krokiew mountain in the Tatras and opened on the 22nd of March 1925. The first official record set on the Wielka Krokiew belonged to Stanislaw Gasienica – Sieczka. It was set at 36 meters. Today, the offical record belongs to Sven Hannavald, who on the 18th of January 2003 soared to a length of 140 m. The longest jump ever, however, was executed in 2004 during a training session by a Norwegian jumper – Erik Ulimoen. He reached a staggering distance of 146,5 meters! This remains the unofficial record. The construction point is set at 120 meters. The run in after renovation is 91 meters long. The arena can hold 40000 spectators, which makes it one of the largest sporting arenas in Poland. During the World Cup competition held in 2002, about 50000 fans of the sport gathered to watch the best ski jumpers in action.
Gubalowka tel: (+48) 18 20 148 30
The Gubalowka is one of the peaks on the Gubalowka mountain range. At 1123 meters above sea level it looms 300m directly above the city of Zakopane. The range heads from Witow through Zakopane to Poronin. Thousands of tourists come here to view the magnificent vista of Zakopane and the Tatra panorama. A rail cabin opened in 1938 and recently rebuilt, transports tourists up and down the mountain. Upon exiting the cabin, in front of the restaurant you can see the “Polonia Restituta” statue by Stanislaw Kaniak. It faces the Tatras with a Polish eagle perched on an outstretched arm. Alternatively you can get to the top of Gubalowka thanks to the Szymoszkowa ski lifts or via the Butorowy Wierch cable car. Once on top you can stroll on the “Gubalowska promenade” or take a horse carriage ride. From the peak, plenty of mountain bike trails lead to Harenda, Chocholow or Witow. During the winter the Gubalowka peak provides a number of Skiing slopes with plenty of ski and snowboard schools on offer.
Stary Kosciol – the Old Church, Koscieliska street
The Old Chuch in the name of Czestochowa Mother of God, often called “kosciolek” – little chuch - is the oldest and one of the most valuable landmarks in Zakopane. It was erected in 1847 under the supervision of Sebastian Gasienica and built thanks to the Homolacsow Family initiative. The first Holy mass took place on the 6th of January 1848. In the years 1850 – 1851 priest Jozef Stolarczyk supervised a reconstruction of the church. The southern part was enlarged and a steeple was added giving it the look it has today.
The interior was decorated by Podhale artists. The altar was made by Wojciech Kulach Wawrzyncok, whereas the paintings of the cross road were painted by Helena Roj – Kozlowska, a local painter from Zakopane. The way the church stands is rather interesting. It isn’t traditionally situated on a east –west line like most churches, instead it stands on a North – South line with its entrance from the south, just like the rest of the building on the that street.
Jaszczurowka
The Jaszczurowka is a wooden chapel under the calling of the Holy Heart of Jesus. It is one of the most famous architectural works in Poland. It was designed by the father of the “Zakopane style” – Stanislaw Witkiewicz. Built from 1904 – 1908 thanks to the Uznanski family foundation the chapel is full of masterful decorations, hundreds of relieves and open works. The main alter inside the Jaszczurowka is shaped after a traditional Podhale cottage. The stained glass windows portray the Holy Mother as well as the coats of arms of Poland and Lithuania. You can admire the stained glass portrayals of the Cross road by Jozef Jachymiak. Many other artists designed churches and chapels modeled on the chapel in Jaszczurowka.
Tatra Museum in the name of Dr Tytus Chalubinski, 10 Krupowki street, tel: 018-20-152-05, 018-20-129-35
Open: Wednesday –Saturday 9:00 -17:00, Sunday 9:00 – 15:00
Tickets: normal 7 zł, student 5,50 zł
The museum is 120 years old. The façade was designed by Stanislaw Witkiewicz, whereas the technical design was made by Franciszek Maczynski. There are 3 exhibitions in the museum: Historic, ethnographic and natural. The first relates the history of the region. Thanks to photo’s and documents from archives we can learn about the beginnings of the Zakopane. The ethnographic exhibitions shows tourists what a real “goral” cottage looked like. Thanks to imitations of the “black” and “white” chambers we can see how “gorale” folk once lived. Old statues, instruments and traditional dress can also be viewed. The natural exhibition deals with how the Tatras were formed, showing the natural process of the creation of the mountains to fossils found in the region. It also shows the inhabitants of the mountains – flora and fauna. Colorful cabinets show the most interesting varieties and specimens and find out which are protected.
The old cemetery, Koscieliska street.
The cemetery was established by priest Jozef Stolarczyk in 1850 next to the oldest church in Zakopane. Jan Peksy donated the area for the cemetery. The cemetery is also known as “the Cemetery of the Deserved”, because ever since dr. Tytus Chalubinski was buried here the place was considered a cultural landmark. Since that burial, only people of considerable achievement for Zakopane and Poland are buried here. In order to be buried here one needs the consent of the landmark conserver. About 320 people have been buried in the old cemetery so far, amongst them: Jozef Stolarczyk, Stanislaw Witkiewicz, Wladysław Orkan, ,Antoni Kenar, Kazimierz Tetmajer, Helena Marusarzowna, Jozef Fedorowicz, Jana Dlugosza Krzeptowski Sabala Antoni Rzasy, Jozef Krzeptowski, Kornel Makuszynski.
Villa Atma, Karol Szymanowski Museum, 19 Kasprusie street
Villa Atma was built as a guest house by Karol Szymanowski Stoch at the end of the 19th century. The name Atma derives from the Sanskrit “Atma”, which means calm soul. At first the villa had only one floor, however in 1926 an additional floor was built. At this time it had 7 rooms and 2 living rooms. The villa served as an informal guesthouse until 1930. Karol Szymanowski suffered from tuberculosis and often visited Zakopane for treatment. In 1930 the composer settled down in the villa for good and it was in this very house that he composed his greatest works such as, Harnasie, Kurpiowskie Songs, Mazurki. Szymanowski lived in Atma until 1936. on the 6th of April 1956 a plaque was unveiled in his tribute. In 1976 two journalists from Warsaw, Zdzislaw Sierpinski and Jerzy Waldorff initiated the purchase of the villa thanks to social grants. The villa was handed over to the National Museum in Krakow. On the 6th of March 1976 the Biographical Museum of Karol Szymanowski was established. The museum holds a reconstruction of the artists workshop, a piano, books, letters and personal memorabilia. A post death bust of the composer made by Stanislaw Ignacy is also housed in the museum. The “Atma” is the venue of concerts and musical evenings and has hosted many great people of art and music: Piotr Paleczny, Jan Ekier, Wanda Wilkomirska, Witold Malcuzyński, Andrzej Kulka, Teresa Zylis-Gara, Kaja Danczowska.
Władysław Hasior Gallery, 18b Jagiellonska street, tel: (+48) 18-20-668-71
Open: Wednesday – Saturday 11:00 – 18:00, Sunday 9:00 – 15:00
The building was handed over to the artist by the City Administration in 1985. Hasior equipped it and turned it into his artistic workshop. He designed the interior on his own and created the appropriate atmosphere for himself. The gallery in itself is his masterpiece. Wladyslaw Hasior was mainly associated with Zakopane. His work is considered very Polish and connected to the Podhale region and tends to be quite shocking and provocative. He is considered to be the most original Polish contemporary artist.
Tatra Station, 12 Krupowki street
Formerly known as the Tatra Court, it was a wooden building built in 1881 by the Tatra Association according to a project designed by Karol Zaremby. The Building was ceremoniously opened on 30th July 1882. It contained offices, a ball room, lounges for men and woman as well as a library with reading room. Gatherings, happenings, plays, concerts and recitals were organized in the Station. This was the first “house of culture” in Zakopane. Stanislaw Barcewicz, Helena Modrzejewska, Mieczyslaw Karlowicz, Fritz Kreisler, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Henryk Sienkiewicz, Aleksander Michalowski all performed here. The building burned down on the night of the carnival on the 21st of January 1901. The cause of the fire was the explosion of an oil lamp. In 1902 it was decided that the court would be rebuilt in brick. On the 1st of July 1903 it was reopened. This was one of the first brick buildings built in the Zakopane style. The new building contained offices, guest rooms, a club room and library both belonging to the Tatra Association as well as the public. There was also a restaurant in the building, which became a popular meeting point for artists and mountaineers in the years between the wars. Before the Second World War a pseudoscientific and comedy club was established in the court under the name “Institutum Bronscianum”. Today the building houses the PTTK headquarters and offices, as well as a tour operator, the Tatra Guide and Speleologist Guild. An interesting point is the name of the building. As mentioned earlier it was formerly called the “Tatra Court”. After it was rebuilt the name was changed to Station to best suit a Russian spelling of the Polish word for court. This is a classic example of the russification that took place in Poland at the time.
„U wnuka” restaurant, 8 Koscieliska street
The building that houses today’s restaurant is one of the oldest buildings to be found on Koscieliska street in Zakopane. It was built by Jozef Krzeptowski in 1850 and is considered to be the first double story home to be built in Zakopane. The building housed the first post office, general store, library and casino in Zakopane. When the building served as a center for culture it was frequented by Tytus Chałubinski, Jan Kasprowicz, Helena Modrzejewska, Wladyslaw Orkan, Wincenty Witos, Walery Eliasz, Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer, general. Jozef Haller. On the 4th of March 1904 the most important regional organization in the Podhale region was formed – the Zwiazek Gorali (the Mountain folk Association), which later formed into the Zwiazek Podhalan (the Podhalan Association). The famous restaurant established by the restaurateur from Lvov, Jan Wnuk began its existence in 1907. Wnuk came to Zakopane to cook for the famous Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz. He created one of the most popular restaurants in Zakopane and a meeting point for the gorale from all over Podhale. Six children from the Wnuk family were born in the house, one of whom was no less a famous writer and author of many works on the Podhale region – Wlodzimierz Wnuk. He received the Literature Award of Zakopane in 1991 and died in 1992. He was buried in the Old Cemetery.
„Slimak” Villa, 77 Krupowki street
The „Slimak” villa was built by Jedrzej Slimak in 1902. He apparently used Stanislaw Witkiewicz’s advice when building it. Jan Witkiewicz, the brother of Stanislaw was one of the guesthouse’s first guests. Before World War One the guesthouse was managed by Stanislaw Ciszewski and was called “Janina”. After 1918 the name was changed to “Zoska”. The guesthouse was managed by Maria Witkiewiczowa in the years 1923 – 1928. Witkacy lived in the house in this period. After WWII the guesthouse was turned into a private house and until 1988 the villa housed a medical practice. After the fall of communism the house was re-privatized and in 1993 the villa returned to its original name “Slimak”. Today the villa houses a few shops and a pub called “Antidotum”.
The Sabala and Chałubiński memorial
The memorial was made by Jan Nalborczyk and inspired by Stanislaw Witkiewicz. It shows the bust of Tytus Chalubinski and the figure of Sabala. The memorial was placed at the corner two streets: Chalubinski and Zamoyski street next to the place were Tytus Chalubinski once lived. Chalubinski is considered to be the discoverer of Zakopane and known as the “King of the Tatras”. Jan Krzeptowski, also known as Sabala was his companion. The memorial shows him with his traditional folk violin. To this day you can hear his Sabala notes in the region. Sabala once held a bow, however vandals have over the years continued to steal it. In the end the Tatra Association decided to resign from the bow.
„Cicha” Villa, 42 Koscieliska street
This beautifully adorned villa was originally a guesthouse called “Sobczakowka”. The name then came from the owners of the house – the Gasienica-Sobczakow family, that existed from 1880. Jan Kasprowicz, Edward Odyniec, Maria Sklodowska-Curii and Adam Chmielowski stayed here. Jan Zeromski stayed here during his first visit to Zakopane in 1892. The artistic Klosowski family has been associated with the villa for generations. Karol Klosowski called the villa “Cicha” (silent) enlarged it in 1932 and gradually created its decorations. The painting traditions of the family were continued by their son – Bronislaw Klosowski. Karol Klosowski would beautifully decorate the house in his free time. His work can be admired inside and outside of the villa. Klosowski was fascinated with plants and flowers. As a flora enthusiast he introduced various specimens of plant life to Zakopane and planted them in the villa gardens and its surroundings. Thanks to him Koscieliska street is one of the most colorful streets in Zakopane.
