Multimedialne Ławeczki

The multimedia benches in Zakopane are an attraction that not only decorates the town but also recalls its rich history and the notable figures associated with it. The carved granite benches are dedicated to writers:

  • Jan Kasprowicz
  • Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz
  • Kornel Makuszyński
  • Jan Sztaudynger

as well as composers:

  • Mieczysław Karłowicz
  • Karol Szymanowski
  • Wacław Geiger

and also the renowned highlander musician and Tatra guide Bartuś Obrochta, as well as the traditional music of the Parish Regional Ensemble “Giewont.”

The benches were commissioned by the City Hall and created based on designs by the sculptor Marek Szala, known, among other things, as the designer and creator of the papal altar beneath the Wielka Krokiew in 1997. Their production was financed in 75% by European Union funds under the program “Promotion of Zakopane’s Cultural Heritage,” which also included art and handicraft workshops at the “Czerwony Dwór” villa and publications marking the 50th Jubilee International Festival of Highland Folklore*.

All benches are multimedia. The carvings on their backrests refer to the themes and figures presented, and by pressing a button, visitors can listen to literary works and music. The narrated texts are accompanied by music composed by Jerzy Chruściński from the Witkacy Theatre.

A QR code leads to a website where visitors can explore detailed biographies prepared by Dr. Agnieszka Jurczyńska-Kłosok. The benches are also labeled in Braille.

It is well worth exploring Zakopane along this musical and literary trail marked by the multimedia benches.

The first bench was installed next to the Zakopane City Hall on Kościuszki Street and is dedicated to Bartuś Obrochta. It features unique recordings made by Juliusz Zborowski on Edison phonograph cylinders between 1913 and 1914 in Nowy Targ, provided by the Tatra Museum named after Dr. Tytus Chałubiński in Zakopane.

Nearby, on the Upper Równia Krupowa, you will find a bench featuring traditional highlander music performed in a contemporary style by the Giewont ensemble. In the Municipal Park, there is a bench dedicated to Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, with recordings by the Palfy Gróf ensemble as well as compositions by Witkacy himself. The musical notation was provided by the Kórnik Library, and the performances were carried out by Sabina Zwijacz-Kozica, a teacher at the Zakopane Music School.

Walking along Piłsudskiego Street toward Wielka Krokiew, you will find the Kornel Makuszyński bench, where you can listen to excerpts from Koziołek Matołek and two feuilletons read by Andrzej Bienias, an actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre.

At the end of this street, near the beautiful wooden villa “Koszysta,” you will come across a bench featuring the well-known and beloved epigrams of Jan Sztaudynger. Next, it is worth heading to the “Czerwony Dwór” villa on Kasprusie Street, where you can sit and listen to works by the great composer Karol Szymanowski.

On the way to Kuźnice, you will find another musical bench dedicated to Mieczysław Karłowicz. Meanwhile, at Rotmistrz Pilecki Square, right next to Independence Square, a bench allows visitors to enjoy the music of Wacław Geiger. Recordings of selected works by these three outstanding composers were provided by the Tatra Climate Orchestra under the direction of Agnieszka Kreiner.

Finally, admirers of Jan Kasprowicz’s works should visit Franciszek Pawlica Square in Ustup, where they can listen to The Wild Rose Bush in the Dark Spruce Forest and several other beautiful works by this remarkable poet.

Multimedia bench dedicated to Bartłomiej Obrochta

Bartłomiej Obrochta, known as Bartuś, was born on August 15, 1850, in Zakopane and died on May 1, 1926, also in Zakopane.
He was buried at the New Cemetery in Zakopane. He is known as an outstanding violinist and a Tatra mountain guide.

From an early age, Bartuś Obrochta learned to play the violin. He attended the elementary school for two years, which he completed. One of his teachers was the famous Jan Krzeptowski Sabała. Obrochta is considered one of the finest highlander musicians. It is said that even the brigand Wojtek Mateja was interested in his music and took Bartuś into the mountains to entertain him and his companions.

Obrochta’s music also attracted the interest of, among others, Ignacy Paderewski and Karol Szymanowski, for whom it became an inspiration while composing the famous Harnasie. The melodies performed by the talented highlander were recorded on wax cylinders by Juliusz Zborowski, the long-time director of the Tatra Museum.

Bartuś Obrochta also played for Henryk Sienkiewicz, Stanisław Witkiewicz, and Bolesław Prus. He composed melodies himself, both for violin and for a full band (three violins and bass).

He was also the founder of a folk band (kapela), which included his sons (Jan and Stanisław), and later his grandson Władysław. In 1897, he traveled with his band to Warsaw for the first time to perform during an exhibition of a Tatra panorama. In 1925, he performed in the Polish Pavilion at the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris.

He died with a violin in his hands on the Path under the Reglas (Droga pod Reglami), while returning from a gathering (posiady). To this day, a wooden commemorative shrine stands at that place.
From around 1878, Bartłomiej Obrochta worked as a Tatra guide and obtained first-class guide credentials before 1892. Notable expeditions include:

  • a pre-1880 attempt to climb Ganek together with Ludwik Chałubiński and guide Wojciech Roj,
  • in January 1894, the first winter crossing through Zawrat to Morskie Oko, during which he served as the main guide for Jan Grzegorzewski.
Between 1876 and 1888, as both musician and guide, he participated in excursions organized by Tytus Chałubiński. It is said that during one such camp, the choreography of the traditional zbójnicki dance was established. He also accompanied Sabała, Bolesław Prus, and Henryk Sienkiewicz on their expeditions.

From 1886, he worked as a ranger for the Tatra Society, protecting chamois and marmots. He also worked on building mountain trails (in 1887, together with Maciej Sieczka, he installed iron chains on the route from Waga Pass to Wysoka via Pazdury).

In the years 1890–1895 and 1914–1922, he managed the shelter in Stara Roztoka. In 1894, he was listed as the publisher of Goniec Tatrzański, although the actual publisher was Jan Grzegorzewski.

In the Tatras, he is commemorated with two place names: Bartkowa Turnia and Bartkowa Przełączka (in the western ridge of Mały Ganek). His stories were recorded and published by Juliusz Zborowski in:

  • A Trip with Bolesław Prus (1929),
  • Medicines from Tatra Dragons (1932).

Since 1965, the Bartuś Obrochta Regional Ensemble has existed in Zakopane.

Pieces whose fragments can be heard on the bench:

  • Sabałowa
  • Ozwodna. Ej góry, moje góry
  • Drobny po śtyry
Recordings by Juliusz Zborowski were made on Edison phonograph cylinders between 1913 and 1914 in Nowy Targ. They are included on the album “Thus the phonograph began collecting Podhale melodies”, published by the Tatra Museum named after Dr. Tytus Chałubiński in Zakopane and the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw.

Narration: Andrzej Bienias – actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre
Recording: Natalia Sosna
Audio materials: from the collection of the Tatra Museum named after Dr. Tytus Chałubiński
Bench design: sculptor Marek Szala

 

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Jan Kasprowicz Multimedia Bench

The Jan Kasprowicz multimedia bench in Zakopane is located on General Pawlica Square and is part of the Literary Trail. This granite, sculpted bench, designed by Marek Szala, commemorates the distinguished poet (1860–1926), who spent the final years of his life in nearby Harenda.

The Jan Kasprowicz bench is part of the route A Walk through Zakopane along the Trail of Writers and Musicians – Part 1.

*The printed version of the guide can be obtained at Zakopane Tourist Information points, while the electronic version (PDF) is available on the website: www.zakopane.pl

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Jan Sztaudynger Multimedia Bench by the Koszysta Villa

At the end of the street, opposite Jan Sztaudynger’s house “Koszysta” (69 Piłsudskiego Street), you will come across a bench featuring the well-known and beloved epigrams (fraszki) of Jan Sztaudynger, who lived in this house.

He was a poet and epigram writer, considered a reviver of the modern Polish fraszka. He authored around five thousand published epigrams, which—from his first collection Feathers (Piórka, 1954)—were highly sought after by readers. Both his political and erotic epigrams shocked and scandalized cultural authorities during the Stalinist period.

During that time, Sztaudynger did not publish any books for seven years (1947–1953). His epigrams overshadowed other areas of his writing; he had debuted in 1925 with a volume of poetry titled My Home and went on to publish over a dozen collections of lyrical poetry, including works for children.

He also translated classics of German literature and authored memoirs, a book about marionette theatre, and nearly a hundred articles on puppet theatres in Poland and across Europe.

Sztaudynger sought to elevate the concept of the fraszka and restore its poetic importance. He referred to his epigrams as “feathers” — small lyrical droplets.
“To this day, he remains one of the classics of modern Polish epigram writing, which means he created a lasting and outstanding model of the genre.”*

Works whose fragments can be heard on the bench:

  • Cycle: Epigrams about Epigrams
  • Cycle: Jan’s Bench
  • Cycle: Epigrams from the ‘Scum’ Section

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Kornel Makuszyński Multimedia Bench

While walking along Piłsudskiego Street toward the Wielka Krokiew ski jump (at the intersection of Piłsudskiego and Tetmajera Streets, next to the Kornel Makuszyński Museum), you will find the Kornel Makuszyński bench, where you can listen to excerpts from The Adventures of Koziołek Matołek as well as two feuilletons read by Andrzej Bienias, an actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre. The bench was designed by the sculptor Marek Szala.

Kornel Makuszyński was born on January 8, 1884, in Stryj and died on July 31, 1953, in Zakopane. He was buried at the Pęksowy Brzyzek Cemetery in Zakopane.

He was a novelist, columnist, theatre critic, poet, and author of numerous books for children and young readers. Among his works are: About Two Who Stole the Moon (1928), The Merry Devil’s Friend (1930), The Girl with the Wet Head (1932), The Broken Sword (1936), A Scuffle over Basia (1937), Satan from the Seventh Grade (1937), and The Escapades of Miss Ewa (1940).

He also created the famous literary characters Koziołek Matołek and the monkey Fiki-Miki.

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Wacław Geiger Multimedia Bench

At Rotmistrz Pilecki Square, right next to Independence Square, visitors can listen to the music of Wacław Geiger. Recordings of selected works by this outstanding composer were provided by the Tatra Climate Orchestra under the direction of Agnieszka Kreiner.

He was born on June 25, 1907, in Kraków and died on April 30, 1988, in Zakopane. He was buried at the Old Cemetery in Zakopane on Kościeliska Street. He was a conductor, pianist, composer, accompanist, and singer. Many of his compositions became part of the repertoire of the Tatra Climate Orchestra.

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Bench Dedicated to Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz

In the Municipal Park, you can find a bench dedicated to Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, featuring recordings by the band Palfy Gróf as well as compositions by Witkacy himself. The musical notation was provided by the Kórnik Library, and the performances were carried out by Sabina Zwijacz-Kozica, a teacher at the Zakopane Music School.

Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, known as Witkacy, was born on February 24, 1885, in Warsaw and died by suicide on September 18, 1939, in Jeziory (now in Ukraine). His symbolic grave is located at the Old Cemetery on Kościeliska Street in Zakopane. From 1890 onward, he lived in Zakopane.

Witkacy was the son of the painter, art critic, and creator of the Zakopane Style – Stanisław Witkiewicz. He gained recognition as a painter, art theorist, playwright, novelist, and philosopher. Among his works are The Pragmatists, Tumor Brainiowicz, The Little Manor, The Water Hen, The Madman and the Nun, Farewell to Autumn, and The Shoemakers.

It is worth noting that in his youth, Witkacy engaged in hiking, skiing, and even mountaineering in the Tatra Mountains, accompanied by highlander guides, climbing peaks such as Durny Szczyt. However, only slight references to Podhale or the Tatras can be found in his artistic work. Particularly noteworthy are the numerous surviving portraits created by him, as well as his photographs taken in Zakopane and the Tatras, many of which today have documentary value, while the portraits also hold artistic merit.

Since 1985, the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre has been operating in Zakopane. Numerous exhibitions dedicated to the artist are organized at the Tatra Museum, and the year 2015 was declared the Year of the Witkiewicz Family in the Małopolska Region.

Narration: Andrzej Bienias – actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre

Piece: A Thousand Lovers, with lyrics by Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, performed by the Palfy Gróf ensemble

Works: Barber Shop, Op. 13, and Fantasia Sonata by Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, performed by Sabina Zwijacz-Kozica. The musical scores composed by Witkiewicz were made available from the collections of the Kórnik Library of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Recording: Natalia Sosna

Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre
15 Chramcówki Street, Zakopane
www.witkacy.pl

Bench design: sculptor Marek Szala

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Karol Szymanowski Multimedia Bench

Next to the “Czerwony Dwór” villa on Kasprusie Street, you can sit on a bench and listen to works by the great composer Karol Szymanowski.

He was born on October 3, 1882, in Tymoszówka (now in Ukraine) and died on March 29, 1937, in Lausanne, France. He was buried in Kraków at Skałka, in the Crypt of the Distinguished.

Szymanowski was one of the greatest Polish composers. His works include the opera King Roger, Kurpie Songs, and Veni Creator, written to words by Stanisław Wyspiański. He was also a pianist, an honorary doctor of the Jagiellonian University, director of the Warsaw Conservatory, and rector of the Warsaw Higher School of Music. It is believed that under his influence, a folkloristic trend in Polish music developed in the 1930s.

Karol Szymanowski visited Zakopane before World War I, but settled there only in 1930, shortly after being diagnosed with advanced tuberculosis. His home became the villa “Atma,” which still exists today. It was in Zakopane that he became more closely acquainted with the music of the Podhale region, listening to highlander melodies played for him by, among others, the famous Bartuś Obrochta.

Due to his deteriorating health, Szymanowski left Zakopane in the autumn of 1935. He traveled to France for climatic treatment; it was to be his final journey. He died in Lausanne in March 1937. After his death, his body was embalmed, a death mask was made, and casts of his hands were taken. His heart was intended to be placed next to Chopin’s heart in the Church of the Holy Cross in Warsaw, but the urn containing it burned along with the chapel of the Sisters of the Sacré Coeur during the Warsaw Uprising.

In 1976, a Karol Szymanowski Museum was established in the “Atma” villa in Zakopane, which also serves as the seat of the Karol Szymanowski Music Society. The Kraków Philharmonic and the Academy of Music in Katowice are named after him. To commemorate the 80th anniversary of his death and the 135th anniversary of his birth, the Zakopane City Council declared 2017 the Year of Karol Szymanowski in Zakopane.

Pieces whose fragments can be heard on the bench:

  1. Karol Szymanowski (arr. Agnieszka Kreiner) – Mazurka, Op. 50 No. 1
    Performed by the Tatra Climate Orchestra, conducted by Agnieszka Kreiner

  2. Karol Szymanowski (arr. Agnieszka Kreiner) – Love Song (Epilogue) from the ballet Harnasie
    Words: Jerzy Mieczysław Rytard
    Performed by Jan Karpiel-Bułecka, Tatra Climate Orchestra, conducted by Agnieszka Kreiner


    Narration: Andrzej Bienias – actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre

    Bench design: sculptor Marek Szala

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Mieczysław Karłowicz Multimedia Bench

While walking toward Kuźnice (6 Przewodników Tatrzańskich Street), you can find another musical bench dedicated to Mieczysław Karłowicz.

He was born on December 11, 1876, in Wiszniewo (in present-day Lithuania) and died on February 8, 1909, in the Tatra Mountains. He was buried at the Powązki Cemetery in Warsaw.

He was the son of the linguist and ethnographer Jan Karłowicz and Irena Sulistrowska, a trained singer. He is regarded as one of the greatest Polish symphonic composers, as well as an outstanding mountaineer and skier. Together with Mariusz Zaruski, he initiated the creation of the Tatra Volunteer Search and Rescue Service (TOPR).

Mieczysław Karłowicz first came to Zakopane and the Tatras at the age of thirteen. By 1894, he had climbed, among others, Bystra, Kominiarski Wierch, Świnica, Rysy, and Kościelec, and crossed Gerlach with the guide Jędrzej Wala. In the summer of 1892, he performed two concerts as a violinist in the hall of the former Tatra Manor in Zakopane.

The years 1902–1909 were a period of intensive exploration of the Tatras, often undertaken alone. Among his companions on some expeditions was the famous guide Klimek Bachleda. Together, they climbed peaks such as Jastrzębia Turnia, Mały Kołowy Szczyt, Durny Szczyt, and Pośrednia Grań. However, Karłowicz carried out most of his trips without a guide, making first ascents, for example, of Wielka Kołowa Turnia.

In 1908, together with Mariusz Zaruski, he marked trails to Czarny Mięguszowiecki Szczyt and Niżnie Rysy. The symbol used by Karłowicz was the highlander swastika (a traditional folk motif).

In Zakopane, where he settled permanently in 1907, many of his symphonic works were composed or developed. The Violin Concerto and Eternal Songs are considered to be inspired by the Tatras. Karłowicz is also remembered as an excellent photographer of the mountains. His photographs, as well as objects associated with him (such as the camera with which he took his last pictures of the Tatras), are frequently presented in exhibitions organized by the Tatra Museum.

Mieczysław Karłowicz died on February 8, 1909, in an avalanche that descended from the eastern slopes of Mały Kościelec while he was on a solo ski tour. In the place where his body was found, a commemorative obelisk bearing the inscription Non omnis moriar was erected in 1909 and stands there to this day. Every year, on the anniversary of his death, flowers are laid at the monument.

Pieces whose fragments can be heard on the bench:

  1. Mieczysław Karłowicz (arr. Agnieszka Kreiner) – Idzie na pola, Op. 3 No. 3
    Text: Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer
    Performers: Joanna Bogdańska (mezzo-soprano), Tatra Climate Orchestra, conducted by Agnieszka Kreiner

  2. Mieczysław Karłowicz (arr. Agnieszka Kreiner) – In the Moonlight (1897)
    Performers: Tatra Climate Orchestra, conducted by Agnieszka Kreiner

  3. Mieczysław Karłowicz (arr. Agnieszka Kreiner) – At the Angelus (1902)
    Text: Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer
    Performers: Franciszek Bachleda-Księdzularz (recitation), Tatra Climate Orchestra, conducted by Agnieszka Kreiner

    Narration: Andrzej Bienias – actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre

    Bench design: sculptor Marek Szala


     

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Bench with Music of the Podhale Highlanders

On the upper part of Równia Krupowa, next to the Zakopane City Hall, you can find a bench featuring traditional highlander music in a contemporary performance by the Giewont ensemble.

The Parish Regional Ensemble “Giewont” was founded in 1981 by the then parish priest of the Olcza parish dedicated to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal – Father Jan Kowalik. It was the first “parish” regional ensemble in Podhale during the communist era. With its singing and music, it enriched Holy Mass liturgies and supported the construction of the church in Olcza.

The ensemble developed several artistic programs in its repertoire, which it performed during numerous domestic and international tours. An important event in the ensemble's history was a performance at the Vatican for Pope John Paul II.

The group has performed both in Poland and abroad and has released several albums focusing on regional and Christmas themes. In 2000, 2015, 2016, and 2018, the ensemble hosted the International Festival of Highland Folklore in Zakopane. It is the winner of numerous competitions and reviews, receiving awards for highlander dance and singing.

In 2016, the ensemble won a bronze juhas axe at the Highland Carnival in Bukowina Tatrzańska, and in 2017, it received a silver axe award in the category of authentic ensembles at the 49th International Festival of Highland Folklore in Zakopane.

Alongside “Giewont,” there is also “Little Giewont,” consisting of around 50 children who sing and dance. Since 2014, the ensemble has cooperated with the Zakopane City Hall, representing the city both nationally and internationally.

The main mission of the ensemble is to promote and preserve the traditions and culture of the Rocky Podhale region.

Pieces whose fragments can be heard on the bench:

  • Songs: Górole, Górole and Dyć se Zokopane
  • Hej Giewoncie, Giewoncie
  • Highland music
Narration: Andrzej Bienias – actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre
Bench design: sculptor Marek Szala

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Multimedia bench dedicated to Bartłomiej Obrochta

Bartłomiej Obrochta, known as Bartuś, was born on August 15, 1850, in Zakopane and died on May 1, 1926, also in Zakopane.
He was buried at the New Cemetery in Zakopane. He is known as an outstanding violinist and a Tatra mountain guide.

From an early age, Bartuś Obrochta learned to play the violin. He attended the elementary school for two years, which he completed. One of his teachers was the famous Jan Krzeptowski Sabała. Obrochta is considered one of the finest highlander musicians. It is said that even the brigand Wojtek Mateja was interested in his music and took Bartuś into the mountains to entertain him and his companions.

Obrochta’s music also attracted the interest of, among others, Ignacy Paderewski and Karol Szymanowski, for whom it became an inspiration while composing the famous Harnasie. The melodies performed by the talented highlander were recorded on wax cylinders by Juliusz Zborowski, the long-time director of the Tatra Museum.

Bartuś Obrochta also played for Henryk Sienkiewicz, Stanisław Witkiewicz, and Bolesław Prus. He composed melodies himself, both for violin and for a full band (three violins and bass).

He was also the founder of a folk band (kapela), which included his sons (Jan and Stanisław), and later his grandson Władysław. In 1897, he traveled with his band to Warsaw for the first time to perform during an exhibition of a Tatra panorama. In 1925, he performed in the Polish Pavilion at the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris.

He died with a violin in his hands on the Path under the Reglas (Droga pod Reglami), while returning from a gathering (posiady). To this day, a wooden commemorative shrine stands at that place.
From around 1878, Bartłomiej Obrochta worked as a Tatra guide and obtained first-class guide credentials before 1892. Notable expeditions include:

  • a pre-1880 attempt to climb Ganek together with Ludwik Chałubiński and guide Wojciech Roj,
  • in January 1894, the first winter crossing through Zawrat to Morskie Oko, during which he served as the main guide for Jan Grzegorzewski.
Between 1876 and 1888, as both musician and guide, he participated in excursions organized by Tytus Chałubiński. It is said that during one such camp, the choreography of the traditional zbójnicki dance was established. He also accompanied Sabała, Bolesław Prus, and Henryk Sienkiewicz on their expeditions.

From 1886, he worked as a ranger for the Tatra Society, protecting chamois and marmots. He also worked on building mountain trails (in 1887, together with Maciej Sieczka, he installed iron chains on the route from Waga Pass to Wysoka via Pazdury).

In the years 1890–1895 and 1914–1922, he managed the shelter in Stara Roztoka. In 1894, he was listed as the publisher of Goniec Tatrzański, although the actual publisher was Jan Grzegorzewski.

In the Tatras, he is commemorated with two place names: Bartkowa Turnia and Bartkowa Przełączka (in the western ridge of Mały Ganek). His stories were recorded and published by Juliusz Zborowski in:

  • A Trip with Bolesław Prus (1929),
  • Medicines from Tatra Dragons (1932).

Since 1965, the Bartuś Obrochta Regional Ensemble has existed in Zakopane.

Pieces whose fragments can be heard on the bench:

  • Sabałowa
  • Ozwodna. Ej góry, moje góry
  • Drobny po śtyry
Recordings by Juliusz Zborowski were made on Edison phonograph cylinders between 1913 and 1914 in Nowy Targ. They are included on the album “Thus the phonograph began collecting Podhale melodies”, published by the Tatra Museum named after Dr. Tytus Chałubiński in Zakopane and the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw.

Narration: Andrzej Bienias – actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre
Recording: Natalia Sosna
Audio materials: from the collection of the Tatra Museum named after Dr. Tytus Chałubiński
Bench design: sculptor Marek Szala

 

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Jan Kasprowicz Multimedia Bench

The Jan Kasprowicz multimedia bench in Zakopane is located on General Pawlica Square and is part of the Literary Trail. This granite, sculpted bench, designed by Marek Szala, commemorates the distinguished poet (1860–1926), who spent the final years of his life in nearby Harenda.

The Jan Kasprowicz bench is part of the route A Walk through Zakopane along the Trail of Writers and Musicians – Part 1.

*The printed version of the guide can be obtained at Zakopane Tourist Information points, while the electronic version (PDF) is available on the website: www.zakopane.pl

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Multimedia bench dedicated to Bartłomiej Obrochta

Bartłomiej Obrochta, known as Bartuś, was born on August 15, 1850, in Zakopane and died on May 1, 1926, also in Zakopane.
He was buried at the New Cemetery in Zakopane. He is known as an outstanding violinist and a Tatra mountain guide.

From an early age, Bartuś Obrochta learned to play the violin. He attended the elementary school for two years, which he completed. One of his teachers was the famous Jan Krzeptowski Sabała. Obrochta is considered one of the finest highlander musicians. It is said that even the brigand Wojtek Mateja was interested in his music and took Bartuś into the mountains to entertain him and his companions.

Obrochta’s music also attracted the interest of, among others, Ignacy Paderewski and Karol Szymanowski, for whom it became an inspiration while composing the famous Harnasie. The melodies performed by the talented highlander were recorded on wax cylinders by Juliusz Zborowski, the long-time director of the Tatra Museum.

Bartuś Obrochta also played for Henryk Sienkiewicz, Stanisław Witkiewicz, and Bolesław Prus. He composed melodies himself, both for violin and for a full band (three violins and bass).

He was also the founder of a folk band (kapela), which included his sons (Jan and Stanisław), and later his grandson Władysław. In 1897, he traveled with his band to Warsaw for the first time to perform during an exhibition of a Tatra panorama. In 1925, he performed in the Polish Pavilion at the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris.

He died with a violin in his hands on the Path under the Reglas (Droga pod Reglami), while returning from a gathering (posiady). To this day, a wooden commemorative shrine stands at that place.
From around 1878, Bartłomiej Obrochta worked as a Tatra guide and obtained first-class guide credentials before 1892. Notable expeditions include:

  • a pre-1880 attempt to climb Ganek together with Ludwik Chałubiński and guide Wojciech Roj,
  • in January 1894, the first winter crossing through Zawrat to Morskie Oko, during which he served as the main guide for Jan Grzegorzewski.
Between 1876 and 1888, as both musician and guide, he participated in excursions organized by Tytus Chałubiński. It is said that during one such camp, the choreography of the traditional zbójnicki dance was established. He also accompanied Sabała, Bolesław Prus, and Henryk Sienkiewicz on their expeditions.

From 1886, he worked as a ranger for the Tatra Society, protecting chamois and marmots. He also worked on building mountain trails (in 1887, together with Maciej Sieczka, he installed iron chains on the route from Waga Pass to Wysoka via Pazdury).

In the years 1890–1895 and 1914–1922, he managed the shelter in Stara Roztoka. In 1894, he was listed as the publisher of Goniec Tatrzański, although the actual publisher was Jan Grzegorzewski.

In the Tatras, he is commemorated with two place names: Bartkowa Turnia and Bartkowa Przełączka (in the western ridge of Mały Ganek). His stories were recorded and published by Juliusz Zborowski in:

  • A Trip with Bolesław Prus (1929),
  • Medicines from Tatra Dragons (1932).

Since 1965, the Bartuś Obrochta Regional Ensemble has existed in Zakopane.

Pieces whose fragments can be heard on the bench:

  • Sabałowa
  • Ozwodna. Ej góry, moje góry
  • Drobny po śtyry
Recordings by Juliusz Zborowski were made on Edison phonograph cylinders between 1913 and 1914 in Nowy Targ. They are included on the album “Thus the phonograph began collecting Podhale melodies”, published by the Tatra Museum named after Dr. Tytus Chałubiński in Zakopane and the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw.

Narration: Andrzej Bienias – actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre
Recording: Natalia Sosna
Audio materials: from the collection of the Tatra Museum named after Dr. Tytus Chałubiński
Bench design: sculptor Marek Szala

 

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Bench with Music of the Podhale Highlanders

On the upper part of Równia Krupowa, next to the Zakopane City Hall, you can find a bench featuring traditional highlander music in a contemporary performance by the Giewont ensemble.

The Parish Regional Ensemble “Giewont” was founded in 1981 by the then parish priest of the Olcza parish dedicated to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal – Father Jan Kowalik. It was the first “parish” regional ensemble in Podhale during the communist era. With its singing and music, it enriched Holy Mass liturgies and supported the construction of the church in Olcza.

The ensemble developed several artistic programs in its repertoire, which it performed during numerous domestic and international tours. An important event in the ensemble's history was a performance at the Vatican for Pope John Paul II.

The group has performed both in Poland and abroad and has released several albums focusing on regional and Christmas themes. In 2000, 2015, 2016, and 2018, the ensemble hosted the International Festival of Highland Folklore in Zakopane. It is the winner of numerous competitions and reviews, receiving awards for highlander dance and singing.

In 2016, the ensemble won a bronze juhas axe at the Highland Carnival in Bukowina Tatrzańska, and in 2017, it received a silver axe award in the category of authentic ensembles at the 49th International Festival of Highland Folklore in Zakopane.

Alongside “Giewont,” there is also “Little Giewont,” consisting of around 50 children who sing and dance. Since 2014, the ensemble has cooperated with the Zakopane City Hall, representing the city both nationally and internationally.

The main mission of the ensemble is to promote and preserve the traditions and culture of the Rocky Podhale region.

Pieces whose fragments can be heard on the bench:

  • Songs: Górole, Górole and Dyć se Zokopane
  • Hej Giewoncie, Giewoncie
  • Highland music
Narration: Andrzej Bienias – actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre
Bench design: sculptor Marek Szala

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Jan Sztaudynger Multimedia Bench by the Koszysta Villa

At the end of the street, opposite Jan Sztaudynger’s house “Koszysta” (69 Piłsudskiego Street), you will come across a bench featuring the well-known and beloved epigrams (fraszki) of Jan Sztaudynger, who lived in this house.

He was a poet and epigram writer, considered a reviver of the modern Polish fraszka. He authored around five thousand published epigrams, which—from his first collection Feathers (Piórka, 1954)—were highly sought after by readers. Both his political and erotic epigrams shocked and scandalized cultural authorities during the Stalinist period.

During that time, Sztaudynger did not publish any books for seven years (1947–1953). His epigrams overshadowed other areas of his writing; he had debuted in 1925 with a volume of poetry titled My Home and went on to publish over a dozen collections of lyrical poetry, including works for children.

He also translated classics of German literature and authored memoirs, a book about marionette theatre, and nearly a hundred articles on puppet theatres in Poland and across Europe.

Sztaudynger sought to elevate the concept of the fraszka and restore its poetic importance. He referred to his epigrams as “feathers” — small lyrical droplets.
“To this day, he remains one of the classics of modern Polish epigram writing, which means he created a lasting and outstanding model of the genre.”*

Works whose fragments can be heard on the bench:

  • Cycle: Epigrams about Epigrams
  • Cycle: Jan’s Bench
  • Cycle: Epigrams from the ‘Scum’ Section

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Multimedia bench dedicated to Bartłomiej Obrochta

Bartłomiej Obrochta, known as Bartuś, was born on August 15, 1850, in Zakopane and died on May 1, 1926, also in Zakopane.
He was buried at the New Cemetery in Zakopane. He is known as an outstanding violinist and a Tatra mountain guide.

From an early age, Bartuś Obrochta learned to play the violin. He attended the elementary school for two years, which he completed. One of his teachers was the famous Jan Krzeptowski Sabała. Obrochta is considered one of the finest highlander musicians. It is said that even the brigand Wojtek Mateja was interested in his music and took Bartuś into the mountains to entertain him and his companions.

Obrochta’s music also attracted the interest of, among others, Ignacy Paderewski and Karol Szymanowski, for whom it became an inspiration while composing the famous Harnasie. The melodies performed by the talented highlander were recorded on wax cylinders by Juliusz Zborowski, the long-time director of the Tatra Museum.

Bartuś Obrochta also played for Henryk Sienkiewicz, Stanisław Witkiewicz, and Bolesław Prus. He composed melodies himself, both for violin and for a full band (three violins and bass).

He was also the founder of a folk band (kapela), which included his sons (Jan and Stanisław), and later his grandson Władysław. In 1897, he traveled with his band to Warsaw for the first time to perform during an exhibition of a Tatra panorama. In 1925, he performed in the Polish Pavilion at the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris.

He died with a violin in his hands on the Path under the Reglas (Droga pod Reglami), while returning from a gathering (posiady). To this day, a wooden commemorative shrine stands at that place.
From around 1878, Bartłomiej Obrochta worked as a Tatra guide and obtained first-class guide credentials before 1892. Notable expeditions include:

  • a pre-1880 attempt to climb Ganek together with Ludwik Chałubiński and guide Wojciech Roj,
  • in January 1894, the first winter crossing through Zawrat to Morskie Oko, during which he served as the main guide for Jan Grzegorzewski.
Between 1876 and 1888, as both musician and guide, he participated in excursions organized by Tytus Chałubiński. It is said that during one such camp, the choreography of the traditional zbójnicki dance was established. He also accompanied Sabała, Bolesław Prus, and Henryk Sienkiewicz on their expeditions.

From 1886, he worked as a ranger for the Tatra Society, protecting chamois and marmots. He also worked on building mountain trails (in 1887, together with Maciej Sieczka, he installed iron chains on the route from Waga Pass to Wysoka via Pazdury).

In the years 1890–1895 and 1914–1922, he managed the shelter in Stara Roztoka. In 1894, he was listed as the publisher of Goniec Tatrzański, although the actual publisher was Jan Grzegorzewski.

In the Tatras, he is commemorated with two place names: Bartkowa Turnia and Bartkowa Przełączka (in the western ridge of Mały Ganek). His stories were recorded and published by Juliusz Zborowski in:

  • A Trip with Bolesław Prus (1929),
  • Medicines from Tatra Dragons (1932).

Since 1965, the Bartuś Obrochta Regional Ensemble has existed in Zakopane.

Pieces whose fragments can be heard on the bench:

  • Sabałowa
  • Ozwodna. Ej góry, moje góry
  • Drobny po śtyry
Recordings by Juliusz Zborowski were made on Edison phonograph cylinders between 1913 and 1914 in Nowy Targ. They are included on the album “Thus the phonograph began collecting Podhale melodies”, published by the Tatra Museum named after Dr. Tytus Chałubiński in Zakopane and the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw.

Narration: Andrzej Bienias – actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre
Recording: Natalia Sosna
Audio materials: from the collection of the Tatra Museum named after Dr. Tytus Chałubiński
Bench design: sculptor Marek Szala

 

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Bench with Music of the Podhale Highlanders

On the upper part of Równia Krupowa, next to the Zakopane City Hall, you can find a bench featuring traditional highlander music in a contemporary performance by the Giewont ensemble.

The Parish Regional Ensemble “Giewont” was founded in 1981 by the then parish priest of the Olcza parish dedicated to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal – Father Jan Kowalik. It was the first “parish” regional ensemble in Podhale during the communist era. With its singing and music, it enriched Holy Mass liturgies and supported the construction of the church in Olcza.

The ensemble developed several artistic programs in its repertoire, which it performed during numerous domestic and international tours. An important event in the ensemble's history was a performance at the Vatican for Pope John Paul II.

The group has performed both in Poland and abroad and has released several albums focusing on regional and Christmas themes. In 2000, 2015, 2016, and 2018, the ensemble hosted the International Festival of Highland Folklore in Zakopane. It is the winner of numerous competitions and reviews, receiving awards for highlander dance and singing.

In 2016, the ensemble won a bronze juhas axe at the Highland Carnival in Bukowina Tatrzańska, and in 2017, it received a silver axe award in the category of authentic ensembles at the 49th International Festival of Highland Folklore in Zakopane.

Alongside “Giewont,” there is also “Little Giewont,” consisting of around 50 children who sing and dance. Since 2014, the ensemble has cooperated with the Zakopane City Hall, representing the city both nationally and internationally.

The main mission of the ensemble is to promote and preserve the traditions and culture of the Rocky Podhale region.

Pieces whose fragments can be heard on the bench:

  • Songs: Górole, Górole and Dyć se Zokopane
  • Hej Giewoncie, Giewoncie
  • Highland music
Narration: Andrzej Bienias – actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre
Bench design: sculptor Marek Szala

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Kornel Makuszyński Multimedia Bench

While walking along Piłsudskiego Street toward the Wielka Krokiew ski jump (at the intersection of Piłsudskiego and Tetmajera Streets, next to the Kornel Makuszyński Museum), you will find the Kornel Makuszyński bench, where you can listen to excerpts from The Adventures of Koziołek Matołek as well as two feuilletons read by Andrzej Bienias, an actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre. The bench was designed by the sculptor Marek Szala.

Kornel Makuszyński was born on January 8, 1884, in Stryj and died on July 31, 1953, in Zakopane. He was buried at the Pęksowy Brzyzek Cemetery in Zakopane.

He was a novelist, columnist, theatre critic, poet, and author of numerous books for children and young readers. Among his works are: About Two Who Stole the Moon (1928), The Merry Devil’s Friend (1930), The Girl with the Wet Head (1932), The Broken Sword (1936), A Scuffle over Basia (1937), Satan from the Seventh Grade (1937), and The Escapades of Miss Ewa (1940).

He also created the famous literary characters Koziołek Matołek and the monkey Fiki-Miki.

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Bench Dedicated to Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz

In the Municipal Park, you can find a bench dedicated to Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, featuring recordings by the band Palfy Gróf as well as compositions by Witkacy himself. The musical notation was provided by the Kórnik Library, and the performances were carried out by Sabina Zwijacz-Kozica, a teacher at the Zakopane Music School.

Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, known as Witkacy, was born on February 24, 1885, in Warsaw and died by suicide on September 18, 1939, in Jeziory (now in Ukraine). His symbolic grave is located at the Old Cemetery on Kościeliska Street in Zakopane. From 1890 onward, he lived in Zakopane.

Witkacy was the son of the painter, art critic, and creator of the Zakopane Style – Stanisław Witkiewicz. He gained recognition as a painter, art theorist, playwright, novelist, and philosopher. Among his works are The Pragmatists, Tumor Brainiowicz, The Little Manor, The Water Hen, The Madman and the Nun, Farewell to Autumn, and The Shoemakers.

It is worth noting that in his youth, Witkacy engaged in hiking, skiing, and even mountaineering in the Tatra Mountains, accompanied by highlander guides, climbing peaks such as Durny Szczyt. However, only slight references to Podhale or the Tatras can be found in his artistic work. Particularly noteworthy are the numerous surviving portraits created by him, as well as his photographs taken in Zakopane and the Tatras, many of which today have documentary value, while the portraits also hold artistic merit.

Since 1985, the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre has been operating in Zakopane. Numerous exhibitions dedicated to the artist are organized at the Tatra Museum, and the year 2015 was declared the Year of the Witkiewicz Family in the Małopolska Region.

Narration: Andrzej Bienias – actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre

Piece: A Thousand Lovers, with lyrics by Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, performed by the Palfy Gróf ensemble

Works: Barber Shop, Op. 13, and Fantasia Sonata by Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, performed by Sabina Zwijacz-Kozica. The musical scores composed by Witkiewicz were made available from the collections of the Kórnik Library of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Recording: Natalia Sosna

Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre
15 Chramcówki Street, Zakopane
www.witkacy.pl

Bench design: sculptor Marek Szala

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Wacław Geiger Multimedia Bench

At Rotmistrz Pilecki Square, right next to Independence Square, visitors can listen to the music of Wacław Geiger. Recordings of selected works by this outstanding composer were provided by the Tatra Climate Orchestra under the direction of Agnieszka Kreiner.

He was born on June 25, 1907, in Kraków and died on April 30, 1988, in Zakopane. He was buried at the Old Cemetery in Zakopane on Kościeliska Street. He was a conductor, pianist, composer, accompanist, and singer. Many of his compositions became part of the repertoire of the Tatra Climate Orchestra.

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Multimedia bench dedicated to Bartłomiej Obrochta

Bartłomiej Obrochta, known as Bartuś, was born on August 15, 1850, in Zakopane and died on May 1, 1926, also in Zakopane.
He was buried at the New Cemetery in Zakopane. He is known as an outstanding violinist and a Tatra mountain guide.

From an early age, Bartuś Obrochta learned to play the violin. He attended the elementary school for two years, which he completed. One of his teachers was the famous Jan Krzeptowski Sabała. Obrochta is considered one of the finest highlander musicians. It is said that even the brigand Wojtek Mateja was interested in his music and took Bartuś into the mountains to entertain him and his companions.

Obrochta’s music also attracted the interest of, among others, Ignacy Paderewski and Karol Szymanowski, for whom it became an inspiration while composing the famous Harnasie. The melodies performed by the talented highlander were recorded on wax cylinders by Juliusz Zborowski, the long-time director of the Tatra Museum.

Bartuś Obrochta also played for Henryk Sienkiewicz, Stanisław Witkiewicz, and Bolesław Prus. He composed melodies himself, both for violin and for a full band (three violins and bass).

He was also the founder of a folk band (kapela), which included his sons (Jan and Stanisław), and later his grandson Władysław. In 1897, he traveled with his band to Warsaw for the first time to perform during an exhibition of a Tatra panorama. In 1925, he performed in the Polish Pavilion at the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris.

He died with a violin in his hands on the Path under the Reglas (Droga pod Reglami), while returning from a gathering (posiady). To this day, a wooden commemorative shrine stands at that place.
From around 1878, Bartłomiej Obrochta worked as a Tatra guide and obtained first-class guide credentials before 1892. Notable expeditions include:

  • a pre-1880 attempt to climb Ganek together with Ludwik Chałubiński and guide Wojciech Roj,
  • in January 1894, the first winter crossing through Zawrat to Morskie Oko, during which he served as the main guide for Jan Grzegorzewski.
Between 1876 and 1888, as both musician and guide, he participated in excursions organized by Tytus Chałubiński. It is said that during one such camp, the choreography of the traditional zbójnicki dance was established. He also accompanied Sabała, Bolesław Prus, and Henryk Sienkiewicz on their expeditions.

From 1886, he worked as a ranger for the Tatra Society, protecting chamois and marmots. He also worked on building mountain trails (in 1887, together with Maciej Sieczka, he installed iron chains on the route from Waga Pass to Wysoka via Pazdury).

In the years 1890–1895 and 1914–1922, he managed the shelter in Stara Roztoka. In 1894, he was listed as the publisher of Goniec Tatrzański, although the actual publisher was Jan Grzegorzewski.

In the Tatras, he is commemorated with two place names: Bartkowa Turnia and Bartkowa Przełączka (in the western ridge of Mały Ganek). His stories were recorded and published by Juliusz Zborowski in:

  • A Trip with Bolesław Prus (1929),
  • Medicines from Tatra Dragons (1932).

Since 1965, the Bartuś Obrochta Regional Ensemble has existed in Zakopane.

Pieces whose fragments can be heard on the bench:

  • Sabałowa
  • Ozwodna. Ej góry, moje góry
  • Drobny po śtyry
Recordings by Juliusz Zborowski were made on Edison phonograph cylinders between 1913 and 1914 in Nowy Targ. They are included on the album “Thus the phonograph began collecting Podhale melodies”, published by the Tatra Museum named after Dr. Tytus Chałubiński in Zakopane and the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw.

Narration: Andrzej Bienias – actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre
Recording: Natalia Sosna
Audio materials: from the collection of the Tatra Museum named after Dr. Tytus Chałubiński
Bench design: sculptor Marek Szala

 

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Karol Szymanowski Multimedia Bench

Next to the “Czerwony Dwór” villa on Kasprusie Street, you can sit on a bench and listen to works by the great composer Karol Szymanowski.

He was born on October 3, 1882, in Tymoszówka (now in Ukraine) and died on March 29, 1937, in Lausanne, France. He was buried in Kraków at Skałka, in the Crypt of the Distinguished.

Szymanowski was one of the greatest Polish composers. His works include the opera King Roger, Kurpie Songs, and Veni Creator, written to words by Stanisław Wyspiański. He was also a pianist, an honorary doctor of the Jagiellonian University, director of the Warsaw Conservatory, and rector of the Warsaw Higher School of Music. It is believed that under his influence, a folkloristic trend in Polish music developed in the 1930s.

Karol Szymanowski visited Zakopane before World War I, but settled there only in 1930, shortly after being diagnosed with advanced tuberculosis. His home became the villa “Atma,” which still exists today. It was in Zakopane that he became more closely acquainted with the music of the Podhale region, listening to highlander melodies played for him by, among others, the famous Bartuś Obrochta.

Due to his deteriorating health, Szymanowski left Zakopane in the autumn of 1935. He traveled to France for climatic treatment; it was to be his final journey. He died in Lausanne in March 1937. After his death, his body was embalmed, a death mask was made, and casts of his hands were taken. His heart was intended to be placed next to Chopin’s heart in the Church of the Holy Cross in Warsaw, but the urn containing it burned along with the chapel of the Sisters of the Sacré Coeur during the Warsaw Uprising.

In 1976, a Karol Szymanowski Museum was established in the “Atma” villa in Zakopane, which also serves as the seat of the Karol Szymanowski Music Society. The Kraków Philharmonic and the Academy of Music in Katowice are named after him. To commemorate the 80th anniversary of his death and the 135th anniversary of his birth, the Zakopane City Council declared 2017 the Year of Karol Szymanowski in Zakopane.

Pieces whose fragments can be heard on the bench:

  1. Karol Szymanowski (arr. Agnieszka Kreiner) – Mazurka, Op. 50 No. 1
    Performed by the Tatra Climate Orchestra, conducted by Agnieszka Kreiner

  2. Karol Szymanowski (arr. Agnieszka Kreiner) – Love Song (Epilogue) from the ballet Harnasie
    Words: Jerzy Mieczysław Rytard
    Performed by Jan Karpiel-Bułecka, Tatra Climate Orchestra, conducted by Agnieszka Kreiner


    Narration: Andrzej Bienias – actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre

    Bench design: sculptor Marek Szala

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Multimedia bench dedicated to Bartłomiej Obrochta

Bartłomiej Obrochta, known as Bartuś, was born on August 15, 1850, in Zakopane and died on May 1, 1926, also in Zakopane.
He was buried at the New Cemetery in Zakopane. He is known as an outstanding violinist and a Tatra mountain guide.

From an early age, Bartuś Obrochta learned to play the violin. He attended the elementary school for two years, which he completed. One of his teachers was the famous Jan Krzeptowski Sabała. Obrochta is considered one of the finest highlander musicians. It is said that even the brigand Wojtek Mateja was interested in his music and took Bartuś into the mountains to entertain him and his companions.

Obrochta’s music also attracted the interest of, among others, Ignacy Paderewski and Karol Szymanowski, for whom it became an inspiration while composing the famous Harnasie. The melodies performed by the talented highlander were recorded on wax cylinders by Juliusz Zborowski, the long-time director of the Tatra Museum.

Bartuś Obrochta also played for Henryk Sienkiewicz, Stanisław Witkiewicz, and Bolesław Prus. He composed melodies himself, both for violin and for a full band (three violins and bass).

He was also the founder of a folk band (kapela), which included his sons (Jan and Stanisław), and later his grandson Władysław. In 1897, he traveled with his band to Warsaw for the first time to perform during an exhibition of a Tatra panorama. In 1925, he performed in the Polish Pavilion at the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris.

He died with a violin in his hands on the Path under the Reglas (Droga pod Reglami), while returning from a gathering (posiady). To this day, a wooden commemorative shrine stands at that place.
From around 1878, Bartłomiej Obrochta worked as a Tatra guide and obtained first-class guide credentials before 1892. Notable expeditions include:

  • a pre-1880 attempt to climb Ganek together with Ludwik Chałubiński and guide Wojciech Roj,
  • in January 1894, the first winter crossing through Zawrat to Morskie Oko, during which he served as the main guide for Jan Grzegorzewski.
Between 1876 and 1888, as both musician and guide, he participated in excursions organized by Tytus Chałubiński. It is said that during one such camp, the choreography of the traditional zbójnicki dance was established. He also accompanied Sabała, Bolesław Prus, and Henryk Sienkiewicz on their expeditions.

From 1886, he worked as a ranger for the Tatra Society, protecting chamois and marmots. He also worked on building mountain trails (in 1887, together with Maciej Sieczka, he installed iron chains on the route from Waga Pass to Wysoka via Pazdury).

In the years 1890–1895 and 1914–1922, he managed the shelter in Stara Roztoka. In 1894, he was listed as the publisher of Goniec Tatrzański, although the actual publisher was Jan Grzegorzewski.

In the Tatras, he is commemorated with two place names: Bartkowa Turnia and Bartkowa Przełączka (in the western ridge of Mały Ganek). His stories were recorded and published by Juliusz Zborowski in:

  • A Trip with Bolesław Prus (1929),
  • Medicines from Tatra Dragons (1932).

Since 1965, the Bartuś Obrochta Regional Ensemble has existed in Zakopane.

Pieces whose fragments can be heard on the bench:

  • Sabałowa
  • Ozwodna. Ej góry, moje góry
  • Drobny po śtyry
Recordings by Juliusz Zborowski were made on Edison phonograph cylinders between 1913 and 1914 in Nowy Targ. They are included on the album “Thus the phonograph began collecting Podhale melodies”, published by the Tatra Museum named after Dr. Tytus Chałubiński in Zakopane and the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw.

Narration: Andrzej Bienias – actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre
Recording: Natalia Sosna
Audio materials: from the collection of the Tatra Museum named after Dr. Tytus Chałubiński
Bench design: sculptor Marek Szala

 

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Mieczysław Karłowicz Multimedia Bench

While walking toward Kuźnice (6 Przewodników Tatrzańskich Street), you can find another musical bench dedicated to Mieczysław Karłowicz.

He was born on December 11, 1876, in Wiszniewo (in present-day Lithuania) and died on February 8, 1909, in the Tatra Mountains. He was buried at the Powązki Cemetery in Warsaw.

He was the son of the linguist and ethnographer Jan Karłowicz and Irena Sulistrowska, a trained singer. He is regarded as one of the greatest Polish symphonic composers, as well as an outstanding mountaineer and skier. Together with Mariusz Zaruski, he initiated the creation of the Tatra Volunteer Search and Rescue Service (TOPR).

Mieczysław Karłowicz first came to Zakopane and the Tatras at the age of thirteen. By 1894, he had climbed, among others, Bystra, Kominiarski Wierch, Świnica, Rysy, and Kościelec, and crossed Gerlach with the guide Jędrzej Wala. In the summer of 1892, he performed two concerts as a violinist in the hall of the former Tatra Manor in Zakopane.

The years 1902–1909 were a period of intensive exploration of the Tatras, often undertaken alone. Among his companions on some expeditions was the famous guide Klimek Bachleda. Together, they climbed peaks such as Jastrzębia Turnia, Mały Kołowy Szczyt, Durny Szczyt, and Pośrednia Grań. However, Karłowicz carried out most of his trips without a guide, making first ascents, for example, of Wielka Kołowa Turnia.

In 1908, together with Mariusz Zaruski, he marked trails to Czarny Mięguszowiecki Szczyt and Niżnie Rysy. The symbol used by Karłowicz was the highlander swastika (a traditional folk motif).

In Zakopane, where he settled permanently in 1907, many of his symphonic works were composed or developed. The Violin Concerto and Eternal Songs are considered to be inspired by the Tatras. Karłowicz is also remembered as an excellent photographer of the mountains. His photographs, as well as objects associated with him (such as the camera with which he took his last pictures of the Tatras), are frequently presented in exhibitions organized by the Tatra Museum.

Mieczysław Karłowicz died on February 8, 1909, in an avalanche that descended from the eastern slopes of Mały Kościelec while he was on a solo ski tour. In the place where his body was found, a commemorative obelisk bearing the inscription Non omnis moriar was erected in 1909 and stands there to this day. Every year, on the anniversary of his death, flowers are laid at the monument.

Pieces whose fragments can be heard on the bench:

  1. Mieczysław Karłowicz (arr. Agnieszka Kreiner) – Idzie na pola, Op. 3 No. 3
    Text: Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer
    Performers: Joanna Bogdańska (mezzo-soprano), Tatra Climate Orchestra, conducted by Agnieszka Kreiner

  2. Mieczysław Karłowicz (arr. Agnieszka Kreiner) – In the Moonlight (1897)
    Performers: Tatra Climate Orchestra, conducted by Agnieszka Kreiner

  3. Mieczysław Karłowicz (arr. Agnieszka Kreiner) – At the Angelus (1902)
    Text: Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer
    Performers: Franciszek Bachleda-Księdzularz (recitation), Tatra Climate Orchestra, conducted by Agnieszka Kreiner

    Narration: Andrzej Bienias – actor of the Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Theatre

    Bench design: sculptor Marek Szala


     

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Places in Zakopane and surrounding areas, associated with Pope John Paul II

Places in Zakopane and surrounding areas, associated with Pope John Paul II As Pope, Holy Father John Paul II, visited the Podhale region, and the Tatry mountains three times. When the Pope had his first pilgrimage to his homeland in 1979, he celebrated mass at the Nowy Targ airport. Four years later, the Pope returned to the Motherland in June while Poland was under martial law. He met with leader of the outlawed “Soli darity” movement, Lech Wałęsa, in a mountain shelter in the Chocho łowska clearing where he later took a quick hike to the Jarząbczej Valley. The third time the Pope visited Podhale was in 1997 where he stayed in Zakopane from the 4th of June, to the 7th. Aside from his pastoral duties, this visit was more of a private, sentimental one because of his past visits while he was still a priest and bishop of Kraków. As the Archbi shop of the metropolitan area of Kraków, he would visit Podhale over a dozen times in a single year to visit parishes, take part in religious celebrations and to relax. Here are a few places that Karol Wojtyła, Pope John Paul II, visited in Zakopane, the Tatry Mountains and Podhale area.

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Księżówka

Currently, the Księżówka building is a retreat home that is speci fically used for the Episcopal Conference of Poland so that priests may come here to rest and find solitude. The current building was built in the 1990’s. One of the older, wooden, sections of the house was built in 1875 next to Przewodników Tatrzańskich alley under nr.2. In 1877, the owner of the house was Countess Róża Raczyńska who lived there with her son, Adam. The house was named “Adasiówka” after her son. Later on, this home was leased by Count Władysław Zamoyski and his mother. It is in that house where Jadwiga Zamoyska had her first School for Women where girls were taught how to be ladies and mothers. In the early 20th century, Adasiówka was bought by Dr. Bronisław Chwistek, who had the intention of opening a medical clinic for people with central nervous system disorders. The house was later owned by the church in 1909, and was given to the Polish Catholic Priest Company which became a sanitarium for priests. During this period of transformation, the building was given the name “Księżówkę” and when further expansions were made. Thro ughout the many years that Księżówka has served as a retreat, many well-known priests, and bishops, have found solitude here. Some of the more well-known religious figures that have visited Księżówka repeate dly were Bishop Stefan Wyszyński, as well as, Cardinal Adam Sapieha and Karol Wojtyła. On a regular basis, bishops will come here to discuss matters about the Episcopal Conference of Poland. During the 1960’s -70’s, Cardinal Karol Wojtyła visited Księżówka repeatedly when the building itself was over a century old.During his pilgrimage to Poland in 1997, Pope John Paul II visited Zakopane, and the surrounding areas, for three days. On the 4th of June in 1997, the Pope flew to Zakopane from Częstochowa. The Pope flew into Zakopane via helicopter and landed on the sports stadium field at the Sports Center of Zakopane. The apartment room, in which Pope John Paul II stayed in during his visit, has been left untouched since then. While the Pope was here in 1997, a spruce from the Księżówka garden was taken to the Vatican. On December, 1997 that spruce was used as the Christmas tree in St. Peter’s Square. This retreat is usually closed to the public, however, on occasion during holy mass, the public can see the wonderful chapel that is a part of the oldest section of the building

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Holy Cross Church

This church was built in the years 1982-1991 in accordance to the design drawn by Witold Cęckiewicz on the land that was donated by brothers; Jan, Józef, and Stanisław Trzebunia. The church was consecra ted on the 14th of October 1991 by Cardinal Franciszek Macharski. On August 19th, and September 14th of every year, a pilgrimage starts at the Holy Cross Church and is walked to the top of Giewont to celebrate the anniversary of the cross being built on Giewont peak in 1901. The church often holds classical music concerts. Many famous composers have had concerts here, including, Henryk Mikołaj Górecki. Pope John Paul II hosted a welcoming for guests at this church in the morning of June 6th, 1997 before he celebrated mass at the stadium, Wielka Krokiew.

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Holiest Family Church The Holiest Family Church was finished in 1899. However, construction of the church began a couple of dozen years earlier by rector Father Józef Stolarczyk. The old church on Kościeliskiej street was simply too small for the growing Zakopane population. Construc tion was very slow because of the lack of funds and workers. Suppose dly Father Stolarczyk gave penance for those who broke the 6th Com mandment and to atone for breaking the commandment, they had to bring building materials for the new church. Once Father Stolarczyk died, Father Kazimierz Kaszelewski finished construction of the new church. The three-aisle stone front was built in a Neo-Romanesque style. The interior of the church has eclectic characteristics and it is a good example of Witkiewicz’s “Zakopane style” that was promoted by the principal of the School of Wood Industry, Edgar Kovatsa. Despite some opposition, Father Kazimierz supported Kovats with regards to building in this style. This is why the altar of Our Lady of the Rosary, on the left side of the nave, is built in the Zakopane style . Also, the St. John the Baptist shrine was built in the Zakopane style and was funded by the owner of Villa Koliba, Zygmunt Gnatowski. The entire church was designed by the famous Witkiewicz, and built by his co-workers. Despite being over a century year old and having many other churches built after the Holiest Family Church, residents of Zakopane still call it “the New Church”.

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The Old Church

The Old Church The entire area on which the “old” church, the Gąsienica Chapel, and the cemetery are located is called Pęksów Brzyzek. The land was given by a rich landlord of Zakopane, Jan Pęksa, and the tall, flat, edge of the creek ( Quiet Water Creek) is called a “brzyzek” in the Highlander dialect, hence the name Pęksowy Brzyzek. In the first half of the 19th century, Zakopane was split into two different parishes with one being Chochołów, and the other, Poronin. Along with this inconvenience and the increase in tourists that come to visit the valley under Giewont, the then owners of the Zakopane region – Klementyna and Edward Homo lacsowie – began to work towards Zakopane having their own parish. The church was built in the years 1845-1847 by local carpenters and Sebastian Gąsienica-Sobczak, their leader. It is a simple, single-aisle church that is facing “11 o’clock”, as most traditional highlander homes face. At first, the church didn’t have a tower and the church bells were adjacent to the church itself. The first rector of Zakopane. Father Józef Stolarczyk, had the tower built in 1850, as well as, a presbytery. Contrary to widespread belief, Father Stolarczyk did not build the church from scratch, the first part of the church was already built. Inside the nave, the border between the old, and new, church is clearly visible. The simplicity of the church makes it resemble a barn; this is what Maria Steczkowska wrote in 1858, as did Frenchman Gustav Le Bon in 1879. The three altars were carved by an excellent highlander from Gliczarów, Wojciech Kułach-Wawrzyńcok. In the beginning, the church was named after St. Clement, whose image was at the main altar, now it is on the left side by the entrance to the sacristy. During World War II, the church patron was changed to Our Lady of Częstochowa, and a repli ca image of Our Lady replaced the image of St. Clement. A little known fact about the original pipe organ in the Old Church is that it no longer resides there, it is actually in St. Casmir’s church in neighbouring village of Kościelisko. In 2001 the Old Church underwent a largescale renova tion in which nearly the entire building was made fireproof.
A noteworthy stained-glass window with the Stations of the Cross painted by Zakopane-based artist, Ewelina Pęksa finds its place inside the nave. The nave also includes old carvings and a plaque dedica ted to the first rector of Zakopane. Another noteworthy feature is the raised trellis over the entrance designed by Antoni Kenara. Once the new church was built in 1899, the Old Church became a subsidiary parish to the Holiest Family Church. For over 160 years, highlanders, guests, and tourists pray here. Along with the Gąsienica Chapel, and the old cemetery, these are the most important monuments in Zakopane, and are considered sacred to the residents of this city.

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The Gąsienica Chapel

This simple stone, chapel covered by a wooden shingle room is adjacent to the Old Church, and was built in 1800. The Gąsienica Chapel is the oldest sacred building in all of Zakopane. The chapel was funded and built, by Paweł Gąsienica. Supposedly, he built this chapel when he was young, and in his old age, he believed that in building the chapel he would pay his debts to God. Only God Himself, and Paweł know the real reason behind him building the chapel. With the blessing of Bishop Tarnowski, the chapel was blessed and priests were able to celebrate mass there. Pawel Gąsienica, and his wife Regina, gave their fortune to the church, and were buried under the threshold of the chapel. Suppo sedly, their burial began the oldest cemetery in Zakopane. The original furnishings of the chapel are not kept inside the chapel itself. Today’s chapel interior was designed by Antoni Kenar in the 1950’s. From that point on, the patron saints of the chapel are St. Andrew Zorard and St. Benedict.

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The Old Cemetery

This cemetery, is without a doubt, one of the most important cemeteries in Poland, along with the Warsaw Powązek, the Krakow Rakowic, Rasos, and Łyczakowa cemeteries. The front gate welcomes guests with a plaque from rector Jan Tobolak with a quote from Marshal Ferdynand Foch , “Motherland is where there are graves in the ground. If a nation forgets, then it loses its meaning.” What Marshal Foch meant by that quote was that if a nation forgets about those who have fallen for their country, then the soul of the country is lost. Next to this quote is another saying, “Zakopane remembers”. Next to the quote is a plaque dedicated to the couriers of the Tatry mountains during World War II. The cemetery opened in the 1850’s. In 1931, the cemetery was officially made into a landmark and is under protection. This cemetery perfectly reflects the complex history of Zakopane with many well know Highlan ders and other intelligent people. In today’s time, the people who are buried here are those who served Zakopane, Podhale, and Poland greatly, as well as, those who have been there buried long ago. Amongst the graves of Gąsienica, Bachleda, Chramca, Pęksa, Janika, and Marusarz, some other legendary figures have been laid to rest here, such as: Tytus Chałubiński, Stanisław Witkiewicz, Father Józef Stolarczyk and Jan Krzeptowski Sabała. Buried here are famous artists: Antoni Kenar, Antoni Rząsa, Władysław Hasior, Karol Stryjeński, as well as, writers and poets: Kazi mierz Przerwa-Tetmajer, Władysław Orkan, Kornel Makuszyński, Tomasz Gluziński, creators, and guardians of the regional culture: Maria and Bronisław Dembowscy, Juliusz Zborowski, Helena Roj-Kozłowska, Aniela Gut-Stapińska and Adam Pach. At this cemetery, we find the Pawlikow ski family, from Medyka, who were extremely close to Zakopane. Some of Zakopane’s best athletes are buried here, such as, Stanisław Marusarz, his sister Helena, Jerzy Ustupski, and Ryszard Ćwikło. Amongst them are people from the mountains: Zofia and Witold Paryscy, brothers Tadeusz and Stefan Zwolińscy, the first guides of the Tatra mountains: Maciej Sieczka and Jerzy Wala, famous mountain rescuers: Stanisław Gąsienica-Byrcyn, Józef Krzeptowski and Piotr Malinowski. Finally, those who have lost their lives rescuing others: Janusz Kubica and Stanisław Mateja, Marek Łabunowicz and Bartek Olszański. Not mentioning all those buried here. A portion of graves are symbolic ones with people like, Broni sław Czech, who died in Auschwitz, Mariusz Zaruski, who died in Cher son, Maciej Berbeka, who died on Broad Peak in Concordia, and Witkacy who is buried in Velyki Ozera. More recently, a plaque was dedicated to people closely connected to Zakopane, but couldn’t be buried here. The list of names includes Mieczysław Karłowicz, Karol Szymanowski, and Oswald Balzer. Many of the graves are decorated and carved by famous artists, Antoni Kenar, Antoni Rząsa, and Władysław Hasior.

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SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA

In 1950, Pallonite brothers came to Krzeptówki, and seven years later, they built a large nunnery with a chapel on behalf of the Immacu late Heart of Mary. The then bishop of Kraków, Karol Wojtyła, blessed the figurine of Our Lady of Fatima that was given as a gift from the bishop of Fatima. During the Solidarity movement and martial law, the nunnery became a place to havesecret meetings. During martial law, the Pallonites gave shelter to Lech Wałęsa, and his family, three times. After the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Square on the 13th of May, 1981, the idea of building a new church came about. On the 13th of May 1989, the cardinal of Kraków, Franci szek Macharski laid the foundation stone originating from the tomb of St. Peter in the Vatican. The architect of the church was Stanisław Tylka of Zakopane. The church finished in 1992, and was later blessed by Macharski on the 13th of May that same year. The Pope visited the church in 1997 during his pilgrimage to Poland, and of course, blessed it during holy mass. Once mass was finished, he met with Lech Walęsa in the nunnery. The shrine became the most popular place of worship to Our Lady of Fatima. The altar that was used for the holy mass celebrated at the Wielka Krokiew stadium was moved to the park behind the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. After Pope John Paul II passed away the shrine became the most popular place of worship for St. John Paul II, as well. The shrine is visited by half a million pilgrims every year.

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TATRY Morskie Oko

Morskie Oko is the biggest and also considered by many, the most beautiful lake in the Tatry mountains. From the very first waves of tourists that came here, Morskie Oko was one of the most visited places in the Tatry mountains. Even today, Morskie Oko has a couple of thousand visitors a day. The lake is surrounded by an impressive chain of peaks that are over two thousand metres, and near-by is Czarny Staw lake, as well as the tallest peak in the Tatry mountains, Rysy. In the early 19th century, a few shelters were already built along the edge of the lake. The current shelter was built in 1908 in the Zakopane style. On June 5th 1997, Pope John Paul II was driven to the lake at 6 pm. He went there to met with local mountaineers, the people who work there and of course to enjoy the beautiful views.

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The Wiktorówki Chapel

L ocated in Wiktorówki in the High Tatry mountains is a wooden chapel by the name of Our Lady Queen Jaworzyńska of the Tatry Moun tains. As the legend goes, in 1860, a shepherdess by the name of Marysia Murzańska saw a glowing figure of Our Lady among the trees. This private revelation was the beginning of the Our Lady of Jaworzyńska. Once the chapel was built, mountaineers, Highlanders, rescuers, and tourists often visited. The then Bishop Karol Wojtyła visted the chapel many times. On June 5th 1997, the Pope flew in a helicopter from Zakopane to Babia Góra and from there he flew over Nowy Targ towards Pieniny. After the Pope flew over Czorsztyn, he saw the two castles there, he flew towards Rusinowa Polana. Unfortunately, the planned visit to Wiktorówki couldn’t go ahead because the amount of people that were already there was too great.

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Kasprowy Wierch

The cableway to Kasprowy Wierch was built in 1936 in only seven months. The person who initiated the construction of the cable way was Aleksander Bobkowski who was an officer of the Polish Army, a skier, president of the Polish Ski Association, as well as, the son-in-law of the president, Ignacy Mościcki. In order to carry out this project, help from Linkolkasprowy made construction possible. With great effort and working a total of three shifts, around one thousand workers had to endure a long winter to complete this project. Construction began on August 1st 1935, and on February 26th 1936, the cableway took off from Kuźnice to Myślenickie Turnie. The first cable car arrived at Kaspro wy Wierch on March 15th 1936 after 227 days of construction. This cableway was the first of its kind in Poland and in the Tatry mountains. The modernization of the cableway was carried out within two seasons after seventy years of accident-free functioning. President Lech Kaczyński had a celebratory opening after its completion on January 18th in 2008. The cableway transports 360 people during the winter, and 180 during the summer when the bandwidth is limited for safety reasons. The construction of the cableway sparked controversy and one of the protestors was the State Council for Nature Conservation. Still, the cableway was built and became a part of the Tatry/Zakopane land scape. The 15 minute cableway ride takes on a 4,300 metre distance, a 936 metre difference in altitude. The halfway destination is Myślenickie Turnie where the interchange station is located. Pope John Paul II took the cable car up to Kasprowy Wierch on June 6th 1997. Once he got there, he blessed all the workers, and touri sts that were already hiking. A plaque at the interchange station is there to commemorate the Pope’s visit.

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Giewont

During his homily while he celebrated mass at the Wielka Krokiew stadium on June 6th 1997, the Pope said, “ Your forefathers built a cross on Giewont. That cross continues to stand as it always did. The cross may stand mute, but it is a witness to our doings. We can say that the cross is looking out towards Zakopane and Kraków, but also, towards Warsaw and Gdańsk.” After mass, he added: “ All of Poland, from the Baltic to here, must look towards the cross and repeat, ‘ Sursum Corda’, “Lift up your Hearts.” The cross was built by the initiation of Father Kazimierz Kasze lewski in 1901 and blessed on August 19th. Underneath the cross is an inscription that says, “ For our Saviour at the turn of the 1900/1901 centu ry, which was issued by the Zakopane parish.” The 15 metre cross was made in Józef Gorecki’s factory in Kraków. It was separated into four pieces and weighed a total of 1,819 kilograms. During the Pope’s visit and other important events in Zakopane, papal and national flags are hung from the arms of the cross. A year after the Pope’s death, a group of people illuminated the cross at the exact hour when the Pope passed away. Giewont, along with the cross, became the most important symbol in the Tatry mountains and in Zako pane. The cross is also in Zakopane’s coat of arms.

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Albertine Nun Hermitage in Kalatówki

In 1898, the founder of the Albertine Brothers Religious Congre gation, Brother Adam Chmielowski, began building a small, wooden chapel by the road leading towards the Kalatówki Clearing. It was meant to be a hermitage for the homeless from Kraków and other large cities. Count Władysław Zamoyski leased the land to the Albertine nuns and they also executed a transfer so that they could build the chapel and convent. On December 14th 1898, Father Kazimierz Kaszelewski blessed the church and named it Holy Cross. The main altar has a crucifix that was given to Brother Adam from the Pauline nuns from Skałka Church in Kraków. The Albertine brothers lived in the hermi tage until 1902. They built another hermitage on Śpiąca Góra and gave the other hermitage to the Albertine nuns. Next to the hermitage, the brothers had a home built for the chapla in that was also built for the hermit, Brother Adam. The architect of the hermitage and the chapel, was a good friend of Chmielowski during their times of study in Munich, Stanisław Witkie wicz. These buildings are built in the Zakopane style and in line with the charism of the congregation. Pope John Paul II visited the nunnery on June 6th 1997, after he visited Kasprowy Wierch.

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The John Paul II Shelter at the Chochołów Clearing

On June 23rd 1983, the Pope landed on Siwe Polany in a helicop ter. From there, the Pope was driven to the Chochołów Clearing. Inside the shelter that is located at the clearing, the Pope met with Lech Wałęsa and the rest of his family. The meeting was significant because it was meant to show that the Pope strongly supported Lech Wałęsa’s Solidari ty movement. Afterwards, the Pope, dressed in civilian clothing, hiked to the Jarząbcza Valley. After his return, he went to the hut of a local shepherd, Andrzej Zięba-Gala from Witów. The current trail that the Pope took is labelled as the “Papal Trail”, and is labelled with a gold colour. The spot where the Pope stood during the end of his hike is now the location of a chapel. A plaque inside the shelter is dedicated to the Pope’s visit.

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