Chocholów

Chocolow is a tiny village sitting on the border with Slovakia in southern Poland with a great view of the surrounding Tatras Mountains. Dating back to the 16th century, the village has long been home to the indigenous Goral people and today represents the most complete survival of a traditional Goral village. As such, it has the feeling of an open air museum, with one main street lined with traditional wooden houses. The houses are protected by the Tatra Museum in nearby Zakopane and cannot be altered. They are also kept in pristine condition, with annual cleaning and polishes. The home at #24 is said to have been made entirely from a single tree, and the home at #75 features a small museum about the 1846 uprising in Chocholow against Austrian rule.
The only non-wooden building in town is St. Hyacinth’s Church, a stone Gothic church that was built to replace a wooden one in the 19th century. Next to the church is a monument to the Chocholow insurgents from the 1846 uprising, from where a hiking trail begins leading up to Mount Gubalowka.

Practical Info

Chocholow is a main border crossing point with Slovakia. It can be visited as part of a day tour from Zakopane or Krakow and can be reached by regular bus connections from Krakow.