MAŁOPOLSKA

www.visitmalopolska.plfb.com/lubiemalopolske

Sanctuaries and places of worship

14 UNESCO World Heritage List sites

255 attractions on the Wooden Architecture Route

Wadowice – town of birth of Pope John Paul II

Salt mines in Wieliczka and Bochnia

9 spa resorts

6 national parks

6 geothermal pools

Rafting down the Dunajec gorge

2600 km of bicycle trails

3360 km of mountain trails

65 ski stations

The project has been funded by Małopolska Region

KRAKÓW

Wilno Mińsk

Kijów

Ryga

Tallin

Helsinki

Sztokholm

Oslo

Rejkiawik

Kopenhaga

Dublin

Londyn Amsterdam Bruksela

Paryż Luksemburg

Berno Vaduz

Lublana

Rzym

Monako Andora

Madryt Lizbona

San Marino

Zagrzeb

Belgrad

Sofia

Bukareszt

Kiszyniów

Skopje

Ateny

Tirana

Podgorica

Sarajewo

Priština

Berlin

Praga

BratysławaWiedeńBudapeszt

Warszawa D

F

EPI

RO

UA

RKS

MD

HACH

FL

BIHSRB

BG

GR TR

AL

PL

CZ

GB

SN

IS

FIN

LV

LT

BY

DK

NL

IRL

EST RUS

RUS

BL

SK

SLO

ANDMC

V

RSMHR

MNE

MK

M

1

Małopolska has been associated with Christianity for over a thousand years. The year 966 marks the beginning of the Christianization of the region, when a symbolic bap-

tism of Poland was performed. The history of Małopolska is also per-manently linked to the history of the Archdiocese of Cracow, establi-shed a Bishopric during the Congress of Gniezno in the year 1000. Soon after, churches, monasteries and other centres of worship be-gan to form. Pilgrimage shrines emerged,visited by pilgrims from far and near. Among the first, were: the hermitage of Sts. Świerad and Benedict the Hermits in Tropie, with the next one, associated with the cult of St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr, Skałka or the Church on the Rock in Cracow.

Today in Małopolska there are dozens of places of worship of dif-ferent prominence, such as the world-famous Kalwaria Zebrzydow-ska or Cracow’s Łagiewniki Shrine of Divine Mercy.

Many people visit Małopolska to follow in the footsteps of the Archbishop of Cracow Karol Wojtyła, who took the name of John Paul II after his election to the Holy See. Cracow and Małopolska are also the hosts of 31st World Youth Day in 2016, centered around the words „Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Mat-thew 5:7), and patrons: St. John Paul II and St. Faustina the Nun.

MAŁOPOLSKASanctuaries and places of worship

The Skałka Shrine, photo by K. Syga

Publisher Departament Turystyki, Sportu i Promocji Urzędu Marszałkowskiego WojewództwaMałopolskiego, Zespół ds. Regionalnego Systemu Informacji Turystycznejul. Basztowa 22, 31-156 Krakówwww.visitmalopolska.pl

V revised edition, 2017Małopolska Organizacja TurystycznaRynek Kleparski 4/13, 31-150 Krakówbiuro@mot.krakow.pl, www.mot.krakow.plProject coordination: Agnieszka Bratek

TextKrzysztof Bzowski, Adelina Antoszewska

Publishing of revision: Virtual 3D

PublishingAmistad Sp. z o.o. – Program ul. Stolarska 13/7, 31-043 Krakówtel./faks: + 48 12 4229922biuro@polskaturystyczna.pl, www.polskaturystyczna.plProduction management: Agnieszka Błaszczak, Małgorzata CzopikPublishing concept: Anna NiedźwieńskaEditor: Aurelia HołubowskaProofreading: Agnieszka SzmucCover design, graphic design: PART SAMaps: Wydawnictwo Kartograficzne Daunpol sp. z o.o.Typesetting, preparation for print: Michał TincelTranslation and proofreading: EuroInterpret Dominik Moser

Kraków 2017, ISBN 978-83-65249-62-3The authors and publishers have made every effort to ensure the text is accurate, however, they cannot be responsible for any changes that took place after the materials have been prepared for publishing. Materials prepared as of 28 February 2017.

2 3

John Paul II When traversing the towns and villages of Małopolska, we are bound to encounter a number of places connected with Karol Wojtyła. The Polish Pope was not only born in Małopolska, but he also grew up, studied and ministered here as priest and then bishop until his election to the Papacy.

Karol Wojtyła was born in Wadowice, where he also spent his school years. After graduating from high school in 1938, he moved with his father to Kraków, in order to take up a course in Polish studies at the Jagiellonian University, as well as to pur-sue his passion for acting. Soon afterwards, however, the out-break of World War II interrupted the studies of the young and deeply religious Wojtyła. The experiences of occupation and the death of his father led him to the decision to take priestly vows. From 1942, he frequented the underground Metropoli-tan Theological Seminary in Kraków. He was ordained right after the war in 1946. For the next two years he continued his studies in Rome. On returning to Poland, he was assigned to pastoral service in the parish of Niegowić, near Wieliczka. After seven months, he came back to Kraków and became one of the pioneers of the “tourist” student ministry. He wandered

in the mountains and took part in canoeing rallies with the ac-ademic youth, while continuing his theological studies.

In 1958, Karol Wojtyła was anointed bishop. He was then very much involved in the preparatory projects before the Vatican Council II. Only five years later, he became metropolitan bishop of Kraków. In 1967, Pope Paul VI appointed him cardinal. He soon became an internationally known Church authority, philosopher, thinker and theologian. For that reason, the decision of the con-clave to elect him as Pope on 16 October 1978 did not come as a surprise for those in the know.

The new Pope adopted the name of John Paul II and soon made a number of decisions that broke new ground for the future of the Church. First and foremost, he was the Pilgrim-Pope, who visited all the inhabited continents during his 104 pilgrimages, includ-ing eight visits to his homeland. Of immense importance were his actions in favour of strengthening the spirit of ecumenism. He

was the first Pope ever to appear in a Jew-ish synagogue and to pray with Muslims in mosques. He issued fourteen encyclicals, many of them of crucial significance to the Church. The pontificate of John Paul II was one of the longest (outdone only by St. Pe-ter and the Blessed Pope Pius IX) and last-ed until his death on 2 April 2005.

Karol Wojtyła at a canoe trip, Wikimedia photo archive John Paul II at the age of 10, Wikimedia photo archive

St. John Paul II – fragment of picture in St. Florian’s Church, photo by K. SygaChurch of St. Florian in Cracow, photo by K. Syga

4 5

KrakówKraków abounds in places connected with the Pope. It is particu-larly worth mentioning the Palace of the Archbishops in Fran-ciszkańska Street. This is where Karol Wojtyła lived as bishop and where he stayed as a special guest during his pilgrimages to Po-land as John Paul II. Standing at one of the palace windows, he conducted the famous evening conversations with young people.

Before the future Pope moved to the palace in Franciszkańska Street, first as priest, then as suffragan bishop in the years 1953–67, he lived in one of Kraków’s most beautiful streets – Kanonicza. Today the building hosts the Archdiocesan Museum of Kraków, which displays, among other things, relics and memorabilia relat-ed to John Paul II. Visitors can also see the room once occupied by the future Pope.

Right above Kanonicza Street extends the castle and cathe-dral of Wawel. The Wawel Royal Cathedral of Sts. Stanislaus BM and Wenceslaus M was the place where Karol Wojtyła cele-brated his first mass (in the Romanesque vault of St. Leonard). It is also here that Wojtyła was anointed bishop and where his in-auguration as the new archbishop of Kraków was held. As Pope, he visited “his” cathedral seven times.

Another important place connected with Karol Wojtyła is Bło-nia, the district of Kraków famous for attracting crowds during papal services. Today the place where the altar used to be erect-ed is commemorated by a massive boulder.

It is in Cracow where the John Paul II Centre “Do not be afraid!” is located. The centre is the most important tribute to the living memory of the person and work of the Polish Pope, both in Poland and the world. The Centre forms part of the Shrine of John Paul II where relics of the Holy Father’s blood are kept.

Palace of the Archbishops, ul. Franciszkańska 3, KrakówArchdiocesan Museum of Kraków, ul. Kanonicza 19–21, \ +48 12 421 8963, = www.muzeumkra.diecezja.plThe Wawel Royal Cathedral of Sts. Stanislaus BM and Wenceslaus M, \ +48 12 429 95 16, = www.katedra-wawelska.plJohn Paul II Centre “Do not be afraid!”, 18 Kanonicza St., Cracow, +48 12 429 64 71, = www.janpawel2.plShrine of St. John Paul II, 32 Totus Tuus St., Cracow, +48 12 257 53 15, = www.sanktuariumjp2.pl

Shrine of St. John Paul II, photo by P. Sionko, John Paul II Centre in Cracow

Papal Stone in Cracow’s Błonie Park, photo by K. SygaWawel Cathedral, photo by K. Bańkowski

6 7

Kalwaria ZebrzydowskaSanctuary of the Passion and of the Madonna of Kal waria Zebrzydowska is one of the places most closely connected with the memory of John Paul II. He used to come here to pay tribute to the Calvarian Lady and to pray in the chapels and little churches along the Calvary Paths, surrounded by the peaceful landscape of the Beskids.

Karol Wojtyła used to pilgrimage to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska from a very early age. He came here together with his pious fa-ther, and then on his own. This is how he recollected those visits: “Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: the sanctuary of the Madonna and her paths… I have visited them many times since I was a little boy. I visited them as a priest, and particularly often as archbishop of Kraków and as cardinal…. Most often I would come here on my own so that nobody would know, not even the custodian of the monastery. The characteristic thing about Kalwaria is that it’s easy to hide in. So I came on my own and wandered down the paths of Jesus and his mother”. When he was elected Pope, he also came to Kalwaria to pray. As John Paul II, he visited the place twice more, in 1979 and 2002. Four years later, Kalwaria welcomed his Roman successor, Benedict XVI.

Kalwaria Zebrzydowska is an historic architectural, landscape and pilgrimage complex – the Basilica and St. Bernardine Monas-tery and the Way of the Cross Paths - a unique cultural, natural and cult centre, listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Shrine of the Passion of Our Lady, St. Bernardine Mon-astery, ul. Bernardyńska 46, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, \ +48 33 876 63 04, = www.kalwaria.eu

Wadowice “In Wadowice everything started. Life began, school be-gan, university began, theatre began and priesthood began.” This is how John Paul II remembered his hometown during his visit on 16 June 1999. It was his third and last vis-it to Wadowice.

It was here, on Church Street, in the building owned by Yechi-el Bałamuth, a Jew, Karol Wojtyła was born on 18 May 1920 (now the family home of John Paul II houses a modern museum devot-ed to the Holy Father). Two days after he was born, Karol Wojtyła was baptised in the nearby church, now Basilica of the Presenta-tion of the Blessed Virgin Mary; during a visit to Wadowice in 1979, the Pope prayed at the church baptismal font, and in 1999, he crowned the miraculous image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. In Wadowice, walking along the Karol Wojtyła city trail, you can see numerous other places in Wadowice associated with Karol Wojtyła., such as school buildings and the Gymnastic Associa-tion building “Sokół”(Falcon) where he attended the drama club.

When visiting Wadowice, remember to try the local specialty - the Papal cream cakes.

Family Home Museum of the Holy Father John Paul II in Wadowice, ul. Kościelna 7, Wadowice, \ +48 33 823 26 62, = www.domrodzinnyjanapawla.pl

OTHER LOCAL ATTRACTIONSRight above Wadowice extends the picturesque mountain range of the Low Beskids. This is where the future Pope used to go on his first mountain hikes – to Leskowiec and the slightly lower Groń Jana Pawła II (the Mountain of John Paul II).

Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, photo by K. Syga Family Home Museum of the Holy Father John Paul II, photo by K. Bańkowski

Basilica of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Wadowice, photo by D. Zaród

8 9

RaciborowiceRaciborowice was close to the Pope’s heart. Before ordination, Karol Wojtyła spent summer holidays there. As metropolitan bishop, he paid particular attention to the parish. The local 15th century church of St. Margaret boasts an old Gothic crucifix, transferred here from Wawel cathedral.

Parish chuch of St. Margaret, Raciborowice 2, \ +48 12 387 70 06, = www.parafia-raciborowice.pl

NiegowićAt the heart of the Wieliczka Foothills lies Niegowić, where one can visit the statue of the Pope as a young priest. When Karol Wojtyła came to the parish in 1948 as curate, all that stood there was a wooden church built in 1771. The tem-ple soon became too small for the growing communi-ty. Thanks to the vigorous new curate, the construction of a new church (open to visitors today) gained much in pace. The old church has been moved to Mętków, near Chrzanów.

Parish church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Nie-gowić 13, \ +48 12 250 03 96, = www.parafia.niegowic.pl

LudźmierzThe Lady of Ludźmierz, also known as “Gaździna Podhala”, has been the target of many highlander pilgrims, including the most famous highlander of the world, John Paul II. During his 1997 visit to Poland, he came to Ludźmierz and prayed say-ing the rosary. The visit has been commemorated by a statue of the praying Pope.

Karol Wojtyła had come to Ludźmierz several times before. In 1963, as bishop of Kraków, together with the Primate of the Millennium, Stefan Wyszyński, he crowned the statue of “Gaździna Podhala”. It is said that when the statue was being carried in procession, her sceptre slipped out. It would have fallen on the ground if it had not been for bishop Wojtyła’s re-flexes – he managed to catch it just in time. It was then hailed as harbinger of his great future.

Sanctuary of God’s Queen Mother of Podhale, ul. Jana Pawła II 124, Ludźmierz, \ +48 18 265 55 27, = www.mbludzm.pl

OTHER LOCAL ATTRACTIONSIn Nowy Targ, which lies only several kilometres away from Ludźmierz, there is a statue of John Paul II in commemoration of the 1979 mass for the whole of Podhale, which he celebrated on the premises of the airfield of the Podhale Flying Club.

Church of St. Margaret, photo by M. Zaręba Parish church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Niegowić, photo by M. Zaręba

Sanctuary of God’s Queen Mother of Podhale, photo by K. Bańkowski

Monument of St. John Paul II in Ludźmierz, photo by K. Bańkowski

10 11

Stary SączThe famous Sanctuary of St. Kinga in Stary Sącz owes a lot to Karol Wojtyła. It is he who, as Pope, canonised Kinga (also known as Cunegunda), the founder of the local convent of the sisters of St. Clare. The celebration of canonisation, which attracted 600 thousand believers, was held on 16 June 1999, on the spacious commons over Poprad, at the foot of the slope where Stary Sącz is situated. The altar, especially erected for the occasion, is still there today. Its wooden structure is a reference to the lo-cal architecture; the grass-covered slope and the brook running down the altar top are a reminder of the mountaineous land-scape, which inspired the Pope to present the famous “review of geography” during the mass (when he listed from memory a number of local sites).

Some of the memorabilia connected with the Pope’s visit have been gathered in a little exhibition room underneath the altar. The area surrounding the altar is now home to the John Paul II Regional Pilgrimage Centre, which includes a pilgrim’s hotel.

The John Paul II Pilgrimage Centre, pl. św. Kingi 3, Stary Sącz, \ +48 18 446 14 39, = www.centrum.stary.sacz.pl

OTHER LOCAL ATTRACTIONSThe market square in Nowy Sącz boasts one of the biggest monuments to the Pope in Małopolska – a seven-metre-tall granite structure with a statue cast in bronze.

ZakopaneZakopane and the Tatra Mountains are full of places connect-ed with Karol Wojtyła. Of particular interest is the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima in Krzeptówki, built out of gratitude for the rescue of John Paul II after the attempted assassina-tion on 13 May 1981.

Until then, all that had stood there was a chapel of the Pal-lottines with a statue of Our Lady of Fatima, donated by car-dinal Stefan Wyszyński and consecrated by none other than bishop Wojtyła himself. As Pope, he then crowned the stat-ue during the 1987 celebration in St. Peter’s Square in Rome.

The sanctuary also stores the altar from the 1997 mass un-der Wielka Krokiew, as well as a statue of the Pope and a rep-lica of the Giewont cross.

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima in Krzeptówki, ul. Krzep-tówki 14, Zakopane, \ +48 18 206 6420, = www.smbf.pl.

OTHER LOCAL ATTRACTIONSHidden among the forests and mountain tops of Tatras are another two places connected with Karol Wojtyła: by the road leading up to Kalatówki sits the hermitage of St. Albert Chmielowski, while a bit further away from Zakopane lies the Sanctuary of the Madonna Queen of Tatras in Wiktorówki.

Monastery walls in Stary Sącz, photo by J. Gorlach Papal Altar, photo by J. Gorlach Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima in Krzeptówki, photo by S. Gacek

12 13

In the footsteps of John Paul IIIn Małopolska one can find a great number of trails commemorat-ing John Paul II. His call, “Don’t you neglect these trails…”, result-ed in the establishing of the special Foundation of Pope’s Routes, whose goals are to mark out papal routes, organise trips, meetings and services. Most trails are designed for hikers.

The first papal route was marked out spontaneously after John Paul II’s 1983 visit to Tatras – the yellow trail leads from the PTTK mountain shelter on Polana Chochołowska up to Dolina Jarząbcza (the Jarząbcza Valley). Since then, a lot of new hiking trails have been established, including: the Pope’s paths near Raba Wyżna, the trail of “the last hike” from Skawica, through Hala Krupowa, to Krowiarki, the Pope’s Trails near Jordanów and Chrzanów, the Trail of White Hearts leading up Groń Jana Pawła II (Mountain of John Paul II) in Beskid Mały, the trail from Salwator to Czerna (both near Kraków), the Pope’s Trail of the Low Beskids, the “review of geography” trail from Stary Sącz to Krościenko as well as the ones in Beskid Wyspowy, Gorce, the Niegowić–Łapanów trail, commemorating Karol Wojtyła’s vis-it to Niegowić as curate, and, finally, the Pope’s Kraków trail. A separate initiative is the official long John Paul II Małopol-ska Trail, traversing the Beskids from Kalwaria Zebrzydowska to Stary Sącz.

There are also a few commemorative routes designed for cars, such as the “Sursum Corda” Pope Route, which follows the steps of John Paul II’s 1997 car journey from Zakopane to Ludźmierz. It is also worth taking “Maryjny Szlak Papieski Złotej Róży”, which leads from Kraków to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, then on to Wadowice, Sucha Beskidzka, Maków Podhalański, Jordanów, Spytkowice, Raba Wyżna and finally to Ludźmierz.

Karol Wojtyła’s passion for canoeing has been commemo-rated through the creation of the Pope’s water trail in Pieniny. The future Pope used to traverse the famously difficult Duna-jec River Gorge in a canoe.

Foundation of Pope’s Routes, ul. Bochnaka 2, Kraków, \ +48 12 654 90 96, / www.szlakipapieskie.plJohn Paul II Małopolska Trail, PTTK Tourist Information Centre, ul. Jagiellońska 6, Kraków, \ +48 12 422 28 40, = www.cotg.pttk.pl.

Obelisk on Gubałówka Mountain, photo by D. LeśniakIn the Pope’s footsteps..., photo by S. Gacek

14 15

St. Faustina Kowalska, the NunThe image of Saint Faustina Kowalska is inseparable from Cra-cow. It was here where on 1 May 1933 she made her perpetu-al vows. Cracow was also the place where she spent the last two years of his life. She died at the age of just 33 years, on 5 October 1938. She was buried in the convent cemetery in Cracow-Łagiewniki, and later her remains were transferred to the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Łagiewniki, where they were placed in the side altar of the convent chapel. The railing in front of that altar has a built-in marble prie-dieu, where a fragment of the holy relics is entombed, so that pilgrims who come here from all over the world, can venerate her.

She was Helena Kowalska before the adoption of the mo-nastic name. All her life she was modest and smiling and trusting God. At the monastery, she worked in the kitch-en, the garden and the entrance gate. But this simple and uneducated wom-an was entrusted with a unique mission. The world may know St. Faustina as the apostle of God’s Mercy - is was through her that Jesus gave to the Church and the world the message she wrote in her “Diary” – a bestseller translated into more than 30 languages. People were

called to trust in the Lord and show mercy toward one’s neighbors, and to proclaim and implore God’s Mercy for the world, through the practice of new forms of worship (the mi-raculous image of Merciful Jesus, “In Jesus We Trust,” Feast of Mercy on the first Sunday after Easter, chaplet of Divine Mercy and the Hour of Mercy).

Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, ul. Siostry Faustyny 3, Kraków, \ +48 12 266 58 59, = www.milosierdzie.pl

Sister Faustina’s mission was continued by Pope John Paul II. On 30 April 2000 he declared her a saint. On that occa-

sion, he said, “Today I experience a great joy, revealing to the whole Church the life and witness of Sister Faustina Kow-alska, as a gift of God for our times. (...) Through this canonisation, I would like today to convey the Message of Mercy to the new millennium. I pass it on to all people, to learn to know ever better the true face of God and man.”

Sanctuary of the Holy Cross in Kraków-Mogiła, photo by S. Gacek

St. Faustina the Nun, photo by K. SygaChapel at the Monastery, photo by K. Syga

The Basilica of Divine Mercy, photo by K. Syga

1716

Sanctuaries and places of worship

Sanctuary of St. Stanislaus in Kraków

The baroque church of Sts. Michelangelo and Stanislaus in Kraków’s Skałka rises above the boulevards on the Vistula River. The first, Romanesque church was built here as early as in the 11th century. Inside this temple, in 1079, bishop Stanislaus of Szcze-panów was murdered by order of king Bolesław II the Bold. Al-though his remains (which, as legend has it, were first chopped apart and then miraculously integrated after the bishop’s death) were transferred to Wawel, the church in Skałka still serves as the place of worship of the martyr, who was canonised and declared patron of Poland in the 13th century. The most important festival celebrated in the sanctuary is 8 May, the day when St. Stanislaus’ relics are carried in procession from Wawel to Skałka.

Underneath the church in Skałka, there is a crypt which serves as a National Pantheon. Among the distinguished Poles buried there are: the chronicler Jan Długosz, the painter and playwright Stanisław Wyspiański and the poet Czesław Miłosz.

Sanctuary of St. Stanislaus BM in Skałka – church and monastery of the Paulines, ul. Skałeczna 15, Kraków, \ +48 12 421 72 44, = www.skalka.paulini.pl

OTHER LOCAL ATTRACTIONSNearby, there is a great 14th century Gothic church of St. Catherine of Alexandria. In the cloisters of the Augustine monastery (to which the church belongs) one can admire a medieval mural – the miraculous painting of the Madonna of Consolation.

Sanctuary of the Holy Cross in Kraków-MogiłaDetached from the vast housing estates of Nowa Huta and surrounded by greenery stands an 800-year-old monastery of the Cistercians. The monks arrived in Kraków in 1222, sum-moned by Iwon Odrowąż, bishop of Kraków. Soon afterwards, they built an abbey with the early-Gothic church of St. Wence-slaus. In a chapel by the chancel, the Cistercians store a Goth-ic crucifix, worshipped since the 14th century. The long tra-dition of its cult is evidenced by the great number of votive offerings on the chapel walls and the ruts in the floor rubbed out by hundreds of pilgrims approaching the holy relic on their knees. Believers visit the place also because of the relics of the Holy Cross, which are stored in the church as well. The major festival celebrated in the sanctuary is the Feast of the Cross on 14 September.

Sanctuary of the Holy Cross – Cistercian abbey in Kra-ków-Mogiła, ul. Klasztorna 11, Kraków, \ +48 12 644 23 31, = www.mogila.cystersi.pl

OTHER LOCAL ATTRACTIONSThe wooden church of St. Bartholomew (along the Wooden Architecture Route) was built in 1466 by the royal carpenter, Maciej Mączka, and then extended in the 18th century.

The Skałka Shrine, photo by K. Syga Cistercian Abbey in Cracow-Mogiła - Chapel of the miraculous image of crucified Christ, photo by K. Bańkowski

18 19

Sanctuary of the Madonna of Szkaplerzna in CzernaSurrounded by the beech forests of the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, in a secluded area above the Eliaszówka valley, stands an important monument of the baroque – the church and mon-astery of the Discalced Carmelites in Czerna, also known as the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Szkaplerzna and of St. Ra-fał Kalinowski. The monastery and church of St. Prophet Elijah were built in 1629 by the foundation of Agnieszka z Tęczyńskich Firlejowa.

The image of the Madonna of Szkaplerzna has been stored here since the mid-18th century. The growth of the painting’s popularity among worshippers was given impetus by St. Rafał Kalinowski, whose relics are kept in a special chapel. St. Rafał was canonised by John Paul II in 1991. The most important fes-tivals celebrated in the sanctuary are the feast of the Madonna of Szkaplerzna (on 16 July) and the feast of St. Rafał Kalinowski (on the Sunday following 16 July, or on 20 November).

Sanctuary of the Madonna of Szkaplerzna and of St. Ra-fał Kalinowski – the monastery of the Discalced Carmel-ites, Czer na 79, \ +48 12 282 0065, = www.karmelczerna.pl

OTHER LOCAL ATTRACTIONSThe ruins of the Devil’s Bridge in the woods of the Eliaszówka valley, which belong to the monastery in Czerna. Paczółtowice with its wooden church from 1510 – part of the Wooden Architecture Route.

Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows in StaniątkiThe Convent of nuns in Staniątki is the oldest Benedictine monas-tery in Poland. It was founded before 1228 by Knight Clement Jak-sa Gryfita, who endowed the monastery with an extensive estate, of which only monastery gardens remain nowadays.

The Abbey Church of the Holy Virgin and St. Adalbert was erect-ed before 1238. The chapel at the southern nave of the church houses a particularly venerated 17th century image of Our Lady of Sorrows.

Due to its uninterrupted history, the Abbey in Staniątki has kept an extensive collection of historic monuments that can be seen in the monastery museum.

Abbey of St. Adalbert of the Benedictine Nuns in Staniątki, \ +48 12 281 80 58, = www.benedyktynki.eu

The Shrine of Christ’s Passion in Imbramowice

The village of Imbramowice is located to the north of Cracow, in the valley of Dłubnia River. There, around 1223 – 1226, Bishop of Cracow, Iwo Odrowąż and his uncle Imbram founded a Norber-tine convent, which owned the village for centuries.

The Baroque abbey church of Sts. Peter and Paul was built be-tween 1711 and 1721, according to plans by eminent Polish ar-chitect, Rome-educated Kacper Bażanka. The main, spatially-de-signed altar with two apse columns, holds a particularly venerated image of Christ the Man of Sorrows.

The Shrine of Christ’s Passion Imbramowice 105, \ +48 12 389 48 06, = www.imbramowice.norbertanki.org

Sanctuary in Czerna, photo by K. Syga

Shrine in Staniątki, photo by K. Bańkowski

20 21

Sanctuary of the Tomb of Jesus in MiechówThe sanctuary in Miechów was established in 1163, founded by Jak-sa of the Gryf emblem, who had just returned from a crusade to the Holy Land. He brought along canons regular of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. These monks were subsequently referred to as bożogrobowcy or miechowici. The current appearance of the church is the effect of the extension work which took place in the 18th century. The chapel of the Tomb of Jesus dates back to 1530. The most important festivals celebrated in Miechów take place during the Holy Week. The church fair on the Saturday preceding the sec-ond Sunday after Easter (the Feast of the Lord’s Tomb) is also a note-worthy event.

Sanctuary of the Tomb of Jesus, ul. Warszawska 1, Miechów, \ +48 41 383 13 78, = www.sanktmiechow.kielce.opoka.org.pl

Sanctuary of the Motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Dziekanowice

In Dziekanowice, on top of a steep hill on the Raba river, stands a large church of Sts. Nicholas the Bishop and Mary Magdalene, built be-tween 1960 and 1966. The church boasts the image of Our Lady of Dziekanowice, which was crowned by John Paul II in 1991. Right next to it, there is a little church from the turn of the 11th and 12th centu-ries. The main church fair is organised in the sanctuary on the Feast of the Motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the first Sunday after 11 October. Others: 22 July (the feast of Mary Magdalene) and 6 December (the feast of St. Nicholas).

Parish Church of the Motherhood of the Blessed Virgin, Dziekanowice 7, \ +48 12 271 1314, = www.dziekanowice.diecezja.krakow.pl

Monastery of the Cistercians in SzczyrzycThe Cistercian Abbey, situated near the hills of Beskid Wyspowy, was built in the first half of the 13th century. After the fire in 1765, as a result of which only one 15th century image of the Madonna of Szczyrzyc survived, the abbey was rebuilt in baroque style. The two major church fairs are organised on 8 May (the remembrance of St. Stanislaus the Bishop and Mar-tyr) and 15 August (the feast of the Assumption of Virgin Mary).

Sanctuary of the Madonna of Szczyrzyce – the Parish Church of the Virgin Mary Assumed into Heaven and of St. Stanislaus, and the Cistercian Abbey, Szczyrzyc 1,\ +48 18 332 0004, = www.szczyrzyc.cystersi.pl

Sanctuary of St. Kinga in Stary SączThe convent of the sisters of St. Clare in Stary Sącz has tow-ered over the Poprad valley for over 700 years. The convent’s founder, Saint Kinga, was the Queen of Hungary and the wife of prince Bolesław V the Chaste. Legend has it that the depos-its of salt in Wieliczka and Bochnia were discovered thanks to her. After her husband’s death in 1280, she entered her own convent. Stary Sącz soon turned into a place of worship of St. Kinga but she was only canonised in 1999 by John Paul II. The church fairs are organised here on the Sunday near-est to 24 July (the remembrance of St. Kinga) and on the day of the Festival of the Holy Trinity (the first Sunday following the Pentecost).

The Convent of the Sisters of St. Clare in Stary Sącz, pl. św. Kin- gi 1, Stary Sącz, \ +48 18 446 0499, = www.klaryski.sacz.pl

Interior of the Sanctuary, photo by J. Gawron

Sanctuary of the Tomb of Jesus, photo by P. Fabijański Monastery of the Cistercians in Szczyrzyc, photo by A. Brożonowicz

22 23

Sanctuaries in TarnówThe most important church in Tarnów – the Gothic cathedral basilica – hosts the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Sorrows. Pilgrims come here to admire the wood-carved Pieta from the 17th century. The major occasion for celebration in the sanctu-ary is the Feast of the Birth of the Virgin Mary (on 8 September).

The little wooden church of the Assumption of Holy Mary is also known as the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Szkaplerz-na. It was built in 1458. The image of Mary, however, comes from the 16th century. The church fair is organised in the week between 16 and 22 July.

The third sanctuary in Tarnów is located in the modern church of St. Joseph, north of the town centre. The object of worship here is the figure of Our Lady of Fatima. Church fairs are organised here on the first Sunday after 13 May (the feast of Our Lady of Fatima), after 13 October and 19 March (the Feast of St. Joseph).

Cathedral Basilica of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, ul. Kapi tulna 2, \ +48 14 621 45 01, = www.katedra.tarnow.opoka.org.pl. Parish church of the Madonna of Szkaplerzna, ul. NMP 1, \ +48 14 621 31 75. Parish church of St. Jo-seph and Our Lady of Fatima, al. MB Fatimskiej 39, \ +48 14 622 22 86, = www.sanktuariummbfatimskiejtarnow.eu

OTHER LOCAL ATTRACTIONSSzczepanów is the hometown and the place of worship of St. Stanislaus. Of interest here is a Gothic church from the 15th century. In Zabawa, one can visit the Sanctuary of the Blessed Karolina Kózkówna. In Odporyszów, there is a 400-year-old Marian sanctuary.

Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Tuchów

The little town of Tuchów lies among the hills of Pogórze Ciężkowickie. It is dominated by the great edifices of a ba-roque church from the second half of the 17th century and of the monastery of the Redemptorists, who have administered the church and its image of the Madonna with Infant Jesus since the 19th century. The author of this 16th century painting remains unknown. It is believed that the first church built on this site in the 11th century was consecrated by St. Stanislaus, hence its full name – Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Stanislaus the Bishop and Martyr.

The Madonna of Tuchów, also known as Our Lady of Tarnów, is celebrated during the church fair between 1 and 9 July. Oth-er fairs are organised on 31 May (Visitation of the Virgin Mary) and 8 September (Birth of the Virgin Mary).

Parish church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Sta-nislaus BM in Tuchów, ul. Wysoka 1, \ +48 14 632 72 00, = www.klasztor.tuchow.pl.

OTHER LOCAL ATTRACTIONSThe Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Hope in Jamna www.jamna.dominikanie.pl The Fossil City reserve in Ciężkowice abounds in amazing rock formations and is an ideal area to walk around.

Sanctuary of the Madonna of Szkaplerzna in Tarnów, photo by K. Bańkowski

Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Sorrows, photo by A. Brożonowicz

Sanctuary in Tuchów, photo by K. Bańkowski The miraculous image of Our Lady of Tuchów, photo by K. Bańkowski

24 25

Basilica of St. Nicholas the Bishop in Bochnia - Sanctuary of Our Lady of the RosaryFor the last four hundred centuries pilgrims have travelled to Bochnia, famous for its salt mine, in order to pay tribute to Our Lady of Bochnia. The miraculous painting is a 15th-cen-tury copy of the image of Our Lady of Częstochowa. After Our Lady’s eyes in the painting filled with blood tears in 1633 (on July 28) and in 1637 (on May 15) the bishop committee is-sued a decree about the painting’s miraculous properties. In the 17th century it was mentioned among the most widely worshipped Marian images in the entire Christian world. Af-ter the liquidation of the Dominican Monastery in the end of the 18th century, the painting of Our Lady was transferred to the 15th-century Church of St. Nicholas the Bishop. The sanc-tuary festival falls on the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary (first/second Sunday of October) and on December 6 (the feast day of St. Nicholas the Bishop).

Basilica of St. Nicholas the Bishop in Bochnia - Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary, Plac św. Kingi 9, Bochnia, \ +48 14 612 34 17, = www.mikolajbochnia.pl

Sanctuary of Our Lady the Jaworzyna Queen of the Tatras on Wiktorówki

Among the Tatra forests, near Rusinowa Clearing and the peak of Gęsia Szyja Mountain in 1860 Our Lady appeared in the spruce branches to a young shepherdess from Groń, Mar-ysia Murzańska. In the course of time, a roadside shrine with a figurine of Our Lady was placed there. The later Pope of-ten came here during his mountain hikes – his skied to Wik-torówki Clearing for the last time in the winter of 1978. Pope John Paul II wished to visit Our Lady, the so-called Queen of the Tatra Mountains in 1997, but the helicopter carrying him to Morskie Oko Lake only flew over Wiktorówki and Rusino-wa Clearing. Today, a beautiful wooden chapel in the Zako-pane style is located on Wiktorówki Clearing and masses of pilgrims continue to reach it by hiking trails (the only way to get here).

Sanctuary of Our Lady the Jaworzyna Queen of the Tatras on Wiktorówki, Małe Ciche 1, Murzasichle, \ +48 18 201 98 50, = www.wiktorowki.dominikanie.pl

Basilica of St. Nicholas the Bishop in Bochnia - Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary, photo arch. UMWM Sanctuary of Our Lady the Jaworzyna Queen of the Tatras on Wiktorówki, photo by M. Biłko

26 27

The Shrine of Our Lady of Succor to the Faithful in OświęcimThe church and the monastery were founded for the Domin-ican Order in the 14th century. In the 19th century the com-plex was taken over and rebuilt by the Salesians. They put up a copy of the Turin (Italy) painting of Our Lady of Succor to the Faithful in the church. Besides the church and the painting, you can see a priceless Gothic chapel of Saint Jacek Odrowąż, which dates back to the 14th century. The festivals appointed for the shrine: 31 January, 19 March and 24 May.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Succor to the Faithful in Oświęcim, ul. Jagiełły 8, Oświęcim, \+48 33 842 29 19, = www.sanktuarium-oswiecim.pl

The Shrine of Sts. Świerad and Benedict the Hermits in Tropie

The church of Sts. Świerad and Benedict has towered above the Czchowskie Lake since the 11th century. It is believed to have been consecrated by St. Stanislaus himself and built on the site of the two saints’ former hermitage. The official church fair is organised on the closest Sunday to 13 July.

The Shrine of SS Świerad and Benedict, Tropie 6, \ +48 18 440 3076, = www.tropie.tarnow.opoka.org.pl

In the footsteps of the saintsNumerous religious and pilgrimage routes crisscross Małopols-ka. One of them, with the oldest tradition, is the Way of St. James, which dates back to the Middle Ages. It is followed by the faith-ful going to the tomb of St. James in Santiago de Compostela in Spain. A section of the Way of St. James crosses Małopolska, run-ning from Korczowa through Cracow to Zgorzelec. The route fol-lows Via Regia trading route. The Way of St. James in Małopolska runs from Sandomierz through Cracow to the village of Bielany in the municipality of Kęty. Beskid Road of St. Jacob of Litmanova in Slovakia, through Stary Sącz and Myślenice to Wadowice and far-ther on through Szczyrk to Cieszyn. The International Pilgrimage Marian Route connects the Austrian Marian Shrine of Mariazell with the Black Madonna Częstochowa Shrine in Jasna Góra, Po-land. It leads from the border with Slovakia, through Zakopane and Kalwaria Zebrzydowska to Częstochowa. You can also find routes associated with the activities of religious orders - Cistercian Route functioning within the framework of the European Cultural Route of the Council of Europe and Małopolska Way of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre. Cracow boasts a section of the European Cultural Route of the Council of Europe – Cemetery Route, as the Cracow Cemetery is listed in the European Cultural Route. Other routes of religious nature are: In the Footsteps of John Paul II, St. Faustina Route, St. Stanislaus Route and the Cracow Way of the Saints. Oth-er noteworthy route is the Way of St. Simon in Lipnica Murowana and the Way of Saints and the Bles-sed in the Diocese of Tarnów.

Church in Tropie, photo by K. BańkowskiShrine in Oświęcim, photo archive: The City Government of Oświęcim

The Way of St. Jadwiga the Queen in Biecz The Way of St. Simon in Lipnica Murowana Cistercian Route South-West Cistercian Route in Małopolska - the main route South-West Cistercian Route in Małopolska - the route outlier

The Way of St. James in Małopolska – Via Regia Beskid Way of St. James Małopolska Way of St. James Małopolska Route of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre – villages and towns along the route

MAŁOPOLSKACapital of the region: KrakówMajor cities: Tarnów, Nowy Sącz, OświęcimSurface area: 15,190 km2 (about 5% of the surface area of Poland)Population: 3.4 mil. (about 8% of the population of Poland)Landscape: the tallest peak – Rysy: 2499 m asl mountains – Tatras, Beskids, Pieniny, Gorce foothills – Carpathian Foothills uplands – Kraków-Częstochowa Upland lowlands – Vistula valley main rivers – Vistula, Dunajec, Poprad, Raba, Skawa, Biała water reservoirs – Czorsztyński, Rożnowski, Czchowski, Dobczycki, Klimkówka the highest located, cleanest lakes – Morskie Oko, Czarny Staw, the lakes of the Valley of Five Polish Lakes the largest and deepest cave – Wielka Śnieżna Cave: over 22 km of corridors, 824 m deep

KraKówInfoKraków, ul. Powiśle 11, 31-101 Kraków \ +48 12  354 27 10 it.krakow@msit.malopolska.pl, www.infokrakow.plInfoKraków, ul. św. Jana 2, 31-018 Kraków \+48 12 354 27 25, jana@infokrakow.plInfoKraków, ul. Józefa 7, 31-056 Kraków \+48 12 354 27 28, jozefa@infokrakow.plInfoKraków Sukiennice,Rynek Główny 1/3, 31-042 Kraków \+48 12 354 27 16, sukiennice@infokrakow.plInfoKraków, ul. Szpitalna 25, 31-024 Kraków \+48 12 354 27 20, szpitalna@infokrakow.plInfoKraków Pawilon Wyspiańskiego pl. Wszystkich Świętych 2, 31-004 Kraków \+48 12 354 27 23, wyspianski@infokrakow.plInfoKraków Międzynarodowy Port Lotniczy w Balicach, 32-083 Balice \+48 12 285 53 41, balice@infokrakow.pl

MyśleniceRynek 27, 32-400 Myślenice \+48 12 272 23 12 it.myslenice@msit.malopolska.pl www.myslenice.visitmalopolska.pl

Dobczyceul. Podgórska 1, 32-410 Dobczyce \+48 12 271 01 53 it.dobczyce@msit.malopolska.pl www.dobczyce.visitmalopolska.pl

wiśniowaWiśniowa 301, 32-412 Wiśniowa \+48 12 271 44 93 it.wisniowa@msit.malopolska.pl, www.ug-wisniowa.pl

olKusz

ul. Floriańska 8, 32-300 Olkusz \ +48 32 642 19 26 it.olkusz@msit.malopolska.pl, www.olkusz.visitmalopolska.pl

MiechówPlac Kościuszki 1A, 32-200 Miechów \+48 41 383 13 11 it.miechow@msit.malopolska.plwww.miechow.visitmalopolska.pl

wieliczKaul. Dembowskiego 2A, 32-020 Wieliczka\+48 12 288 00 52it.wieliczka@msit.malopolska.pl, www.ckit.wieliczka.eu

zaKopaneul. Kościeliska 7, 34-500 Zakopane \+48 18 201 20 04 it.zakopane@msit.malopolska.pl, www.zakopane.pl

nowy TargRynek 1, 34-400 Nowy Targ \+48 18 266 30 36 it.nowy-targ@msit.malopolska.pl, www.it.nowytarg.pl

poroninul. Józefa Piłsudskiego 2, 34-520 Poronin \+48 18 207 42 98 it.poronin@msit.malopolska.p, www.poronin.pl

rabKa-zDrójul. Parkowa 2, 34-700 Rabka-Zdrój \+48 18 269 15 53 it.rabka-zdroj@msit.malopolska.pl, msit@rabka.pl www.rabkazdroj.visitmalopolska.pl, www.rabka.pl

białKa TaTrzańsKaul. Środkowa 179A, 34-405 Białka Tatrzańska \+48 18 533 19 59 it.bialka-tatrzanska@msit.malopolska.plugbukowinatatrzanska.pl

biały Dunajecul. Jana Pawła II 363, 34-425 Biały Dunajec \+48 18 200 16 90 it.bialy-dunajec@msit.malopolska.pl, www.gokbialydunajec.pl

wiTówWitów 239A, 34-512 Witów \+48 18 207 18 98 it.witow@msit.malopolska.pl, www.koscielisko.com.pl

buKowina TaTrzańsKaul. Sportowa 22, 34-530 Bukowina Tatrzańska\+48 18 202 54 80 it.bukowina-tatrzanska@msit.malopolska.pl www.bukowina_tatrzanska.visitmalopolska.pl

ochoTnica górnaOsiedle Ustrzyk 388, 34-453 Ochotnica Górna\+48 18 262 41 39it.ochotnica-dolna@msit.malopolska.pl www.ssm.ochotnica.pl

nieDzicaul. Widokowa 3, 34-441 Niedzica\+48 18 261 01 31 it.niedzica@msit.malopolska.pl

TarnówRynek 7, 33-100 Tarnów \+48 14 688 90 90 it.tarnow@msit.malopolska.pl, www.tarnow.travel

Dąbrowa TarnowsKaul. Polna 13, 33-200 Dąbrowa Tarnowska \+48 14 657 00 07 it.dabrowatarnowska@msit.malopolska.pl www.visitmalopolska.pl/DabrowaTarnowska

Tuchówul. Chopina 10, 33-170 Tuchów \+48 14 652 54 36 it.tuchow@msit.malopolska.pl, www.tuchow.pl

bochniaul. Solna 2, 32-700 Bochnia\+ 48 14 615 36 36it.bochnia@msit.malopolska.pl, www.bochnia.eu

oświęciMul. St. Leszczyńskiej 12, 32-600 Oświęcim \+48 33 843 00 91 it.oswiecim@msit.malopolska.pl, www.it.oswiecim.pl

chrzanówAleja Henryka 40, 32-500 Chrzanów \+48 32 623 20 44 it.chrzanow@msit.malopolska.pl www.visitmalopolska.pl/chrzanow

Trzebiniaul. Kościuszki 74, 32-540 Trzebinia \+48 32 611 08 37 it.trzebinia@msit.malopolska.pl www.trzebinia.visitmalopolska.pl

wygiełzówul. Podzamcze 1, 32-551 Babice\+48 32 210 93 13 info@powiat-chrzanowski.pl www.visit.powiat-chrzanowski.pl

nowy sączul. Szwedzka 2, 33-300 Nowy Sącz \+48 18 444 24 22 cit@nowysacz.pl, www.ziemiasadecka.info

Krynica-zDrójul. Zdrojowa 4/2, 33-380 Krynica-Zdrój \+48 18 472 55 77 it.krynica-zdroj@msit.malopolska.pl www.krynicazdroj.visitmalopolska.pl

liManowaRynek 25, 34-600 Limanowa \+48 18 337 58 00 it.limanowa@msit.malopolska.pl, www.powiat.limanowa.pl

bieczRynek 1, 38-340 Biecz \+48 13 447 92 47 it.biecz@msit.malopolska.pl, www.biecz.visitmalopolska.pl

sęKowaSiary 19, 38-307 Sękowa \+48 18 351 87 70 it.sekowa@msit.malopolska.pl, www.sekowa.pl waDowice

ul. Kościelna 4, 34-100 Wadowice \+48 33 873 23 65 it.wadowice@msit.malopolska.pl, biuro@it.wadowice.pl, www.it.wadowice.pl

anDrychówRynek 27, 34-120 Andrychów \+48 33 842 99 36 it.andrychow@msit.malopolska.pl, www.andrychow.eu

sucha besKiDzKaul. Zamkowa 1, 34-200 Sucha Beskidzka \+48 33 874 26 05 it.sucha-beskidzka@msit.malopolska.pl it@sucha-beskidzka.pl www.muzeum.sucha-beskidzka.pl/it

Kalwaria zebrzyDowsKaul. Mickiewicza 434-130 Kalwaria Zebrzydowska\+48 33 876 66 36it.kalwaria-zebrzydowska@msit.malopolska.plwww.kalwaria_zebrzydowska.visitmalopolska.pl

KrościenKo naD DunajceMRynek 35, 34-450 Krościenko nad Dunajcem\ 511 473 203, +48 18 262 30 77 wew. 32www.kroscienko-nad-dunajcem.plbiuropromocji@kroscienko-nad-dunajcem.pl

Małopolska Tourist Information System Points

(Seasonal)

MAŁOPOLSKA

www.visitmalopolska.plfb.com/lubiemalopolske

Sanctuaries and places of worship

14 UNESCO World Heritage List sites

255 attractions on the Wooden Architecture Route

Wadowice – town of birth of Pope John Paul II

Salt mines in Wieliczka and Bochnia

9 spa resorts

6 national parks

6 geothermal pools

Rafting down the Dunajec gorge

2600 km of bicycle trails

3360 km of mountain trails

65 ski stations

The project has been funded by Małopolska Region