Travel Guide Chochołów

The village of Chochołów represents the best preserved example of Tatra mountain architecture. Founded in the 16th century, most of the houses here date from the 19th century, and it was from this type of building that Witkiewicz drew inspiration for his famous "Zakopane style." The village spreads out from the main street, with houses of very unified architecture facing each other all along. Even though it is far from the refinement of Zakopane, the village is absolutely authentic and it is easy to feel as if you have been transported to another time. The house at no. 28 houses the workshop of a local sculptor, famous for his wooden works. His workshop is worth a visit, as well as the small room where he collects old furniture and different objects from the region. It looks like a small living museum of Podhale! The house at no. 24 is said to have been built from a single huge fir tree. Opposite the stone church, in a house from 1798, is the town's museum (Muzeum Powstania Chochołówskiego, open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm). In addition to an ethnographic exhibition, the museum traces the stages of Chochołów's uprising against the Austrians in 1846.The village is located about 18 km from Zakopane, on route 958 towards Czarny Dunajec. To get there, exit Zakopane on Kościeliska Street and go up the droga Papieska in the direction of Gubałówka, then follow for Czarny Dunajec.