Zakopane
is situated in southern Poland, about 100 km to the south of Cracow, close to
the border with Slovakia. It lies in a valley at the foot of The Tatras, the
highest mountains in Poland (Mount Rysy 2499 m). On the map Zakopane can be
found at 48 (18" latitude and 19 (57" longitude. The centre lies at about 840
m above sea level, but some parts are even as high as 1000 m above sea level
on the slopes of Gubał?, a hill that surrounds it from the south.

Zakopane is a town commune. It neighbours on Kościelisko and Poronin
villages and is not very far from the well-known town of Nowy
Targ anf the villages of Bukowina Tatrzańska and Czarny Dunajec.

History:

Zakopane is only four centuries old and was founded between XVI and
XVII c. as a farmers and shepherds' settlement. Legend says that one
day a man called Gąsienica came here with his sons Paweł and Jędrzej
and they built a mill here. For dozens of years, Zakopane was a godforsaken
village. In the middle of the XVIII c. in nearby Kuźnice, a steelworks
was set up to process iron ore mined in The Tatras. There was
also the owners' manor that received travellers visiting the mountains.
Soon the beauty of the nearby sunny valley of Zakopane was discovered.

In the XIX century, Zakopane became famous as a tourist and health
resort. In 1845, the first parish was set up in the village and two
years later Zakopane was visited by one of its legendary persons -
priest J? Stolarczyk. He encouraged the highlanders to rent their
houses to the visitors, later on people started to build special houses
for them. In 1878 the first house was built by a "newcomer from lowlands"
called Walery Eljasz, the author of many guidebooks to The Tatras.
The first hotel called "Pod Giewontem" was built in 1885. In 1899
Zakopane was connected by the railway, which started a new chapter
in its history. The development of Zakopane is also connected with
Towarzystwo Tatrzańskie (The Tatra Society - 1872) and with doctor
Tytus Chałubiński, who is described as "Zakopane discoverer" and "the
king of The Tatras". In 1886 the village got the status of a health
resort. It received the town rights in 1935.

Pope John Paul II's visits to Zakopane have become the most important
events in the town's history. He has been attached to Zakopane and
The Tatras since his youth. As an alumnus of the Cracow seminary he
did a lot of hiking and skiing here. He did not abandon his passion
for the mountains even when he became the Cracow metropolitan. His
favourite places were the chapel in Jaszczur? and "Księż?" -
the holiday house of the Polish Episcopate. In The Tatras he adored
the Chochołowska Valley, which he visited again in 1982 after he had
become the Pope. His next visit to Zakopane and The Tatras took place
in June 1997. He spent here a few days. He visited Mount Kasprowy
Wierch, Morskie Oko Lake, he went to Ludźmierz along the ridge of
Gubał?. There are many souvenirs of his visit - e.g. the altar,
which was used by him during the mess was transported from Krokiew
Hill to the gardens of Virgin Mary Sanctuary in Krzept? Street

The most characteristic monuments:

- Kościeliska Street. A complex of wooden buildings typical of the
Podhale region, which originated in XIX century.

- Stary Kości?22; (Old Church). A wooden church built in 1845-1851,
the seat of the first parish in Zakopane. Situated in Kościeliska
St. - Kaplica Gąsienic?The chapel was the first sacred building
in Zakopane built in 1800 by Paweł Gąsienica. Situated in Kościeliska
St.

- Stary Cmentarz na Pęksowym Brzyzku. The old cemetery, the first
cemetery in Zakopane, the place where famous writers, artists and
mountaineers are buried. Situated in Kościeliska St.

- Nowy Cmentarz Zakopiański. The new cemetery opened in 1907; the
place where artists, mountaineers, mountain rescuers, priests and
The First and The Second World Wars veterans are buried. Situated
in Nowotarska St.

- Willa "Koliba". The mansion is the first example of Zakopane style
built in 1893 according to Stanisław Witkiewicz's design. Situated
in Kościeliska St.

- Willa "Pod Jedlami". The mansion of the Pawlikowski family designed
for them by Stanisław Witkiewicz. It is the biggest and the most beautiful
example of the Zakopane style. Situated in Koziniec St. - Willa "Witkiewicz?".
The mansion in the Zakopane style designed in 1904 by Jan Koszyc Witkiewicz.
In the 1930s it was the residence of Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz (Witkacy).
Situated in Antał? St. - Kaplica w Jaszczur?. The wooden chapel
was built in 1904-1908 according to Stanisław Witkiewicz's design.
Situated in Jaszczur?.

- Chata Sabały. A wooden building from the early XIX century, situated
in Stare Krzept?, in the western part of Zakopane.

Tourism:

Zakopane district is considered the most attractive tourist region
in Poland. The Tatras, the hills of Podhale as well as the town itself
are ideal places for walks or longer or shorter hikes. A walk around
the town can be combined with visiting its monuments and other interesting
places. Here are some of them that we would like to recommend:

* Northern part of the town: the centre of Zakopane - Krup? St
- The Tatra Museum - market at the foot of Gubał? - taking a tram
up Gubał? (panorama of the Tatras and Zakopane!) - walking downhill
along the yellow trail - Droga na Szymoszkową - Kościeliska St (the
old church and cemetery) - the centre. About 5 hours.

* Southern part of the town: the centre of Zakopane - Krup? St
- Zamoyskiego St - Bulwary Słowackiego St - Antał? hill - Koziniec
(Dom pod Jedlami, art. Gallery) - Bystre - Kuźnickie roundabout (Natural
Museum TPN) - COS Sports Centre complex (ski jumps etc.) - Dolina
Białego - Grunwaldzka St - the centre. About 4,30 hours.

* Along the ridges of Gubał?: Chochoł?by bus, visiting the
village and the Chochoł?prising museum) - Ostrysz - Butorowy Wierch
- taking the cable car downhill. About 4 hours.

* The Tatra walk at the foot of The Tatras: the centre of Zakopane
- Orkana St - Kasprusie St ("Atma", Karol Szymanowski Museum) - Strążyska
St - Czerwona Przełęcz - Przełęcz Białego - Kalat? (Albert Sisters'
convent) - Kuźnice. About 5 hours.

* Through the valleys of The Western Tatras: Gronik (by bus) - Dolina
Małej Łąki - Przysłop Miętusi - Dolina Kościeliska - Hala Pisana -
visiting Zimna cave - Kościelisko-Kiry. About 5 hours.

* The Tatra lakes: Kuźnice - Kasprowy Wierch (by cable car) - Dolina
Staw?ąsienicowych - Karb - Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy - Murowaniec
chalet - Kuźnice. About 5,30 hours.

* To Morskie Oko lake: Wierch Poroniec (by bus) - Rusinowa Polana
- Gęsia Szyja - Wodogrzmoty Mickiewicza - Morskie Oko - back to Łysa
Polana (by bus to Zakopane).

Advanced tourists can take trails along the ridges of The Zachodnie
(Western) Tatras (e.g. from Kasprowy Wierch reached by cable car to
the west, climb up Czerwone Wierchy, around Dolina Chochołowska) or
trails in The High Tatras (from Kasprowy to Świnica, from Zakopane
through Zawrat and Szpiglasowa Przełęcz to Morskie Oko, difficult
trails of "Orla Perć", climb up Rysy). The trails in The Tatras are
marked well with plates and colour stripes. In difficult areas there
are special buckles, chains and even ladders. However, to use them
you must not be afraid of heights, need to be fit and have good health.
In the Tatras you can also do some winter hiking. However, it requires
high tourist qualifications, good equipment (clothes, boots, alpenstock
and crampons) and good skills in using them. You should take your
first steps under supervision of some qualified Tatra guides. The
Tatra National Park has made some trails available for cyclists. These
are Droga Pod Reglami, Dolina Chochołowska and Suchej Wody Gąsienicowej,
trail to Kalat?.

The Tatras are high mountains and can be dangerous. You must always
remember about the changeability of the weather - even in midsummer
there may be some snowfall, beautiful sunny weather may turn to thick
confusing fog. Another serious danger is storms; when you see there
is going to be a storm you must take the nearest trail down from the
ridge to the lower areas. When planning climbs in the higher parts
of the mountains you should ask some experienced people for advice
or hire a guide. In case of an accident you should call for help by
using the international signal - light or voice signals six times
a minute. The injured or lost in the Tatras are rescued by TOPR which
uses a helicopter if necessary. Zakopane can be a starting point for
longer trips - to the Gorce Mountains, to Babia G?and to the Pieniny
Mountains. On such trips you can find unique monuments in the nearby
villages: Chochoł?Dębno, Orawka and Zubrzyca (heritage park).

Another attraction is rafting along the gorge of the Dunajec River
in the Pieniny Mountains, which has been popular for 150 years. source:
http://www.zakopane.pl/