Painters' House in Zalipie

In Zalipie flowers bloom all year round – on cottage walls, stoves, wells, fences and even dog kennels. This small village in the Vistula lowlands is famous for its painted houses, and the best place to start is the Felicja Curyłowa Painters' House (Dom Malarek), a cultural centre where local women artists work, teach and show their craft.

History: from soot to flowers

Painting in Zalipie goes back more than 100 years and began with an everyday problem. In smoky cottages the walls quickly turned black with soot, so women covered it with irregular dabs called "packi", applied with brushes made of millet or rye. Over time bold bouquets appeared on whitewashed walls. Paints were mixed with milk, and patterns were always freehand, never stencilled – each bouquet is the painter's signature.

The key figure in this story was Felicja Curyłowa (1903–1974), a painter and community leader who also got electricity brought to the village. The Painters' House was her idea; it opened in 1977, a few years after her death. Since 1994 it has served as the municipal cultural centre, and Curyłowa's old farmstead has become a museum.

What to see

• The Painters' House – see painted walls and objects, buy painted souvenirs and sign up for workshops.
• Painted cottages – houses and outbuildings covered in floral patterns are scattered across the village; explore on foot or by bike.
• St Joseph's Church – blessed in 1949, its interior has been decorated with Zalipie flowers since 1966 by painters led by Curyłowa, and was renewed in 2024. The chapel of St Blaise is especially rich.
• Felicja Curyłowa's farmstead – the artist's former home, showing what the old painted rooms looked like.

Interesting facts

The "Painted Cottage" competition has been held since 1948, in Zalipie since 1965. Every year after Corpus Christi the painters refresh the decorations on their houses and a jury judges originality and composition. The 63rd final took place in 2026.

Tripto tip

The best time to visit is June, just after the competition, when the houses are freshly painted. The Painters' House is open Monday to Friday 8:00–16:00, and from May to September also at weekends (10:00–17:00); in July and August weekday hours run until 18:00. Allow 2–3 hours for the house, the church and a walk around the village. Most painted cottages are private homes, so admire them from the road and ask before stepping into a yard. Zalipie is about 30 km from Tarnów.