Churches & monasteries

Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Park

In 1600 the Kraków voivode Mikołaj Zebrzydowski founded the first chapel on Mount Żar, following a model brought from Jerusalem a year earlier. Today 42 chapels and churches stand across an area of 6 km², linked by paths with a combined length of 5 km, and in 1999 the whole complex was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Chapels with a Jerusalem pedigree

The church and Bernardine monastery were built between 1604 and 1609 to a design by Giovanni Maria Bernardoni. Almost all the chapels were designed by Paul Baudarth, inspired by Christian Adrichomius's description of Jerusalem — hence the 12 chapels of the Way of the Cross from the years 1609–1617. Alongside them run the Paths of Our Lord (28 stations) and the Paths of Our Lady (24 stations).

Open-air mystery plays

Passion devotions have been held here since 1608, and the surviving scripts of the mysteries date from 1610 and 1618. The Good Friday procession and the August feast of the Assumption draw tens of thousands of the faithful — the site attracts many pilgrims and tourists every year. In 1979 John Paul II granted the church the title of minor basilica, and in 2000 the complex was designated a Monument of History.

When to visit

The mysteries are at their fullest during Holy Week and in mid-August, during the processions — but expect crowds then. Outside the main celebrations the paths are usually quieter and suit a 2–3 hour walk through woods and fields, with Beskid views. In 2006 Benedict XVI also visited the sanctuary.