Jaszczurówka Chapel (Chapel of the Sacred Heart)

The Jaszczurówka Chapel (yash-choo-ROOF-kah), formally the Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is one of the most beautiful wooden buildings in Zakopane and a textbook example of the "Zakopane style." It was designed by Stanisław Witkiewicz, the artist who invented that style, and its carved, tiered silhouette on a stone base, set among spruce trees by the road to Morskie Oko lake, looks straight out of a fairy tale. It is an easy, rewarding stop on the way into the High Tatras.

Where it is

Zakopane lies in southern Poland, about 100 km (60 miles) south of Kraków, at the foot of the Tatra Mountains; buses and cars from Kraków take roughly two hours. Jaszczurówka is the eastern part of town, about 4 km from Krupówki, the main street, on the Oswald Balzer Road that leads toward Łysa Polana and Morskie Oko — Poland's most famous mountain lake. Minibuses heading to Morskie Oko pass by.

What is the Zakopane style?

In the late 19th century, Zakopane became a magnet for Polish artists and intellectuals. Witkiewicz looked to the timber houses of the local Górale highlanders and turned their building traditions into a national style — at a time when Poland did not exist as an independent state. This chapel, built from 1904 and consecrated in 1907, is one of its purest examples.

What to see

• Log construction with exposed corner joints, raised on a tall stone base with arched openings.
• A shingled roof with a small bell turret, giving the chapel its layered, almost pagoda-like profile.
• Inside, a single nave and rectangular chancel; the wooden main altar is shaped like a highland shepherd's hut.
• Stained glass windows by Stefan Witold Matejko, showing the Black Madonna of Częstochowa, Our Lady of Ostra Brama and the coats of arms of Poland and Lithuania.

According to Radio Kraków, the chapel was funded by the Uznański family. For decades it had no resident priest; a major restoration in 1977–1981 saved its foundations and turret, and it was listed as a protected monument in 1993. Today it belongs to Tatra National Park and is a filial church of a local parish run by the Marian Fathers. It is on the Wooden Architecture Route of the Małopolska region. Allow 15–30 minutes.

Practical information

• Admission: free; the exterior can be seen at any time.
• Opening hours and Mass times: not published by an official source we could confirm — the interior is most reliably open around services.
• Renovation: a Polish radio report said the park was seeking funds for conservation work that would close the chapel; we could not confirm the status as of October 2026, so check locally.

Winter 2026/27

In snow, the chapel is one of the most photogenic sights in Zakopane. The road verges and the steps up to the chapel can be icy.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, if you like architecture or photography, or if you are already driving or riding toward Morskie Oko. It pairs well with Villa Koliba, the first Zakopane-style house, now a museum.