Discover Zabierzów

• The Neo-Gothic parish church of St. Francis of Assisi stands on Krakowska Street, in the area of the former village green.
• The obelisk was unveiled in 1993, on the 50th anniversary of the Gestapo’s arrest of the Pogan family and other residents on 3 July 1943.
• Limestone was extracted at the quarry from 1922 until it closed in 1992 for the production of chalk; the site was later flooded, creating a pond.
• A nature trail runs through the quarry grounds.

The Church of St. Francis of Assisi is a prominent landmark on Krakowska Street. Its Neo-Gothic architecture and location in the area of the former village green connect a visible building with the town’s earlier layout.

The obelisk also commemorates a specific historical event. It recalls the Gestapo’s arrest of the Pogan family and other residents on 3 July 1943. It was unveiled in 1993, on the 50th anniversary of the arrests. Opposite it stands a former mill dating from 1930, behind the Rudawa River.

Another architectural landmark is the timber-and-stone villa at 149 Krakowska Street. It was built in 1901 to a design by the architect Jan Sas-Zubrzycki, who lived in Zabierzów. The church, obelisk and villa each highlight something different: religious architecture, commemoration, and a personal connection between an architect and the town.

For decades, the Zabierzów quarry was a site of limestone extraction: limestone was mined there for chalk production from 1922 until the quarry closed in 1992. The disused quarry was later flooded, creating a pond. A nature trail runs through the grounds, offering another way to appreciate how the landscape has changed from an extraction site to its present-day form.

Swimming in the pond is not permitted for hygienic reasons. Check this rule locally before your visit. The quarry is on a listed hiking route, 1.3 km from Zabierzów railway station. A cycling route also runs near the quarry, as does the blue hiking trail from Zabierzów to Mników. These two routes are described as nearby routes, while the nature trail runs through the quarry grounds.

The listed hiking route of the Kraków branch of the Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society (PTTK) starts at Zabierzów railway station and runs via the quarry, Las Zabierzowski, Wąwóz Zbrza gorge, Kleszczów, Brzoskwinia, Chrosna and Wąwóz Półrzeczki gorge to the car park in Dolina Mnikowska and the Mników MPK stop. The route links several named stops; the quarry is 1.3 km from the station.

A listed cycling route runs from Zabierzów railway station via Bolechowice, Karniowice, Kawiory and Bębło Kolonia Zachodnia to Dolina Będkowska. A blue cycling route to Jerzmanowice Kolonia Zachodnia is listed as a continuation. The two routes differ in their waypoints and destinations: the hiking route passes through the quarry, among other places, and continues to Mników; the cycling route goes through the named villages to Dolina Będkowska and then in the direction of Jerzmanowice Kolonia Zachodnia.

Discover more destinations: Racławice, Sąspów, Szczyglice, Dziekanowice, Jerzmanowice, Michałowice, Modlniczka and Wesoła.

Is swimming allowed in the quarry pond?

No. Swimming in the Zabierzów quarry pond is not permitted for hygienic reasons. Check the rule locally before your visit.

Which historical sites can you visit in Zabierzów?

The buildings and memorial sites mentioned include the Neo-Gothic parish church of St. Francis of Assisi, the obelisk commemorating the arrests of 1943, and the villa built in 1901 at 149 Krakowska Street.

How do the listed tours differ?

The hiking route starts at the station, passes the quarry and other named places, and continues to Mników. The cycling route runs via Bolechowice, Karniowice, Kawiory and Bębło Kolonia Zachodnia to Dolina Będkowska; a blue cycling route to Jerzmanowice Kolonia Zachodnia is listed as a continuation.

For the broader travel overview: Kraków.