Chochołów: Historic Street Village and Culture

• The houses in the street village face the street with their gables; behind them, farm buildings are grouped around courtyards.
• The Muzeum Powstania Chochołowskiego is a branch of the Muzeum Tatrzańskiego and has been housed since 1978 in a historic wooden Gorale cottage.
• The Kościół św. Jacka church dates from 1853 to 1866.
• The red Szlak Powstania Chochołowskiego hiking trail is 23.2 kilometers long; the stated walking times vary by direction.
• The Kompleks Skoczni Narciarskich Chochołów comprises the HS16 and HS30 ski jumps and was built in 2018.

Chochołów is an example of a densely built street village. The orientation of the houses and the arrangement of the farm buildings together define its layout: the gables of the houses face the street, while the farm buildings behind them are grouped around courtyards. A street village here is therefore not just a row of individual houses, but a settlement structure in which the street frontage and courtyard areas belong together.

The wooden buildings in the old part of Chochołów form a living open-air museum of folk architecture. This description draws attention to the ensemble and its traditional building methods, not just to a single building. To understand the architecture, it is therefore relevant to consider both the wooden houses and their position along the street and in relation to the courtyards behind them.

The Muzeum Powstania Chochołowskiego presents the history of the region. It has been housed since 1978 in a historic wooden Gorale cottage and is a branch of the Muzeum Tatrzańskiego. The museum is located on the Szlak Architektury Drewnianej in Małopolska.

Another historic landmark is the Kościół św. Jacka church in Chochołów. It dates from 1853 to 1866. The church’s construction period and the museum’s founding history can be distinguished chronologically: the museum has been in existence since 1978, while the stated construction years for the church are much earlier. Chochołów therefore offers a range of themes for a cultural trip: the village layout, regional history at the museum, and the church’s architectural history.

The red Szlak Powstania Chochołowskiego hiking trail runs between Poronin and the boundary near Chochołów. The route is 23.2 kilometers long. The stated time is 7 hours 45 minutes in one direction and 7 hours 30 minutes in the opposite direction. The difference is 15 minutes, so when planning, it is worth considering the direction as well as the route length. The endpoint near Chochołów is at the village boundary.

Another nearby destination is Chochołowskie Termy, located on the boundary between Witów and Chochołów, on provincial road 958. This describes their location on the municipal boundary, not a location entirely within Chochołów. In the village itself is the Kompleks Skoczni Narciarskich Chochołów, with the HS16 and HS30 ski jumps; it was built in 2018. The hiking trail, ski jumps, and thermal baths are therefore different reference points for trip planning, and are not all in the same geographic location.

This lets you choose a destination to suit your interests without conflating different locations and time estimates.

Discover more destinations: Ponice, Łapsze Niżne, Niedzica, Piekielnik, Mizerna, Czorsztyn, Czarny Dunajec, Kluszkowce.

Which way do the houses in the street village face?

The houses face the street with their gables. Behind them, the farm buildings are grouped around courtyards.

What does the Muzeum Powstania Chochołowskiego present?

The museum presents the history of the region. It has been housed since 1978 in a historic wooden Gorale cottage and is a branch of the Muzeum Tatrzańskiego.

How long is the Szlak Powstania Chochołowskiego?

The red hiking trail is 23.2 kilometers long. The stated walking times are 7 hours 45 minutes in one direction and 7 hours 30 minutes in the opposite direction.

Go to the higher-level travel overview: Nowotarski.