Zakrzów: Wooden Houses and Culture at Zagroda Apolonia

• Zagroda Apolonia is a private open-air museum in Zakrzów.
• The complex includes six relocated and restored wooden houses dating from 1821 to 1933.
• The family workshop “Okno na zagrodę” connects window-making with the houses of Zagroda Apolonia.
• At a May gathering, local people sing religious songs in the afternoon at a chapel on the grounds.

The six wooden houses give Zagroda Apolonia a clear architectural focus. They were relocated and restored, and date from 1821 to 1933. This means the ensemble spans more than a century of construction. The dates indicate a range of different construction years, rather than a single date for the origin of the entire site.

Relocation and restoration add two further aspects to this timeline: the houses were moved to another location and restored. The ensemble can therefore be understood both through its construction dates and through the changes that shaped its present-day composition. For culturally minded travellers, this offers a specific theme: historic wooden houses dating across a long period.

At Pracownia Bure Wióry’s family workshop “Okno na zagrodę,” participants make a two-sash wooden window. The windows of the houses at Zagroda Apolonia serve as inspiration. The item thus draws on an element of the ensemble and combines an exploration of the wooden houses with practical craftwork.

The individual steps range from measuring and sawing to sanding, nailing and decorating. This sequence makes the result tangible as a piece of work on a specific object: participants do not simply decorate an arbitrary item, but make a window whose design relates to the houses of the open-air museum. This distinguishes the workshop from a general creative activity while keeping its focus on the site’s cultural connection.

At a gathering in May, local people—adults and children—meet in the afternoon at a chapel on the grounds of Zagroda Apolonia and sing religious songs. The meeting place and the generations taking part give this cultural activity a communal character.

The gathering and the window workshop offer different perspectives. The workshop centres on craftwork and making an object; the gathering centres on singing religious songs together. Those looking to understand Zakrzów culturally will find two specific perspectives: the wooden houses and craftsmanship on the one hand, and communal singing on the other.

If you are looking for a hotel for a cultural trip, you can consider Zakrzów as your search location and Zagroda Apolonia as a thematic point of reference when planning your trip. The historic wooden houses and the range of cultural activities help you identify the destination’s focus. You can decide which accommodation suits your travel group based on your own requirements.

Discover more destinations: Czyżów, Podstolice, Mała Wieś, Sułków, Węgrzce Wielkie, Czarnochowice, Kłaj, Koźmice Wielkie.

What is Zagroda Apolonia?

It is a private open-air museum in Zakrzów. The complex includes six relocated and restored wooden houses dating from 1821 to 1933.

What is made at the “Okno na zagrodę” workshop?

Participants make a two-sash wooden window. The windows of the houses at Zagroda Apolonia provide inspiration; the steps include measuring, sawing, sanding, nailing and decorating.

When and where does the communal singing take place?

At a May gathering, local people—adults and children—sing religious songs in the afternoon at a chapel on the grounds of Zagroda Apolonia.

For the broader travel overview: Wieliczka.