There are different options to focus on during a stay in Kościelisko: a 6 km route with views of the Tatra Mountains, the Tatrzańskie Archiwum Planety Ziemia and the Chapel of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary near Prędówka. The route, exhibition and chapel each appeal to different interests. You can first decide whether landscape, exhibition content, or history and furnishings are most important for your trip.

Route through Kościelisko

The route runs from Kiry via Groń, Rysulówka and Prędówka to Butorowy Wierch, passing through Kościelisko. It is 6 km long, passes through forests and fields, and offers views of the Tatra Mountains. Along the way, it passes the Kościelisko Biathlon Centre, which can be seen from the route. The sequence of places is clearly defined: Kiry is the starting point, the three places mark the course, and Butorowy Wierch marks the destination. Unlike the archive and the chapel, this option is laid out as a route with a beginning, stops along the way and a destination.

Exhibitions at the Tatrzańskie Archiwum Planety Ziemia

The Tatrzańskie Archiwum Planety Ziemia is located at the entrance to Dolina Kościeliska. The Kościelisko Kiry public transport stop and parking spaces are right next to it. These give you two specific reference points for getting there. Before your visit, it is worth checking the latest information about the stop and parking spaces.

The archive has seven exhibition rooms. The topics range from temperature and pressure to water, gravity and the Tatra Mountains. There is also a life-size dinosaur model and a cave bear on display. The exhibits therefore cover a range from physical concepts to the mountains; the dinosaur model and cave bear add two specific display items. If you are weighing up the route and the exhibition, different points are in focus here: themes and exhibits rather than a sequence of places through forests and fields.

Chapel near Prędówka

The Chapel of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary near Prędówka was built in 1909 and was the first chapel for Masses in Kościelisko. Inside are a wooden altar in the Zakopane style and a painting of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary by J. Gierald. Its cultural and historical context is defined by both its year of construction and former function, as well as specific details of its furnishings. The altar is described by its material and style, while the painting is identified by its subject and attribution to the artist.

Choosing hotels in Kościelisko

When looking for a hotel in Kościelisko, you can first decide what you want your stay to focus on. Kiry and Butorowy Wierch are the starting point and destination of the route; the archive is at the entrance to Dolina Kościeliska, and the chapel is near Prędówka. You do not have to give all three options equal priority: decide whether landscape, the exhibition or the chapel’s history is most important for your trip.

Discover more destinations: Gliczarów Górny, Rzepiska, Zakopane, Witów, Małe Ciche, Bustryk, Czarna Góra, Białka Tatrzańska.

For the broader travel overview: Tatra Mountains.