The wooden pearls of Podhale

We go in the direction of Czarny Dunajec through Spisz and Podhale. This time we only go past the seat of the commune to reach its edge – Chochołów. There we will see one of the most beautiful wooden streets. The wooden architecture of Chochołów is the most precious treasure of the commune, very characteristic for the whole Podhale. Wooden houses are situated by the road creating a linear settlement – a traditional arrangement of a village. All of them face the road and are built on a rectangular plan. They are constructed out of logs and have half-gable roofs.

Annually in spring, the houses are brushed so that they remain light. The most interesting cottage is at number 75 – the cottage of the Bafia Family which houses the Museum of Chochołów Uprising. The museum displays an exhibition on the uprising which broke out in Podhale on 22nd February 1846. This short but intense rebellion of Highlanders against Austria was a significant event in the history of the region. The cottage also presents a typical arrangement of a highlander cottage.