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KRUPÓWKI then and now. History and present offer of the pedestrian centre of Zakopane.


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Zakopane Krupowki

krupówki.bizZakopane Lower Krupówki,
from Ko¶cieliska street to Zakopane cloth hall:

gazdowo kuĽniaThe corner house on the left hand side at number 1 is the oldest hotel in Zakopane, and was managed by Romuald Kulig since 1885. Until 1898, the Pod Gewontem Hotel was the biggest hotel in the town, with 18 rooms on the upper floors, a restaurant with veranda overlooking Nowotarska street and a billiards room on the hotel's ground floor. In 1890's the hotel operated the first ever in Zakopane regular transportation line, a horse omnibus travelled to Jaszczurówka three times a day.


The Pod Gewontem Hotel was managed by Romuald Kulig's sons until 1939. After the Second World War, it ceased to be a hotel, (...) and despite its historical value, dismantling of the building was planned. However, in 1990's the house was restored, and these days it hosts a milk bar, a shop, and the Gazdowo KuĽnia restaurant.

krupówki wenecjaOpposite, on the other side of the street, is Romuald Kulig's former house, called Venetia (Wenecja) and situated just over a river stream. Numerous shops were and still are there
zakopane willa vita The next building at number 2/4 draws passers by attention with the its north-eastern corner which comes forth far onto the pavement. The house was built by the Germans in 1942 and was destined to become Karol Imke's butchery. (..) The buidling facade was to define a new direction of the lower parts of Main Street (that's how the Nazis called Krupówki), so that it merged into Nowotarska street gently. These days Villa Vita apartments are situated there, as well as Czarny Staw restaurant and a pizzeria.


Holy Family Church  A little bit further up the street, on the left hand side, is the Holy Family Parish Church, that was started in 1877 by the first Parish Priest of Zakopane Józef Stolarczyk. He bought a lot of land with Jan Nepomuc figure with his own money and donations by Wojciech Bachleda Księżyk and Jan G±sienica Staszeczek. The project was bought by Tytus Chałubiński and prepared by Józef Dziekoński from Warsaw. The construction took 19 years and was completed in 1899 by Parish Priest Kazimierz Kaszelewski. The main feature of the church is the side chapel of John the Baptist, designed and constructed in 1899 by Stanisław Witkiewicz for the Gnatowski family. Designed in the local Zakopane style, it is today one of the most precious works of art in Zakopane. Unfortunately, the chapel is closed for visitors most of the time, and one needs to visit the vicarage to be able to see it.

We continue further up the road on the right hand side along Foluszowy Potok stream, which is a side creek of Bystra stream, man made in the 19th century. Foluszowy Potok runs parallel to the main axis of the town created with Krupówki and Zamoyskiego streets. Its waters used to move mills of weaving houses (hence the name), sawmills, mill stones and turbines of powerhouses.
cloth hall sukiennice A long line of pseudo regional chalets selling local souvenirs, toys and highland's products has been placed along Foluszowy Potok.
Onto the right and over the bridge is a big wooden house called Młyniska, where there is a Greek Rodos restaurant, Antrakt cafeteria, and minerals and rocks gallery called Galena. In the 19th century, this was Jan G±sienica Staszeczka's sawmill, which was later turned into the first water power station in Zakopane (the property of Franciszek Pawlica), providing the houses on the other side of the street with electricity.

More stories on Krupówki...

All of the below quotes come from a book called Zakopane, The Historic Guide (available only in Polish). Translation: Agnieszka Baczkowska.