Travels in Orawa [#02] - Zubrzyca Górna

At the foot of Babia Góra and Policy lies one of the lesser-known villages of Orawa. This is Zubrzyca Górna. Located alongside provincial road No. 957, which connects it with places such as Nowy Targ and Ludźmierz, it remains relatively unpopular among tourists. Only a few pass through here, most often on their way to the mountain trails. However, it's worth stopping here for a longer time, as Zubrzyca Górna is not just a stop on the way to the peaks. What else does it have to offer?

First of all, peace and views. Still rarely visited, it allows one to enjoy the scenery and breathe in the fresh air without having to navigate through crowds of tourists, which will certainly be appreciated by those yearning for tranquility. And there are plenty of walking trails here. And not necessarily mountainous ones. Just a hike along the Orawa streams, Zubrzyca Górna and Dolna, creating a catchment area for the Black Sea (a rarity in Poland), is an interesting option.

You shouldn’t expect crowds when visiting the main attraction of Zubrzyca Górna, which is the open-air museum that houses the Orawa Ethnographic Park. Covering an area of about 4 hectares, you can see wooden architecture monuments such as a lamus, the "Black Inn," an apiary, a fulling mill, and a sawmill. All these buildings are testimonies to the Wallachian and Polish settlement in Orawa, which was under Hungarian rule until 1918. An attentive observer will certainly recognize among them the buildings that appeared in the film productions "Janosik" and "With Fire and Sword."

The open-air museum is open to visitors all year round; during the summer season from 10:00 to 18:00, and in the other months at slightly different hours. Tickets can be purchased at the cash desk by the gate. A regular ticket costs 20 PLN, reduced price – 12. The ticket price includes a guided tour service.

 

Author of the photos and text - Bogusława Bandyk