Chochołów

Chochołów is a mountain village in Lesser Poland Voivodeship situated along the Czarny Dunajec stream, with over 100 wooden houses built in traditional highland architecture. The houses follow a distinctive layout with narrow gable ends facing the road.

The settlement was founded in the 16th century when King Stephen Bathory appointed Bartlomiej Chocholowski as hereditary administrator. This appointment was linked to military service and local authority over the region.

The wooden houses are cleaned every spring before Easter, keeping their white walls bright and distinctive. This yearly practice shows how much locals value maintaining their architectural heritage.

The village is best explored on foot, as the houses are arranged along a main road and pathways are easy to walk. Visiting the museum housed in a historic cottage from the 18th century provides insight into the settlement's past.

One house stands out for being built with a wall from a single fir tree trunk that is more than 100 years old. This unusual construction reveals the inventive carpentry of the village's early residents.