History of Zalipie

walls with white lime. By the time progress and its new fan-dangled ‘chimneys’ arrived in Zalipie the tradition had not only stuck, but, with the aid of coloured paints, it had evolved into a unique art form that saw the village cottages adorned inside and out in extraordinary floral folk motifs. By the 1930s, the village had made a bit of a name for itself and in 1948, the first competition to select the most beautifully decorated cottage was held—a tradition that continues annually to this day on the weekend after Corpus Christi.

Though well-known throughout Poland, Zalipie is well enough off the tourist trail that it is not a highly-trafficked destination and your presence there will be met with smiles, welcoming gestures and plenty of inquisitiveness from the villagers themselves. Few adventures could be more authentic, so if you’ve got some time to plumb around Poland, put this sleepy little marvel on your list.



As Zalipie is a village there’s no central district to gravitate to; most of the sights can be accessed by foot, but it is ideal to have a car, bicycle or other mode of transport. The joy of a visit is in wandering around the countryside discovering and admiring the cheerful decorations. In addition to the 20 or so painted homes in the area, you’ll find plenty of other objects that have been livened up with colour, including barns, fences, outhouses, wells, chicken coops, and roadside crosses and, of course, the village church, the interior of which is filled with painted figures and ornate touches