Czarnochowice: Church, Wayside Shrine and Pocket Park

Czarnochowice brings together several distinctive local sights: the church’s architectural history, a stone wayside chapel, a Marian shrine and the Ogród Hortensjowy Pocket Park. This mix is useful when planning your trip because sacred architecture, historical dates and a named park appeal to different interests. If you choose your stay based on cultural themes, the specific architectural features and their dates can help guide you.

Church and Small Religious Monuments

In 1983, Pope John Paul II consecrated the foundation stone for the new church in Czarnochowice; Cardinal Franciszek Macharski had it laid in 1990. The two dates mark different stages in the church’s construction. Near the church stands a three-storey stone wayside chapel, topped by a cross. Its niches contain figures of saints, including a polychrome statue of Saint John of Nepomuk. An inscription on the plinth gives 1988 as the year of restoration.

On a small hill in Czarnochowice stands a shrine dedicated to the Mother of God. It was built in the second half of the 19th century, decorated with figures and reliefs bearing distinct features of local folk art, and restored in 2015. It is topped by a stone Passion cross depicting the Crucifixion. Unlike the wayside chapel, the shrine focuses on Marian devotion and folk-art decoration; the chapel is distinguished by its statue of Saint John of Nepomuk and the inscription on its plinth.

The Ogród Hortensjowy Pocket Park offers a different point of interest alongside the religious buildings. Its name provides a specific point of reference for planning in Czarnochowice and adds a named park to the area’s attractions.

In Wieliczka: Mining and Routes

The Wieliczka Salt Mine is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines.” In Wieliczka, the underground Miners’ Route covers 7 to 14 extraction chambers in the rugged workings around the oldest surviving Regis Shaft; it is up to 2 kilometres long. Both the number of extraction chambers and the maximum length are relevant when assessing its scope.

The routes can also be distinguished by their described features. The yellow route is a hiking and cycling route between Wieliczka and Dobczyce. The red cycling route forms a 27-kilometre loop through Wieliczka and Siercza. This means you can choose between a route with two named endpoints suitable for hiking and cycling, and a cycle loop with a stated length. Check route conditions before setting out, as they may change.

A dated visitor notice applies to Zamek Żupny in Wieliczka: on 8 September 2026, the building and its courtyard were closed for renovation work, which was expected to continue until the end of 2028. Check the latest information before visiting.

Discover more destinations: Sułków, Byszyce, Kłaj, Czyżów, Zakrzów, Przebieczany, Zabawa, Podstolice.

For the main travel overview: Wieliczka.