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The Chapel "On the Water" of St. Joseph the Worker in Ojców is one of the symbols of Ojców National Park. It is also one of the best-known historic spa buildings in the area. For over 100 years, visitors have admired its delicate wooden shape, built in the so-called Swiss-Ojców style. But was it really built "on the water" because the Russian tsar banned the construction of religious buildings in the Ojców spa?
History of the Chapel "On the Water" in Ojców
Did you know that the first building in this place was not a chapel at all? It was a small bathing pavilion built at the end of the 19th century. It belonged to the nearby Goplana sanatorium. People used it for special wave baths on the Prądnik River. In 1901, the bathhouse was rebuilt as a spa chapel. The painting of Our Lady Help of Christians in the main altar also comes from 1901. It was painted by one of the spa guests staying in Ojców.
Why does the chapel in Ojców stand "on the water"?
The whole wooden chapel really does stand on concrete pillars, like a small bridge over the Prądnik River. According to local tradition, this was a clever way to avoid a tsarist ban on building churches on the land in Ojców. The chapel was not built "on land", but "on water".
Today we know that the idea to rebuild the bathhouse into a church came from Dr. Stanisław Niedzielski. He was the doctor in charge of the Goplana sanatorium, which still existed at that time. It is hard to say for sure whether he was avoiding an official tsarist order, or whether he simply used a building that was already there.
Masses at the Chapel "On the Water" in Ojców
Since 2008, the chapel has belonged to the Roman Catholic parish of Ojców-Grodzisko. Masses are held here regularly: on Sundays at 8:00 and 10:00. From March to the end of September there is also a Mass at 18:00, and in October at 16:00.
The Chapel "On the Water" in Ojców - how to get there and parking
The easiest way to get to Ojców and the chapel is by car. However, parking can be difficult, especially on sunny weekends. There is a small parking bay next to the chapel, but it fills up very quickly. The paid car park near Ojców Castle also gets busy. More parking spaces are available at the paid car park on Złota Góra. From there, the walk to the chapel takes about 20-30 minutes. In summer, on weekends, you can also get here by MPK bus from Kraków, the seasonal leisure line LR0.
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