Góra Żar, Bugaj settlement and Barwałd Castle in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska
beach_access Route in the shade
restaurant Restaurant or bar nearby
directions_car Access by car
directions_bus Can be reached by bus
train Access by train possible
The route from the center of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska to Góra Żar leads through the famous Passion-Marian Sanctuary, forest paths of Kalwaria and the Bugaj settlement. At the end of this short and easy walk, a story about Barwałd Castle, robbers and a ghost haunting the ruins awaits us.
Black and green trail in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska
Two walking trails run through the center of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska towards Góra Żar. Both start near the PKP Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Lanckorona station, with the black one leading us around the Market, and the green one taking a shortcut through Błażkówka street. When coming to Kalwaria from the PKP Kalwaria Zebrzydowska station, you should head to the Market, and then to 3 Maja street.
From the center of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska to the Bernardine Monastery
The first part of our journey is a walk through the streets of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska to the heart of the town located on the hill, the famous Bernardine Monastery and Passion-Marian Sanctuary.
Instead of taking the main, busy access road, you can shorten the route and climb the hill via the quiet (though quite steep) Bernardine street.
Passion-Marian Sanctuary and Bernardine Monastery
If you come to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska by car, you can park in the large parking lot at the sanctuary and immediately enter the forest section of the trail. Of course, it is worth taking a look inside the beautiful Baroque church first.
From the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels, there is a beautiful view to the east and south, including the neighboring Lanckorońska Mountain:
More about the monastery, sanctuary and other attractions of the town can be found in this article:
Kalwaria Zebrzydowska - sightseeing and attractions
Kalwaria Zebrzydowska is one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in the Lesser Poland region. The main attraction of the town is the Marian and Passion Sanctuary, the Bernardine Monastery, and the surrounding Calvary paths with picturesque chapels hidden in the forest, all of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. ...
Calvary paths and green trail to Góra Żar
From the Bernardine Monastery, we follow the green signs towards the forest and the so-called Marian Paths of Calvary. The road is wide and comfortable, but later on it becomes quite steep and rocky.
Just after entering the forest, we pass a group of several chapels. The largest building is the Church of the Crucifixion, on the right there is the smaller Church of the Tomb of Jesus.
A bit below there is the Chapel of Stripping and St. Helena's Hermitage, and the Church of the Third Fall.
Green trail: Hermitage of the Five Polish Brothers
Behind the Church of the Crucifixion, the main Calvary paths turn left, we continue the forest walk along the green trail.
As you can see, in addition to the green signs, we are accompanied by white shells with a red sword-cross. This is the sign of the Beskidy Road of St. James, leading from Stary Sącz to Cieszyn.
As you can see, turning away from the Calvary paths does not mean that we leave the "Calvary attractions" behind. After about 15 minutes of forest walk, we pass another chapel. This time it's the Hermitage of the Five Polish Brothers and the Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene.
Bugaj settlement on Góra Żar in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska
One of the more interesting places on our trail is the so-called Bugaj settlement, which is reminded by a commemorative plaque.
Archaeological works carried out here, among others in 2015, confirmed the existence of settlements from pre-Christian times. Fragments of vessels belonging to the Lusatian culture, medieval and modern objects were found here.
Góra Żar and Barwałd Castle
A little more walk through the forest and we reach the destination: the top of Góra Żar. Although not much remains of the medieval walls (reportedly they were partially used to build the nearby Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene), the terrain of the mountain top clearly reveals that centuries ago there was a fortified fortress here: Barwałd Castle.
Barwałd Castle - history, trivia, legends and ghosts
A brief history of Barwałd Castle is presented by an information plaque on the top of Góra Żar:
Katarzyna Skrzyńska "Włodkowa" - the most famous Polish woman - robber
What else is worth knowing about Barwałd Castle on Góra Żar in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska? Well, its most famous hostess was Katarzyna Skrzyńska, also known as "Włodkowa" after her husband's name, Włodzimierz. She belonged to the rebellious knights called "raubritters". Although she came from a wealthy noble family, she was involved in robbery and counterfeiting royal coins.
Katarzyna was famous for her great strength and cruelty. She led a band of robbers, together with them she attacked merchants, plundered villages, and even churches in the area. Reportedly, she was captured and burned at the stake in the Market Square in Krakow (other sources speak of being torn apart by horses in Auschwitz). According to the legend, the ghost of Katarzyna Skrzyńska "Włodkowa" can still be met at night among the ruins of Barwałd Castle on Góra Żar.
PS. If we have more time and feel like walking, from Góra Żar you can head to the neighboring castle on Lanckorońska Mountain - walking this route one way will take about 2 hours.
Did you know that in the Middle Ages, both castles defended the border running along the Cedron (Skawinka) river between the Krakow Land (Castle on Lanckorońska Mountain) and the Duchy of Auschwitz (Barwałd Castle on Góra Żar)?
Lanckorona. Castle ruins
The castle in Lanckorona is a fortress that dates back to the times of Casimir the Great. Once, the castle on top of Lanckorona Hill ...
Publish Date: 2024-01-05
More in the Region Beskid Makowski (Beskid Makowski)
Total Length 96 km
