A trendy resort at the foot of the Tatras and, at 730-1000 m above sea level, Poland's highest alpine town - that's how Zakopane is perceived by most visitors. It became fashionable in the early 20th century and has remained so until today. It has always been in vogue to come here and brag about it. Since the late 19th century Zakopane has been attracting the best Polish writers, poets, painters and sculptors, who contributed to its extraordinary atmosphere by designing fine villas and creating works of art inspired by local traditions. Visiting Zakopane is still something that "you should do", like going to St. Moritz in Switzerland. Fortunately, the town is safeguarded against a slide into the inevitable snobbery by the crowds of backpackers who continue the over century-long tradition of hiking in the Tatras. Out of the current 30,000 residents, some five thousand are descendants of the old Górale Highlander families. Zakopane has always been fascinating for their exotic culture. It is a strange town with just a few rows of houses, not too tall and predominantly early 20th-century, surrounded by detached villas, pensions and wooden cottages, often great achievements of regional architecture. |
