Kalwaria Zebrzydowska

As you probably know Calvary (also known as Golgotha) is the hill in Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified. But since even with a horse it was not easy and very time consuming to get to Jerusalem, people built artifical Calvaries around the catholic world, especially in XVII century. The best preserved and the only one on UNESCO World Heritage List is Polish Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, near Kraków.

As you can guess Kalwaria is the Polish word for Calvary and Zebrzydowska comes from the name of its founder and first owner, Mikołaj Zebrzydowski, voivode of Kraków.

The biggest and central building of the area is a complex of basilica and monastery, with the monument of John Paul The Second, who has visited it many times.

Here is the main entrance to the sanctuary.



And this is the front of the baroque basilica of St. Mary of Angels.

It looks really impressive inside.

As typical for baroque there are many gold ornaments, for example on the pipe organs ...

and all around the tabernacle.

Here is the titular miraculous St. Mary's painting.

But there are things more impressive then gold, for example this wooden monastery choir ...

... in the St. Anthony's Chappel.

Just behind the basilica one can find the monastery of Bernardines.



And next to the monastery start the pathways.

They are really steep, full of stones and roots, to let the pilgrim imagine the effort Jesus made.

Amog the path there are many buildings imitating the important places from the passion route, like Pilate's palace, ...

Herod's palace, ...

Saint Veronica ...

in the center of the city,

the meeting with the women of Jerusalem, ...

the second fall ...

with the sculpture inside, ...

the Jerusalem's gate ...

and the Crucifixion Church, ...

from where you can see the main complex.

The pilgrims who complete the route can rest here.

I really advise you to visit Kalwaria Zebrzydowska and feel in the legs (whether you have 2 or 4) Jesus' effort. Then you will understand the rationale for creating such places.