Rustic Log Cabin with Fantastic Interior

Introducing the Mountain Shelter

The Mountain Shelter is a stunning log cabin located in the mountain resort of Zakopane, Poland, just 900 meters from the popular Krupowki Street with shops and restaurants. The log cabin has free Wi-Fi access that is available in this chalet. The cozy log chalets are done in the regional style and will provide you with a flat-screen TV and a terrace. There is a fully equipped kitchenette with a refrigerator, a stove, and kitchenware. The log cabin has modern amenities including a hairdryer and a private bathroom that also come with towels. An array of activities can be enjoyed on-site or in the log cabin surroundings, including skiing and hiking. The log cabin property offers free parking. The ski lift Pod Skocznia is 1 km away and Szymoszkowa is 2 km from the vacation property. Zakopane Train Station is just 2 km away. When you take a look around this beautiful log cabin you'll be sure to fall in love with the Zakopane Style of log cabin building.

The Zakopane Style: A Cultural Heritage

The Zakopane Style or Witkiewicz Style is an art style, that is most visible in architectural design but also found in the furniture and related objects, that are inspired by the regional art of Poland's highland regions, most notably Podhale. The style draws upon the motifs and traditions in the buildings of the Carpathian Mountains, which was created by Stanislaw Witkiewicz who was born in the Lithuanian village of Pasiause and is now considered to be one of the core traditions of the Goral people.

Architectural Features of the Zakopane Style

The Zakopane Style of log house construction combines wooden framing and reinforced stone structures, which is typical of Goral cottages, and traditional folk motifs with elements of Art Nouveau. The main features of the Zakopane Style of log house construction include a radiant sun on the gable, intricate flower carvings, especially on the window and door frames, and the six-petal rosette solar symbol. Details of woodwork, from Wladyslaw Matlakowski's works on the architectural design and decorative art of the Podhale highlanders from 1892 and 1901.

Adaptation and Spread of the Zakopane Style

As the Zakopane style spread outside of rural Podhale to the urban centers of Galicia and Poland, the style was also adapted to brick and stone construction, with only limited details made from wood. As a result, you'll find elements such as the timber cottage outlays, together with the locking joints and lattice-work, that were transformed into masonry while the popular motifs that were traditionally carved in wood were applied to stone and appeared in non-traditional places. For example, you'll find several such buildings that were constructed in Lviv the capital of Galicia, the administrative region that Podhale and Zakopane both were a part of. At least two Zakopane Style-influenced buildings were erected in the small city of Przemysl, which is geographically located between Zakopane and Lviv.

The Enduring Legacy of Zakopane Style

Today, you will find the Zakopane style dominated architectural design in the Podhale and other Goral Lands for many years. Although the cutoff date for buildings designed in the Zakopane Style of Architecture is usually held to be 1914, many new villas and highlander log homes are built according to the architectural model that was devised by Witkiewicz to the present day.