Zakopane

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Zakopane

Zakopane - view from Gubałówka Hill (Tatra mountains in the background)

Coat of arms

Zakopane

Coordinates: 49°18′N 19°57′E / 49.3, 19.95

Country

Poland

Zakopane (urban gmina)

Established

17th century

Town rights

1933

Government

- Mayor

Janusz Majcher

Area

- Total

84 km² (32.4 sq mi)

Highest elevation

1,126 m (3,694 ft)

Lowest elevation

750 m (2,461 ft)

Population (2006)

- Total

27,486

- Density

327.2/km² (847.5/sq mi)

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

- Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

Postal code

34-500 to 34-504

Area code(s)

+48 18

Car plates

KTT

Website: http://www.zakopane.eu

Zakopane [zakɔˈpanɛ] ( listen) is a town in southern Poland with approximately 28,000 inhabitants (2004), situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999 (it was previously in Nowy Sącz Voivodeship from 1975-1998). The town, a place of Górale culture and informally known as the winter capital of Poland, lies in the southern part of the Podhale region at the feet of the Tatra Mountains, which is the only alpine mountain range in the Carpathian Mountains.

1 Location and surroundings
2 History
3 Sports
4 Twin city
5 Notable structures
6 Notable residents
7 Gallery
8 References
9 External links

[edit] Location and surroundings

Zakopane lies in a big valley between the Tatra Mountains and Gubałówka Hill. It is the most important Polish centre of mountaineering and skiing, and is visited by about three million tourists annually. The most important alpine skiing locations are Kasprowy Wierch, Nosal and Gubałówka Hill.^[1]

Zakopane has the highest elevation (800-1000 m) of any town in Poland. The central point of the town is at the junction of Krupówki and Kościuszki streets.

[edit] History

The earliest documents mentioning Zakopane date to the 17th century, describing a glade named Zakopisko. In 1676 it was a village of 43 inhabitants. Together with a section of the Tatra Mountains, it was sold in 1824 to the Homola family. Its further history was connected with the development of the mining and metallurgy industries in the region - in the 19th century it was the largest centre for metallurgy in Galicia and later with the progress of tourism. Its growth progressed greatly over the 19th century, as more and more people were attracted by its mild climate, and it soon progressed from being a small village, into a climatic health resort of 3000 inhabitants (1889).

Rail service to Zakopane started on 1 October 1899.

In March 1940 representatives of NKVD and Gestapo met for one week in the Villa Tadeusz in Zakopane, for the coordination of the pacification of resistance in Poland.

[edit] Sports

Zakopane hosted the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in 1929, 1939, and 1962, the winter Universiades in 1956, 1993 and 2001, the biathlon World Championship, several ski jumping world cups, and several Nordic combined, Nordic and Alpine European Cups. It was an unsuccessful candidate city for the 2006 Winter Olympics and 2011 World Ski Championships, and remains in the running to host this latter competition in 2013.

[edit] Twin city

[edit] Notable structures

[edit] Notable residents

Jan Bachleda-Curus, Olympian
Jan Pawlica, Olympian, the Bachleda & Pawlica families are the two oldest families in Zakopane
Tytus Chałubiński physician
Olga Drahonowska-Małkowska, one of the founders of Scouting movement in Poland
Władysław Hasior, sculptor
Jan Kasprowicz, poet, playwright
Kornel Makuszyński, children's writer
Karol Szymanowski, composer. His house in Zakopane, the Villa Atma, is now a museum dedicated to the composer.
Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz (Witkacy), avant-garde novelist, playwright, and painter
Mariusz Zaruski mountaineer and yachtsman
Jerzy Żuławski, poet, writer

[edit] Gallery

Typical house of Zakopane	Zakopane at night	Zakopane - Gubałówka Hill ski run	Zakopane - Gubałówka Hill a nursery ski run
Zakopane - Gubałówka Hill Funicular entrance	Zakopane - Gubałówka Hill Funicular	Aerial view of Zakopane	The Szymanowski Museum 'Villa Atma'