Po polsku: Cmentarz na Pęksowym Brzyzku w Zakopanem
Where do the people who shaped Zakopane, the Tatras and the Podhale region rest? Many of them lie in Pęksowy Brzyzek, the oldest cemetery in the centre of Zakopane, the mountain town south of Kraków. It dates from the middle of the 19th century, and its tombstones are works of art in their own right.
What the name means
The cemetery is named after Jan Pęksa, who donated the land where it stands.
The second word, brzyzek, comes from the local highlander dialect (gwara góralska). There it means a steep bank above a stream.
Why this cemetery is special
There are about 500 graves at Pęksowy Brzyzek, and around 250 of them belong to people recognised for their contributions to the region.
What I find most striking is that almost every tombstone is a one-of-a-kind piece of art. You will see small chapels and highlander crosses (góralskie krzyże) made of wood, metal or stone. Some are carved with motifs from Podhale, and some are painted on glass. Many of them were made in the workshop of the sculptor Władysław Hasior.
Who is buried here
Right by the entrance, on the right-hand side, you will find the symbolic grave of Witkacy, together with the grave of his mother.
A little further on lie Stanisław Marusarz, Helena Marusarzówna and Kornel Makuszyński.
On the other side are the graves of Władysław Orkan, Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer and Tytus Chałubiński. Behind them are the graves of Sabała and Stanisław Witkiewicz.
Also worth a look are the symbolic graves of Mieczysław Karłowicz and Bronisław Piłsudski.
Good to know
In front of the cemetery stands a historic church of Our Lady of Częstochowa (kościółek pw. Matki Boskiej Częstochowskiej), known as the Old Church (Stary Kościółek). It is the oldest wooden church in Zakopane and was built between 1847 and 1852.
Since 2013, visitors have paid a small fee, which goes towards the upkeep and conservation of the cemetery.
Every year on 1 November, a charity collection (kwesta) is held at Pęksowy Brzyzek to help save the historic tombstones.
My tip: this is a working cemetery, so come quietly and take your time. The details on the tombstones are best enjoyed slowly.
Practical info
- Where: Kościeliska Street, Zakopane, a few minutes on foot from Krupówki street. The entrance is next to the Old Church (Stary Kościółek).
- Entry: a small fee (a cegiełka, or contribution) is collected at the entrance to maintain the cemetery. Local residents and the families of those buried here do not pay.
- Visiting: daily during the daytime. It is an active burial place, so please keep quiet and behave calmly.
- Buried here include: Tytus Chałubiński, Sabała, Stanisław Witkiewicz, Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer, Władysław Orkan, Kornel Makuszyński, Helena and Stanisław Marusarz
- Nearby: the Old Church on Kościeliska Street, Krupówki, the Olcza Sanctuary, Kasprowy Wierch
Checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so please check before your visit.
More in Zakopane: Giewont and the legend of the Sleeping Knight. All guides: Kraków & Małopolska in English.
Łukasz, Niezwykła Małopolska