Merit at the cemetery in Zakopane Peksowy Brzyzek

Merit at the cemetery in Zakopane Peksowy Brzyzek (also called the old cemetery) - the first Zakopane cemetery on ul. Kościeliska, arose in the mid-nineteenth century, where the twenties of the twentieth century were buried - except those who have family graves here - only the people of outstanding and meritorious Zakopane, Tatra Mountains and Podhale.

The name of the cemetery is named after the donor's land on which it is located, John Pęksy. In the highland dialect "brzyz" ("brzyzek") means a bluff overlooking a stream.

Pęksowy Brzyzek is a special place in the history of Zakopane. Is the trace of the existence of those who, like Titus Chałubiński creating the reality of the city and those who created his legend, as Sabala, or the famous ski jumper and courier Tatra Marusarz Stanislaus. It is the last trace of artists associated with the Tatra Mountains, wrosłych his works in the Tatra folklore, and the memory of the famous Tatra guides. Almost everyone who wrote in the history of the city and mountains found their place here.

At Peksowy Brzyzek is about 500 graves, including 250 persons of merit. The cemetery is surrounded by a stone wall. Almost all tombstones are unique works of art, made in wood, metal or stone shrines, highland crosses carved in motifs Podhale, painted on glass. Many of them created in the studio Hasior (even when he taught at the School of Art Techniques in Zakopane), including sculpture on the tomb of Mary Witkiewiczowa, Joseph Fedorowicz - "Pimko" Anthony Rząsa, Wanda Widigierowej.
The historic church at the cemetery on Peksowy Brzyzek
The interior of the historic church at the cemetery on Peksowy Brzyzek

Right at the entrance, on the right side, there is a symbolic grave Witkacy, along with his mother's grave. A little further is Stanislaw buried Marusarz (with his wife Irena), Helena Marusarzówna and Kornel Makuszynski on whose tombstone burn lights brought in by children. Opposite, across the alley, he found his place Wladyslaw Orkan grave, with his left hand rested the ashes of Casimir-Tetmajer breaks, while right Chalubinskiego Titus, in the second row Sabała and Stanislaw Witkiewicz. In the depths of the cemetery, tombstones are Stryjeński Charles, Anthony Kenar, Jan Dlugosz, Anthony Rząsa (whose chisel is a monument on the grave of Antoni Kenar) Hasior. At the gate - the family tomb Chramców, the grave of Fr. Józef Stolarczyk, a little further Beaty Obertyńskiej. At the end of the cemetery, under the wall, the latest story in the history of the cemetery - Mieczyslaw Biernacik stone tombstone, an artist-blacksmith and musician who joined the highland philosophy and art crafts.

Prior to the cemetery on the left side of the entrance is a historic church of. Our Lady of Czestochowa, the oldest wooden church in Zakopane, built in the years 1847-1852. The interior form a folk paintings and wooden statues from the mid-nineteenth century. On the altar, a replica of the Black Madonna of Czestochowa image.