Zalipie – Polish Painted Houses Village

Zalipie Poland is one of the most beautiful and colourful villages in Poland. However, it is also one of the most colourful. It is famous for its folky flower patterns and the tradition of its painted houses.

Zalipie, Poland

Zalipie Poland

Zalipie is a small painted village in southern Poland. The Polish village is located in Gmina Olesno in Dabrowa County in Lesser Poland Voivodeship. It lies approximately 7 km west of Olesno and 68 kilometres east of Krakow, the regional capital.

A Poland village that has been painted and people are drawn to it. The polish home paintings are truly unique, and there is no place else like them. The drawings of flowers are everywhere! Not only are houses painted but barns, fences, fences, and clothes too. The 1800s was the first time this design was used in homes. The interior was darkened along with the ceiling and walls.

Polish Village women would whitewash around the area of the chimney to hide the soot marks of wood-burning fireplaces. However, it was not uncommon for dark soot to remain visible even after the whitewash. Somehow, the trend was to paint flowers on top of the freshly whitewashed area to hide the soot. The flowers started to spread from the inside of the houses to the exterior and all over town. They became more elaborate as the designs spread out across the Polish houses.

Polish Village Paintings

Zalipie Poland women began to paint white designs on the darkened areas of their homes to brighten them up. The paintbrushes they used were made of birch sticks, which were then cut into small pieces at the end. Even though ventilation was improved, the folk art continued to be performed by villagers, mostly women, who moved from ceilings to walls to bridges, and all of that in-between.

The painted houses — More than 30 houses are completely covered in flower patterns. This tradition has lasted, and each spring after Corpus Cristi, the villagers host the Painted Cottage contest or Malowana Chata. The contest is held every year since 1948. Women learned to use colour in their art and improved their brushes over the years. These doodles were initially just a sketch. They evolved into intricate floral designs that were inspired by the local flowers. This technique and pattern were passed down from generation to generation, and by the 20th Century, it had become a tradition with vibrant village paintings.

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Polish Painted Houses

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Painted Village Poland

The floral art can be found all around St Joseph's Church, including on the tablecloths and around the altar. Even the priest's robes have colourful flowers on them! It is a church that prides itself on its uniqueness and hard work over the years. So it is worth a look.

The Ethnographic Museum of Tarnow hosts an annual cottage painting competition to promote these traditions. The competition is open to all Zalipie residents. Cash prizes go to creativity and artistic flair. Often, many generations compete together. It is a great way to keep tarnów Zalipie folk art alive since each participant has a different take.

The small polish village decorates the interior of their homes and furniture, doors, and ceramics. The annual competition encourages painters to keep the tradition alive. A few homes in Zalipie can be viewed inside by visitors. The Poland painting village is one of the most beautiful villages in Poland.