Photos

Chocholowska Polana – glade in Chocholowska Valley in the Western Tatras. It is located at an altitude of 1090-1150 meters above sea level. It is the largest meadow in the Polish Tatra Mountains and one of the largest in the whole of the Tatra Mountains. Historically, it was one of the main centers of grazing in the mountains. She was mowed and grazed sheep and cattle here. In 1930, it became the 60 different buildings, huts, sheds, barns with hay. They served not only economic goals, but they were also base for poachers, smugglers and mountaineers.

Name comes from the village Chocholow that in the sixteenth century, was granted to her pasture. In 1821, seven villages collected money to buy a significant area of the Tatra Mountains in the vicinity of Valley Chochołowska. Illiterate mountaineers entrust them to his attorney - Father Joseph Szczurowski. This, however, wrote the Austrian invaders bought land from each other, then they were sold and became the property of strangers. Only after lengthy litigation Highlanders regained his property in 1867. After World War II included the area to the Tatra National Park and the Highlanders lost the right to manage them. Again, they had to sue, in 1983, regained the right to manage the glade, but under the supervision of TPN.

On the glade there is still a large group of huts, bar and run highland sheep grazing is cultural. In the winter season is open folding ski lift. At the top of the glade work shelter. Shelter is the main base in the Western Tatras, in the winter the ski resort (skiing grown not only on the same glade - are labeled from the top of the mountain slopes above the glade). In addition to shelter is meteorological station and the building of Mountain Rescue. By the forest is a wooden chapel in mountain style. On Sunday, take place in the masses. Glade is famous for its mass-blooming crocus in early spring.

This is a scan from negative.