The idea behind the list is to protect the world’s most valuable monuments and regions, important not only from a historical point of view, but also culturally and naturally. Currently, the UNESCO World Heritage List includes 1,199 sites and properties (933 listed as cultural heritage, 227 as natural heritage, and 39 as mixed cultural-natural), from 168 countries. In Poland, 30 properties are recognized as UNESCO heritage. Fourteen of them are located in the Małopolska Region. These include:
Kraków
The historic center of Kraków, including the Old Town, Wawel Hill, and the Kazimierz and Stradom districts, was inscribed on the list in 1978. It was one of the first 12 sites in the world to receive this distinction.
German Nazi Concentration Camp Auschwitz-Birkenau
Auschwitz has become a global symbol of war, terror, genocide, and the Holocaust. The Auschwitz camp was established by the Germans in occupied Oświęcim as a camp for Polish political prisoners, the first of whom were transported from the prison in Tarnów on June 14, 1940. In 1979, the grounds of the former Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The day of the camp’s liberation – January 27 – was designated by the United Nations as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Wieliczka Salt Mine
The mine was inscribed on the first UNESCO World Heritage List. The origins of “Wieliczka” – one of the oldest mines in the world – date back to the Middle Ages, when it bore the proud name Magnum Sal – Great Salt. The oldest known document shedding light on the mine’s history is the privilege granted by Casimir I in 1044, referring to Wieliczka as “magnum sal alias Wieliczka.”
Żupny Castle in Wieliczka
Żupny Castle, located in the very center of Wieliczka, was built as early as the 13th century and was significantly expanded in the following century, becoming part of the town’s fortification system. The oldest part is the Central Castle, known as the “House in the Middle of the Saltworks,” built in the 13th century. Today, the castle houses part of the exhibition of the Kraków Saltworks Museum. Among its highlights is the oldest mine shaft in Wieliczka, discovered here by archaeologists, dating back to the mid-13th century.
Bochnia Salt Mine
This is the oldest rock salt mine in Poland. According to historical sources, its operation dates back to 1248. Much earlier—around 3500 BCE—salt was extracted here by evaporating water from brine drawn from specially dug wells. Today, the mine is a unique tourist destination. It offers various themed tourist routes of different levels of difficulty.
Architectural and Park Complex in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska
The Kalwaria Zebrzydowska complex forms a unique cultural landscape, a place where natural and spiritual values are harmoniously combined. The architectural and park ensemble includes a sanctuary and a beautifully integrated Calvary with churches, chapels, shrines, statues, and bridges. Today, the complex in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska is—next to Częstochowa—the largest pilgrimage center in Poland.
St. Michael the Archangel Church in Dębno
The origins of the small church in Dębno, surrounded by a ring of old trees, date back to the 15th century. Throughout its long history, the church has remained largely unchanged, and the renovations carried out have not altered its distinctive Gothic form. It is considered a magnificent example of Gothic art.
Church of Saints Philip and James the Apostles in Sękowa
The church in Sękowa is one of the most picturesque in Małopolska. Its beauty is defined by an exceptionally tall roof and wide open arcades (soboty) that surround the building. The main body of the church was built around the year 1520.
St. Michael the Archangel Church in Binarowa
The first mention of the church in Binarowa dates back to 1415. The building we admire today is slightly younger—it was constructed around the year 1500, following the fire of the original structure. The late-Gothic form made of fir wood, with roofs and walls covered in wooden shingles, features a massive tower that narrows sharply upward and is topped with a pyramidal spire. What makes the church in Binarowa so famous is its interior—an authentic gallery of decorative art.
St. Leonard Church in Lipnica Murowana
The small church in Lipnica is one of the most renowned monuments in Małopolska. It was built at the end of the 15th century, although local tradition links it to the year 1141, when it was said to have been erected on the site of a former pagan temple. The so-called Światowid pillar, supporting the back of the main altar and allegedly bearing the image of a Slavic deity, is considered evidence of these colorful legends. The church has survived to the present day almost unchanged, preserving its Gothic form.
Greek Catholic Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Brunary Wyżne
The church in Brunary Wyżne, now serving as the Roman Catholic parish church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was built in 1797 and has retained the distinctive regional features of Lemko-style churches. The Baroque iconostasis from the late 18th century has been preserved. Other valuable elements include a painted 18th-century pulpit, a Rococo bench with painted decoration, and a music choir loft supported by two decorated columns.
Greek Catholic Church of St. Paraskeva in Kwiatoń
The church in Kwiatoń is considered one of the most beautiful wooden churches in Poland due to its exceptionally harmonious proportions. Located on the flat valley floor of a small stream in a tiny mountain village, it stands out beautifully against the backdrop of the mountain slopes. The church is surrounded by a log fence with two wooden frame-structure gates, topped with shingled roofs and onion-shaped domes.
Greek Catholic Church of the Protection of the Mother of God in Owczary
The church in Owczary, currently used by both Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic parishes, is one of the oldest Lemko churches. The construction date (1653) is carved on the western portal of the nave. The church in Owczary is a living testament to ecumenism. Catholics, Greek Catholics, and at times also Orthodox Christians pray here. It is a remarkable place not only because of its history, architecture, and richly decorated interior, but also for the idea of peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths.
Greek Catholic Church of St. James the Less in Powroźnik
This is the oldest church in the Polish Carpathians, built around 1600 using log construction. The roofs and walls are covered with wooden shingles. Notable features include a Baroque side altar from the 18th century and many valuable icons.
