Zabawa: Sanctuary, History and Special Discoveries

Sanctuary and Karolina Exhibition

The parish church in Zabawa was elevated to the status of a sanctuary in 2002. An exhibition was established in the sanctuary church on 10 November 2002, presenting the life, martyrdom and cult of Blessed Karolina. It therefore explores several aspects of her story: her life, her martyrdom and the veneration associated with her. Visitors interested in religious culture will find a focused way to learn about the history of the place.

The sanctuary’s place in a wider pilgrimage context also shapes Zabawa’s character: it was officially included on the Way of St James. This route leads to Santiago de Compostela and is one of Europe’s best-known pilgrimage routes. You can take this connection into account when planning your trip if you are interested in pilgrimage history and spiritual heritage. It adds a European dimension to the local connection with Blessed Karolina.

Discovering history in different ways

The outdoor game “Odkryj Skarby Zabawy” (“Discover the Treasures of Zabawa”) takes place on the sanctuary grounds. It introduces visitors to notable places associated with Blessed Karolina, regional history and the spiritual heritage of this place. For families deciding together which historical perspectives interest them most, these are two different formats: the exhibition and the outdoor game each have their own focus.

Another special experience is “Miasteczko Modlitewne” (“Prayer Town”), a seven-day tent retreat in the fields near the Sanctuary of Blessed Karolina. It brings together around 200 young people each year. Its duration, tent-based format and approximate number of participants describe a distinctive form of shared spiritual experience. The retreat is therefore quite different from the exhibition and the outdoor game: the focus here is a seven-day gathering, rather than an exhibition or exploring notable places.

A military cemetery in the centre

Military Cemetery No. 260, dating from the First World War, lies in the centre of Zabawa, beside the parish cemetery. The graves of 77 Austro-Hungarian, 11 German and 9 Russian soldiers are believed to be located there. These presumed burials commemorate soldiers from three national groups and anchor the history of the First World War in the local landscape.

The cemetery itself also has distinctive features: its layout is a regular hexagon. Six tall, uninscribed gravestones stand on its grounds. Visitors interested in historic cemeteries and their design can appreciate the layout and the simple, unmarked stones as features in their own right.

Zabawa from a cycling perspective, too

The municipal audio guide for a cycling tour lists the wreckage of a Dakota aircraft as a stop in Zabawa. This is another distinct point of interest alongside the sanctuary and cemetery: the stop is part of a cycling-tour audio guide and refers to the aircraft wreckage. If you also want to include cycling and regional places in your travel plans, you can consider this stop as a prompt to explore Zabawa further. The audio guide explicitly links it to a cycling tour, but does not establish a shared route connecting it with the other places mentioned.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Zabawa, it may therefore be most important to consider whether you want to get to know the place for its religious history, its First World War memorials or its special ways to explore. More places to discover: Rychwald, Meszna Opacka, Milówka, Wola Radłowska, Pleśna, Ryglice, Wola Rzędzińska and Ładna.

For the broader travel overview: Tarnów.