Kaplicówka Hill

Kaplicówka is a hill in Skoczów on which stands the chapel of St John Sarkander, and beside it a steel papal cross. It rises to about 355 m above sea level and belongs to the Cieszyn Foothills. From the top one can see the town's buildings and the ranges of the Silesian Beskids.

The chapel and the papal cross

The chapel on the hill has a long history. Before 1825 there was a chapel here dedicated to the Man of Sorrows, and in 1871 a new one was consecrated, in honour of John Sarkander, then beatified. The present building was designed by Alfred Wiedermann; it was completed and consecrated on 27 May 1934. Also linked with Sarkander is the John Sarkander Museum in Skoczów, which lists the chapel among the places important to his veneration.

In 1985 an openwork steel papal cross was erected on the hill. Beneath it, on 22 May 1995, John Paul II celebrated a Mass of thanksgiving in Skoczów after Sarkander's canonisation.

Views and trails

The hill is a viewpoint over the town and the Beskid ranges. Trails pass over Kaplicówka: the blue Skoczów Monuments Trail and the yellow Sarkander Trail. A reminder of earlier times is the viewing pavilion built in 1886 for the visit of Emperor Franz Joseph I. In 1933-1934 a ski jump was also built here, erected to promote winter sports in the region.

In the nearby centre of Skoczów one can visit the Gustaw Morcinek Museum and see the site of the synagogue.

Practical information

• Location: a hill in Skoczów, near the town centre (about 0.6 km from the John Sarkander Museum).
• Access: along the blue and yellow trails.
• The chapel is a place of worship, so the rules of behaviour are the same as in a church. Check the hours when it is open with the parish before your visit.