Marcyporeba lies on the northern side of the Pasmo Draboża. Two clear perspectives can help you choose what to see: the wooden St. Martin’s Church with its older furnishings, and routes connecting Marcyporeba with a pilgrimage destination or named landscape features. There is also evidence of a long local history, from a wayside shrine dating to the 19th century to a fortification that existed before the 14th century. The town can therefore be understood through both its sacred architectural history and its historic routes and landscape connections.

St. Martin’s Church and Interior Furnishings

The wooden St. Martin’s Church is one of two wooden churches in the municipality of Brzeźnica on the Wooden Architecture Route. It was built in 1670 and consecrated in 1677. Construction and consecration were therefore seven years apart; the two dates refer to different stages in the church’s history.

The interior furnishings also predate the church building: inside are a Gothic crucifix from the 15th century and a Renaissance baptismal font from 1545. These dates show that the church and its furnishings do not belong to the same period of origin.

Below the church, by the road “Spod dzwonnicy,” stands a wayside shrine depicting holy patrons. The structure dates to the 19th century, is made of natural-coloured sandstone and is badly damaged.

Pilgrimage Route and Other Routes

The two routes can be distinguished mainly by their course. The pilgrimage route to the sanctuary of Our Lady of Kalwaria is listed as 15 km long and runs through Kopytówka, Marcyporeba and Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. Another route starts in Marcyporeba and is listed as 14 km long. It runs via the western summit of Trawna Góra, the Brodawka Valley and Moczarka, then joins the yellow trail from Kalwaria Zebrzydowska to Wadowice. The routes differ in length by just one kilometre, but their points of reference are different: one is centred on the sanctuary as its destination, while the other follows the named landscape features and connects to the yellow trail. Check both routes again before setting out.

Tradition and Earlier Local History

Parish tradition also provides a seasonal point of reference: two indulgence celebrations are traditionally held in the parish of Marcyporeba, one in July for the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and one in November in honour of St. Martin. The months can help you plan a visit around a particular theme; if you are travelling specifically for a celebration, check the exact dates in advance.

Another historical point of reference lies in the northern part of Marcyporeba, in the hamlet of Podlesie. Ruins of a former Radwanite fortification, which existed before the 14th century, were discovered there. The structure was intended to oversee a branch of the route along the Soła and Vistula rivers, which led from Kraków to Silesia and the Moravian Gate.

For the broader travel overview: Nowe Dwory.