Villa Koliba holds a truly special place in Polish architectural history — it was the very first building constructed in the Zakopane Style, designed by Stanisław Witkiewicz and built by local highland craftsmen between 1892 and 1893. Today it houses a museum dedicated to this unique artistic movement, and visiting it feels like stepping into the moment when a whole new architectural language was born.

Located on Kościeliska Street, the villa charms visitors with its ornately carved wooden details, distinctive sloping roof and warm highland atmosphere. The interiors reflect life at the turn of the 20th century, blending ethnographic collections with beautifully crafted furniture and decor in the Zakopane Style. Whether you visit in summer or winter, the building feels perfectly at home against the backdrop of the Tatra Mountains.

• From Zakopane town centre — Kościeliska Street, an easy 10–15 minute walk from Krupówki promenade

• Museum open since 4 December 1993
• Branch of the Tatra Museum in Zakopane
• The word 'koliba' in the local highland dialect means a shepherd's mountain shelter

Interesting fact: the original owner, Zygmunt Gnatowski, simply wanted a modest highland cottage to store his ethnographic collection — it was Witkiewicz who convinced him to dream bigger, and the result became the founding monument of an entire architectural style.