Groń Jana Pawła II (890 m a.s.l.) is one of the most distinctive summits in the Beskid Mały range — a peak that was once simply called Jaworzyna, until the world learned that Karol Wojtyła had hiked it countless times as a boy, a young man, and later as a bishop and cardinal. Today it is both a pilgrimage destination and a rewarding hiking objective.
Two open clearings crown the summit: the Beskid glade to the north and the Bargłowa glade to the south, both offering lovely views across the rolling ridges of Beskid Mały. A mountain chapel, a striking monument to John Paul II unveiled in 2001, and a cluster of small wayside shrines give the summit a reflective, peaceful character. In winter the northern slopes transform into a ski run served by a drag lift operating since 1953, making this a genuine four-season destination.
How to reach the summitInside the chapel you can see the armchair in which John Paul II sat during his 1995 visit to Skoczów — a quietly moving reminder that this mountain was always close to his heart.