Szlachtowa is a charming, small village at the foot of the Pieniny Mountains, offering peace, tradition, and atmospheric architecture. Once inhabited by the Lemko Rusyns of Szlachtowa, it is now an ideal base for lovers of history, spirituality, and mountain hiking.

The village’s most valuable monument is its monumental brick church—originally built as an Eastern Orthodox church—constructed between 1895 and 1920 to the design of Jan Grabowski on the site of a former 17th-century temple. Built on a Greek-cross plan, crowned with three domes, and richly decorated inside, it features wall paintings from 1919 depicting Saints Paul, Barbara, and Catherine of Alexandria, an iconostasis from Lviv (1927), and a Baroque pulpit — all in perfect harmony of form and meaning. In 1946, the building was taken over by the Roman Catholic parish and has since functioned as the Church of Our Lady, Mediatrix of All Graces.

John Paul II Trail
Although small, Szlachtowa lies along the John Paul II Trail. Walking along the street named in his honor, visitors pass the church and local museum. At marked stops, they can read information boards about the Pope’s pilgrimage and the spiritual significance of the area. The trail ends at scenic viewpoints overlooking the surrounding hills — a perfect blend of reflection, heritage, and the beauty of the Pieniny Mountains. It’s an ideal route for a few hours of themed exploration.