The Order of Friars Minor (Bernardine Fathers) in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska received funding for the implementation of the project:

New tourist offers of the Sanctuary in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska – a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The project is co-financed by the European Union under the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate, Environment 2021-2027 (FEnIKS) programme.

Tasks and activities that will be implemented in the project

Construction and conservation works  to preserve monuments and create infrastructure conducive to the development of tourism:

• Reconstruction of the Bugaj 3 building – the building will undergo conservation renovations combined with a change of use, transforming it into a modern information and educational center for visitors to the Sanctuary, known in the project as the “Cheese Hut.” The building will gain exhibition functions, a kitchen with a bread oven will be created, where visitors will be able to see a demonstration of local bread baking, and rooms for handicraft workshops will be planned;
• conservation renovation of eight chapels on the Our Lady’s Paths trail – the planned works will restore the chapels’ historic appearance and make the sightseeing route more attractive for pilgrims and tourists in the Sanctuary;
• Conservation work at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels – the polychromes and stucco work covering the main nave area, including the painted decorations of the vault and walls. These paintings will be restored to their original beauty, protecting them from degradation.

Purchase of equipment and furnishings to enhance the Sanctuary’s tourist and cultural offerings:

• purchase of equipment and furnishings for the “Chata Chleba” (Chalet Cottage) for the tourist information point, future exhibitions, workshops, and catering facilities;
• development and implementation of a sightseeing route for tourists using audio guides and a virtual route;
• purchase of equipment for the presentation of the interior of the Basilica enabling detailed familiarization with the interior of the Basilica, including difficult-to-access paintings, using VR technology;
• purchase of equipment for the transmission and implementation of online tourist offers;
• The introduction of a multi-dimensional audio guide system for visiting the Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Sanctuary. The system will provide access to tours in various languages, including sign language, and will also enable remote guided tours.

Conducting training for staff and the local community:

• a training program for Sanctuary employees in six thematic blocks, including: professional tourist service, management of UNESCO sites, modern cultural marketing, as well as a course in sign language and Italian or Spanish.
• ecological activities aimed at various age groups (youth, adults and seniors) and field workshops.

Promotion of the project  and its funding from the European Union, as well as increasing the visibility of the project and its new tourist offer.

Target groups:  individual recipients, domestic and foreign tourists, residents of the Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Commune and its immediate vicinity (local community), children and youth, families with children, seniors, people with special needs, including disabilities.

The aim  of the project is to protect and increase the use of the tourist potential of the cultural heritage of the Passion-Marian Sanctuary in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, as well as to expand its tourist and educational offer.

Project Outcomes : Thanks to the project’s implementation, the Sanctuary, as a place of exceptional cultural, historical, and religious value, will increase its accessibility to visitors from Poland and abroad and will enrich its tourist offerings, contributing to the region’s economic and social development.

The project is being implemented in the field of soft activities with a partner from another country,  an entity from Norway specializing in the conservation of works of art and the promotion of heritage:
DLD Art Restaurering Dorota Wanda Leszczynska-Danek.

Funding agreement number: FENX.07.01-IP.04-0085/24-00
Total project value: PLN 25,466,944.72
Amount of contribution from European Funds: PLN 16,296,774.12
Project implementation period from May 13, 2024 to June 30, 2029
#EUFunds #EuropeanFunds #culture #UNESCO #KalwariaZebrzydowska

Reporting an irregularity or violation of equality principles

In accordance with the agreement on co-financing the project “New tourist offers of the Sanctuary in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska – UNESCO World Heritage Site” No. FENX.07.01-IP.04-0085/24-00), each person may anonymously or openly report a suspicion:

• financial fraud or irregularities in the project,
• non-compliance of the Beneficiary’s actions with the Charter of Fundamental Rights or the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

To report irregularities, you can use:

online form – e-Nieprawości online form available on the website www.feniks.gov.pl