Zakopane

Zakopane
Zakopane at night
Coat of arms
Zakopane
Coordinates: 49°18′N 19°57′E / 49.300°N 19.950°E / 49.300; 19.950
Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Lesser Poland
County	Tatra
Gmina	Zakopane (urban gmina)
Established	17th century
Town rights	1933
Government
• Mayor	Leszek Dorula
Area
• Total	84 km2 (32 sq mi)
Highest elevation	1,126 m (3,694 ft)
Lowest elevation	750 m (2,460 ft)
Population (2006)
• Total	27,486
• Density	330/km2 (850/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	34-500 to 34-504
Area code(s)	+48 18
Car plates	KTT
Website	www.zakopane.eu

Zakopane (pronounced [zakɔˈpanɛ]) is a town in the extreme south of Poland. It lies in the southern part of the Podhale region at the foot of the Tatra Mountains. From 1975 to 1998 it was in Nowy Sącz Province, but since 1999 it has been in Lesser Poland Province. It had a population of about 28,000 as of 2005^[update]. Zakopane is a center of Góral culture and is known informally as "the winter capital of Poland". It is a popular destination for mountaineering, skiing, and qualified tourism.

Zakopane is located in southernmost Poland near the border with Slovakia. It lies in a valley between the Tatra Mountains and Gubałówka Hill. It can be reached by train or by bus from district capital Kraków, which is about two hours away. Zakopane has an elevation of 800-1,000 meters above sea level. The town is centered at the junction of Krupówki and Kościuszko Streets.

The earliest documents mentioning Zakopane date to the 17th century, describing a glade called Zakopisko. In 1676 it was a village of 43 inhabitants. Zakopane became a center for the region's mining and metallurgy industries; in the 19th century, it was the largest center for metallurgy in Galicia. It expanded during the 19th century as the climate attracted more inhabitants. By 1889 it had developed from a small village into a climatic health resort of 3,000 inhabitants. Rail service to Zakopane began October 1, 1899.