The Carmelite nuns from Zakopane are moving to a new address. The reason for the move is a change in the character of the area surrounding the current enclosure, making it difficult for the sisters to contemplate in solitude and silence. However, plans to build apartment buildings and a guesthouse in the place of the former monastery are controversial. According to media reports, the nuns themselves have such an idea for these areas. An application in this matter is in the office. The sisters only confirm that they are trying to sell the monastery “at a favorable price”.
The Carmelite nuns live at ul. Kościelna in Zakopane for 80 years. First, one of them inherited a villa in this place, to which the nuns moved. Later the building was expanded. On their website, the sisters describe their struggles with the communist authorities – including the fact that a school and apartment blocks were built in their neighborhood “to make their lives difficult”.
Now the development of this area is ongoing, but the target group of the new premises is slightly different. The investor has purchased the building of a nearby school called “Oxford” and is seeking permission to build modern apartment buildings there.
A guesthouse instead of a monastery
That is why the Carmelites, who are a cloistered order and are obliged to isolate themselves from the outside world and focus on prayer, want to move to a quieter place. They chose Stróża near Dobra.
What will happen now to the extremely attractive property at ul. Kościelna? As we found out at the Zakopane city hall, the Spatial Planning Office received an application regarding this area. Its content is surprising.
– The Zakopane City Hall received an application to establish development conditions for an investment consisting in the construction of three multi-family residential buildings with underground garages and the reconstruction, expansion, superstructure and change of use of an existing monastic house intended for a guesthouse – said Agata Mitoraj from the social communication department.
Proceedings suspended
However, it is not obvious that the application will be implemented because there is no local development plan for this area. – In the absence of a valid local plan, a change in land development, as well as a change in the method of use of a building or its part, requires the establishment of development conditions in a decision – explains Mitoraj.
Currently, the administrative proceedings have been suspended “due to the conflict between the requested function and the purpose specified in the draft local development plan currently being prepared (…) and the advanced stage of the planning procedure for preparing this plan.” Onet reports that the area is to be used for religious purposes – which will effectively prevent the construction of apartment buildings there.
The applicant appealed against the decision to suspend the proceedings, and the case was referred to the Local Government Appeals Court in Nowy Sącz.
“Very hurtful”
As we read in Onet, the application was submitted by the nuns' representative. According to the article, the Carmelite nuns want to transform the building into a guesthouse and build three multi-family buildings in the garden.
Monastery of Discalced Carmelites in ZakopanePawel Murzyn/East News
We tried to contact the Carmelites to ask about their plans for the monastery area. However, the nun who was supposed to provide us with this information by phone, after making sure that she was talking to the tvn24.pl editorial team, stated that she had nothing to say and did not agree to the interview. She also refused to identify herself.
– We will publish a correction, but I do not want to provide such information because the topic is already spreading too much. It is very unfair what has been written (in the media – ed.) – said our interlocutor.
When asked about the article published by Onet, she assured that “there is no truth there.” – We have no plans to build here and play developer. We don't have the funds, she concluded.
The Carmelite nuns deny it, but remain silent about the application
The announced statement was actually posted on the order's website. “We would like to deny reports that this matter is of a business nature. Our efforts to sell the property in Zakopane (WZ), where our monastery is located, at a favorable price are dictated solely by the need to obtain the necessary financial resources to complete the relocation project,” we read.
The Carmelite Sisters assure that they understand the residents' need for green areas in the area. However, they do not want to bear the consequences of excessive development of this part of Zakopane.
“We are sorry that media reports portray us in a harmful way and that intentions and actions that are not true are attributed to us. We hope that this statement will help people of good will, in the conflict of interests that inevitably arise, is related to the matter being discussed, they will want to look at the situation in a more real way and also take into account our point of view,” the nuns write. They do not refer in any way to the documents regarding the conversion of the monastery into a guesthouse and the construction of apartment buildings, which were submitted to the city hall.
Main photo source: Pawel Murzyn/East News