The place itself is already legendary since it is assumed that two polish monarchs were supposed to stay overnight here and these were – Jan Kazimierz fleeing from the Swedes and Jan Sobieski III on his way to Vienna. Admittedly we cannot fully trust legends but they say each legend has some elements of truth. The place itself exists for real.

There is one of the oldest examples of the folk wooden architecture in the Żywiec region, a hut built in 1739 by Piotr Gorel, the publican from Milówka, who is mentioned in the "Żywiec Chronicle" written by Andrzej Komoniecki. It is situated near the main road running through Milówka (which lies in the Soła river valley, on the border between the Silesian Beskids and the Żywiec regions).

Over the centuries the building was passed to hands of the subsequent owners. Apart from the inscription with the erection date engraved on the middle ceiling joist of the room, there is one more engraving this time written in Latin informing about the thorough renovation of the building in 1760 carried out by the second owner – a folwark clerk in Węgierska Górka – Sebastian Caputa. He is credited with building the chamber with basement in the extension of the hallway. The members of the Kąkol family were the last owners. The hut belonged to them until the 70s of the 20th century. The building has been opened for visiting since 1988 and now it is owned by Milówka Rural Commune.

The hut has a log frame structure – the roof is covered with shingles and it has a moss filling between the beams (the oldest building form), the layout of the building is to portray the middle part of 19th century. There is a so-called holy corner with paintings of the saints diagonally to the furnace with the open kitchen fire. The wooden table, situated in this holy corner, functioned as an altar and meals were eaten by it only during important holidays. A beautifully adorned dowry chest attracts the attention. It used to be given to a girl who was getting married. Delicate ornaments were very popular and frequently put not only on everyday objects but also on clothes.

It is very interesting to see a place whose interior was used in the film “Wesele” (The Wedding) and portrayed by Józef Pieniążek, a painter hired by the Habsburgs because he liked the place very much.

All kinds of events are organized in this Old Hut, in another historic building brought from Przyłęków and on its premises. These events are banquets, plain-air sculpting, folk concerts, Żywieckie Gody, folk art workshops (pottery, glass painting, ceramics, wood sculpting, weaving).

Muzeum Stara Chałupa
34-360 Milówka, ul. Piastowska 1
Gminny Ośrodek Kultury
34-360 Milówka, ul. Dworcowa 1
tel. (+48) 33 863 73 99
e-mail: gok.milowka@interia.pl
www.gok.milówka.pl