Zabawa: Sanctuary, History and Remembrance

If you choose Zabawa as a travel destination, you can plan your visit around several cultural highlights: the Sanctuary of Blessed Karolina, Military Cemetery No. 260 from the First World War, and a stop listed by a municipal audio guide for a cycling tour. The sanctuary includes an exhibition and various activities; the cemetery is a separate place of remembrance. An annual tent retreat also provides a time-specific reason to visit.

The Sanctuary and Blessed Karolina

In 2002, the parish church in Zabawa was elevated to the status of a sanctuary. On November 10 of that year, an exhibition was set up in the church, presenting the life, martyrdom, and veneration of Blessed Karolina. The sanctuary’s religious significance thus sits alongside an exploration of Blessed Karolina’s biography and veneration. The exhibition brings together biographical, historical, and religious aspects of this subject.

The outdoor game “Odkryj Skarby Zabawy” takes place on the grounds of the sanctuary. It introduces visitors to notable places connected with Blessed Karolina, regional history, and the spiritual heritage of the area. The game has a different focus from the exhibition: it features notable places and explicitly includes the region’s history alongside Karolina.

Events and Travel Planning

“Miasteczko Modlitewne” is a seven-day tent retreat held in the fields near the sanctuary. Each year, it brings together around 200 young people there. If you would like to combine your trip with this event, check the dates for the year you plan to travel. Its annual recurrence describes the retreat’s schedule; by itself, it does not give a date for a particular visit.

The sanctuary’s official inclusion on the Camino de Santiago is another distinct point to consider when planning your trip. The municipality reported this on June 12, 2026. The Camino de Santiago leads to Santiago de Compostela and is one of Europe’s best-known pilgrimage routes. Check the specific route before setting out.

Military Cemetery No. 260 in Zabawa

Military Cemetery No. 260 from the First World War is located in the center of Zabawa, next to the parish cemetery. Its layout can be described precisely: it has a regular hexagonal ground plan, and six tall, uninscribed tombstones stand on the grounds. Its location and design give the memorial site a clear spatial orientation.

The cemetery is believed to contain the graves of 77 Austro-Hungarian, 11 German, and 9 Russian soldiers. This attribution is described as probable, not as a confirmed burial record. These figures and nationalities should therefore be understood with that qualification.

Distinguishing Between the Camino and the Cycling Tour

The two route references concern different destinations: the sanctuary’s inclusion on the Camino de Santiago refers to the sanctuary; the municipal audio guide lists the wreckage of a Dakota aircraft as a stop on a cycling tour in Zabawa. A municipal entry about this is dated June 12, 2019. If you plan to take this cycling tour, check the current route before setting off.

Zabawa thus offers several distinct reasons to visit: the religious heritage of the sanctuary, the outdoor game’s links to regional history, an annual retreat, remembrance at the military cemetery, and the described cycling stop.

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