PTTK “Murowaniec” Mountain Hut

Murowaniec stands on Hala Gąsienicowa, at an altitude of about 1,500 m above sea level, in the Polish Tatras. The hut was built of large stones left unworked on the outside and opened in 1925. Since 2019 it has been entered in the heritage register, and today it is run by the Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society (PTTK).

How the hut came to be

Construction began in 1921, and the solemn consecration and opening took place on 12 July 1925. The foundation stone was laid on 24 July 1921 during a ceremony that gathered many guests. The main initiative was taken by Stanisław Osiecki, chairman of the Warsaw branch of the Tatra Society. The first sketches were made in the spring of 1914 in the studio of Jan Witkiewicz Koszczyc, and the final design was prepared by Zdzisław Kalinowski and Karol Siciński.

The army helped with construction. A detachment of the 3rd Podhale Rifles Regiment, a company of sappers from the 5th Sapper Regiment, a railway platoon from the 1st Railway Sapper Regiment and a platoon from the 1st Podhale Rifles Regiment carried out the work, including an access road 1,200 m long and a mountain tramway for transporting materials. The consecration was performed by President Stanisław Wojciechowski.

Extensions and the fire

In 1950-1951 the west wing was added and the interiors were renovated. In 1963 the hut partly burned down and was rebuilt in 1964, but the famous attic called the “Coffin” was not recreated. Since 2021 the building has formally had the status of a mountain hut. On the premises there is also a TOPR duty post, that is for mountain rescuers.

On the wall of the hut hangs a plaque dedicated to the poet Adam Asnyk, hung in 1929 and unveiled in 1930. Its original design from 1927 was meant to go on a rock above Morskie Oko.

How to get here

Several trails lead to the hut. The blue one runs from Kuźnice over Boczań and Przełęcz między Kopami, and the ascent takes about two hours according to the description. The yellow one links Kasprowy Wierch with Dolina Pańszczyca, and the black one leads to Droga Oswalda Balzera in Brzeziny. The green trail descends from Murowaniec to Rówień Waksmundzka and on towards Rusinowa Polana. Walking times may differ, so it is worth planning the route from a current map.

The hut is a convenient starting point for Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy, to which the blue trail continues on towards Zawrat. Routes also start from here towards the Orla Perć, regarded as the hardest Tatra trail. Dolina Gąsienicowa itself lies right beside it, about 300 m from the building.

Accommodation and surroundings

The hut has 110 beds in rooms from two-bed to six-bed and in ten-bed rooms. The hut's website mentions a kitchen with traditional dishes, a webcam with a view of the Hala and the Mountain Academy. Not far away is the training centre of the Polish Alpine Association, “Betlejemka”.

Hala Gąsienicowa is a junction of several trails. Another PTTK hut in this part of the Tatras, in Dolina Pięciu Stawów Polskich, lies about 4.5 km from here as the crow flies.

Practical information

• Address: Hala Gąsienicowa 1, Zakopane, Tatra National Park.
• On foot from Kuźnice by the blue trail, from Kasprowy Wierch by the yellow trail.
• Accommodation bookings: through the murowaniec.com website or by phone, during the hours given on the website.
• In the mountains, check the weather forecast and current trail conditions before setting out.