Village Covered in Flower Paintings Since the 19th Century

There’s a quaint village in Poland where you’ll find yourself surrounded by intricate flower paintings.

In Zalipie, a small town located northeast of Krakow, has a tradition dating back to the 19th century that has left its corridors, homes, churches, and schools adorned in paintings of flower bouquets.
The paintings first started after new furnaces with chimneys were installed in the 1800s. Women in the village started to paint floral displays to cover up blackened walls.
The tradition continued, and today the art can be seen all throughout the town, from outside of its homes to its chicken coops and doghouses.
Each spring, a flower painting competition takes place after the Feast of the Corpus Christi. This year the competition is planned for June 17 and 18.

Wander through Zalipie today and you'll find intricate paintings on many of the buildings. Some of them are even museums you can walk through, like the farm of Felicja Curylowa, which is bursting with the colorful patterns.

This photo, taken in 1985, showcases what some of the earlier and simpler flower artworks looked like.

Also taken in 1985, this photo showcases the interior of the homes. Flowers of all shapes and colors can be seen on the stove, while even the china and bedding incorporates the art.
The village is so beloved for its paintings that it has earned the nickname, “The Painted Village.”

Even the local church is covered in the designs.