The Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Winiary Park

The Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary located on the escarpment slope is a magical place, shrouded in many legends.

The most famous one says that it was the entrance to dungeons that led to the Castle of Czersk, which is located some 12 miles away. This underground passage is said to have been used by Mazovian Princes, who had a small castle in Warka and went hunting in the nearby forests.

What is more, a long time ago, tunnels which connected far-away places were a way of escape once all other means had failed. Rumor has it that Swedish troops hid here in 1656, after they had lost the Battle at Warka. Time passed and the entrance to the dungeons was walled up, with only a small niche left.

It is also said that the park was the scene of an unfortunate accident. A teenage daughter of one of the Winiary owners fell off her horse and died on the spot. The grieving father placed a statuette of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the niche and chose one with the face of a young girl.

Another account rumors that the grotto was the source of holy water, and the statuette of the Blessed Virgin Mary was put there by someone who had recovered health thanks to its wonderful powers.