Karpacz has a curious architectural gem – Wang Church, the only Nordic Romanesque building in Poland. Pronounced 'Vang', this remarkable wooden structure in Upper Karpacz was one of about 400 such chapels built in the early 12th century on the bank of Lake Vang in southern Norway; only 28 of these 'stave churches' survive there today. King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia bought this one in 1841, had it dismantled piece by piece, and then transported to Karpacz via Berlin.
Not only is it the oldest church in the Sudetes, it’s also the highest situated (886m).
The church is made of hard Norwegian pine and has been constructed without a single nail. It’s surrounded by a cloister that helps to protect it from the mountain wind. Part of the woodcarving is original and in excellent shape, particularly the doorways and the capitals of the pillars. The free-standing stone belfry was built when the church was reconstructed here.
