Chopin's Birthplace

Mazovia & Podlasie


The tiny village of Żelazowa Wola (zheh-lah-zo-vah vo-lah), 53km west of Warsaw, is the birthplace of Frédéric Chopin, and the house where he was born on 1 March 1810 has been reconstructed and furnished in period style to create a museum. It’s a lovely little country house with extensive, beautiful gardens. Exhibits examine the story of the Chopin family's time here. The tranquillity and charm of the place make it a lovely stop.

Piano recitals, often performed by top-rank virtuosos, are normally held here each Sunday from May to September. There are usually two concerts, up to an hour long, at noon and 3pm; there’s no fee other than the park entry ticket. Other seasonal recitals can be heard Thursday to Saturday. The museum is a branch of the Fryderyk Chopin Museum in Warsaw. The modern visitor centre has lockers and a cafe.

Motobuss (www.motobuss.eu) runs buses between central Warsaw and Sochaczew that stop in Żelazowa Wola (11zł, two hours, 12 daily). Buses depart from a stop adjacent to the Wars Sawa Junior mall, near the intersection with ul Złota.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Mazovia & Podlasie attractions

1. Nieborów Museum

16.71 MILES

The stunning, late-17th-century Nieborów Palace is a classic example of baroque architecture. It was designed by Tylman van Gameren for Cardinal…

2. Arkadia Park

17.28 MILES

With its overgrown ruins, peeling pavilions, temples and follies, the landscaped garden at Arkadia Park is a romantic pagan enclave in a sea of…

3. Łowicz Museum

18.63 MILES

Museum housed in a 17th-century missionary college designed by Dutch architect Tylman van Gameren; its highlight is the former priests' chapel, with its…

4. Łowicz Cathedral

18.71 MILES

Originally Gothic, this vast 15th-century church underwent several renovations and is now a melange of styles, including Renaissance, baroque and rococo…

5. Piarists' Church

18.78 MILES

Near Łowicz's grand cathedral is this similarly impressive church. It's a baroque marvel when you can get access. If it's during a service, stay quietly…

6. Kampinos National Park

19.52 MILES

Popularly known as the Puszcza Kampinoska, Kampinos begins just outside Warsaw’s northwestern administrative boundary and stretches west for about 40km…

7. Powązki Cemetery

28.3 MILES

Warsaw's most prestigious cemetery covers 43 hectares and contains the graves of well over a million souls. Illustrious Poles from all walks of life are…

8. Jewish Cemetery

28.32 MILES

Founded in 1806, Warsaw's main Jewish Cemetery covering 33.4 hectares contains more than 150,000 tombstones, the largest and most beautiful collection of…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "poland/western-mazovia/attractions/chopin-s-birthplace/a/poi-sig/1422401/1327730",
      "destination": "Mazovia-&-Podlasie",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Poland",
      "region": "Mazovia-&-Podlasie",
      "position": "superzone"
    }