St Hubert's Grotto from 1894

St Hubert's Grotto is a small structure made of glacial boulders, standing on the eastern edge of Spała within the Spała nature reserve. It was built during the time when Tsar Alexander III had a hunting lodge in Spała, and since then it has changed its name along with the changing owners of the place.

Boulders with an inscription from 1894

The grotto is formed by several glacial boulders arranged next to each other, and two of them bear engraved initials of Tsar Alexander III and the date 14 September 1894. This date therefore refers to the inscription carved in stone, from the time of tsarist hunts in the surrounding forests, not the construction of the entire group of boulders, which may have been created in stages.

How the current name came about

The name by which the grotto is known today is younger than the boulders themselves. On 5 November 1933, Spała foresters placed a plaque on one of the stones honouring President Ignacy Mościcki as the restorer of the hunting traditions of Saint Hubert. Only from this event onwards did the place begin to be called St Hubert's Grotto.

The president's dog and a nearby shelter

Next to the grotto lies a stone with the inscription "Lord 1935", commemorating President Mościcki's favourite hunting dog. Just by the boulders stands a small shelter called Spalski Grzybek, where you can sit and rest during a walk through the reserve.

Practical information

• The site lies on the eastern edge of Spała, on the border with Inowłódz, within the Spała nature reserve.
• Access is via forest paths; it is worth combining a visit with a walk through the reserve.
• A dozen or so minutes' walk from here stands the Bison Monument.