Crosses and Chapels along polish Roads

Poles were always very religious people. Everybody who would travel through Poland would see numerous crosses, figures of saints, statues and chapels on the sides of the roads.
These small religious chapels or shrines are commonly called roadside or wayside shrines (przydrożne kapliczki).

Road shrines were built at the crossroads, at the village or town boundaries, at all places claimed to be inhabited by the evil forces or demons, for example where the murder was committed, or hangman was buried. At the crossroads, as per folk tradition and imagination, strange things may happen. These are places of evil spirits and lost souls.

Road shrines helped to familiarize the dangerous, uncertain territory. But they were also erected out of gratitude for some miraculous recovery from illness, coming back from war, end of a famine or epidemic. They were supposed to prevent natural disasters or were the penance for serious sins.

These shrines were often built at the expense of individuals, families and sometimes entire villages to publicly thank a saint or God for a benefit or blessing received. That is why often there is a founders name and intention written on the shrine base.

During the history the crosses and chapels were also built to prevent the epidemic, to commemorate a special event, a tragedy or the accident.

In the case of smaller shrines they acted as a remembrance for a tragedy or crime. Recently constructed shrines are usually on a much smaller scale and most often mark the spot where a fatal traffic accident occurred. Such sites are usually marked with a simple cross, not too high, sometimes with a plaque. They are not graves, of course. According to Polish law, putting anything like that on the side of the road requires a permission from the road maintenance service. But permissions are not given.... So, practically, all those crosses are illegal. But the road services are tolerant and don`t remove them.