Inscriptions on walls of Złodziejska Cave in Ojców : a contribution to the study of tourism history in the vicinity of Ojców

he purpose of our paper is to present the results of an analysis of tourists inscriptions that have been found on walls of Złodziejska Cave. The site is located in Sąspów Valley, in the southern part of the Polish Cracow-Częstochowa Upland. Overall, 205 inscriptions were found and documented. Inscrip-tions were written in pencil, pen or carved on the wall with something sharp. They included names, surna-mes, places of origin, dates, or sometimes only initials. Since many of them included dates, it was possible to trace changes in touristic activity in Ojców and within the cave. The majority of inscriptions were made at the beginning of the 20th century (1905–1914), which coincides with the rise of popularity of the resort in Ojców. Not without meaning appear to be a road that passed then close to the cave and made Złodziejska Cave easily accessible. The second peak of cave popularity started after the First World War and ended in 1928, when a new road to Ojców, leading through Brama Krakowska, had been opened. This coincided with decreasing popularity of the health resort in Ojcó