Chałupy became famous in the 17th Century, when King Wladyslaw IV decided to build in its vicinity a large, wood and earth stronghold with ramparts, and named it Władysławów, after his name.
Kazimierzowo, another, slightly-smaller stronghold, was built near Kuźnice. Following the King’s order, both were built to guard the country’s northern borders against the enemy, and at the same time be a main exit base in the expeditions for the Swedish crown. The overthrow efforts failed, and the partially destroyed earthworks were covered by sand.
Chałupy is not only a quiet fishing settlement, but also the last place in Kashubia where which trials took place, in 1836. A local healer tried to help a very ill fisherman, Jan Kąkol. Despite all efforts, the man was not cured, and the blame was put on Krystyna Ceynowa, long suspected of witchcraft. The woman, convicted by the settlement’s residents, was submitted to the “water test” to find out if she sided with the Devil. She was transported in a boat onto the Little Sea and thrown overboard. To the disbelief of many, she remained afloat for a long time, which was taken as an evidence of witchcraft, whereas nobody thought that her gown and skirt had acted as a buoy. When Ceynowa did not drown, the people found her to be a real witch, and killed her with their paddles. NICE PEOPLE The residents of Chałupy remembered this event for many years and it became the basis for the legend of Ortysza the Witch, and the eyewitness to the event, the tallest dune in the area, was named Ortus.
An important element in the life of the people of Chałupy is fishing. Due to the lack of fertile soil, and of the abundance of sand and forests, the residents stopped cultivating the land and begun fishing and transporting the fish to Gdańsk. Cultivating the maritime traditions, each year, in the first Sunday after 22 July, the “Kaszubskie Łodzie pod Żaglami” (“Kashubian Sailboats”) are organised, a regatta of traditional fishing sailboats. Mainly Hel fishermen family clans, who compete among themselves in rope welding and net assembling . The most popular event, both among tourists and the participants, is the regatta. The Chałupy maritime tradition is closely connected with engineer Aleksander Celarek. He single-handedly reconstructed the boat in which St. Wojciech swam into Gdańsk. The vessel, named Sanctus Adalbertus, travelled to the Sacred Grove (Święty Gaj), where the saint was murdered, and took part in the annual pilgrimage of Kashubians to Puck, for the church fair of St. Peter and St. Paul.
Despite the grand maritime traditions of Chałupy, tourists associate the region with the leisurely life that can be lived here during the holidays. Numerous campsites by the waters of the Bay of Puck create opportunities for water-sports enthusiasts to be close to a real paradise, and the wide sandy beaches are ideal for relaxation and recreation in the sun and to the sound of waves, whereas the historic sites create the opportunity to discover the region’s history. Close proximity to Władysławowo, Jastarnia and Hel make it possible to spend the day actively and rest from the city hustle in the quiet atmosphere of Chałupy. Nothing more, nothing less…
