Bieszczady are a mountain range located in the Eastern Beskids, which belong to the Eastern Carpathians. This range is limited by two passes - Łupkowska and Wyszkowska. Regarding the geographical division of the Bieszczady, it is good to know that we divide the entire Bieszczady into the West, located on the Polish and Slovak side, and the East, on the Ukrainian side. Eastern and Western Bieszczady are separated by the Uzhgorod pass, located in Ukraine. The terms 'Bieszczady' and 'Beskid' have been used for centuries as the names of the mountains separating Poland and Ruthenia from Hungary. The etymology of the words 'Bieszczady' and 'Beskid' is, however, unclear, it is likely that these words are derived from the Thracian people of Bess, whose presence north of the Carpathians was noted by Ptolemy in his works.
The first traces of settlement in the Bieszczady Mountains date back to the Neolithic era, i.e. 2500-1700 BC. At that time, cultural influences from the Pannonian Basin were noticeable here. In the vicinity of Lesko, Stefkowa and Olszanica, various objects were found, such as arrowheads and bracelets from the Bronze Age, referring to the culture of Oromani - the population inhabiting the southern slopes of the Carpathian Mountains at that time. Archaeological finds excavated in Rajsko, on the other hand, speak of the once developed Lusatian culture in these areas. Traces of Celtic settlements have also been observed in the middle San basin.
In the fourteenth century, Wallachian shepherds began to appear in the Bieszczady Mountains. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Bieszczady were experiencing a gradual economic decline, so-called "Beskidnica" tohałaje, outlaws, struggling with raids on richer villages, camped here. Until 1947, as a result of post-war mass displacements and "Wisła" actions, the Bieszczady area was deserted, more than 50,000 Lemkos, Boykos, Germans and Ruthenians living there left it. Among the current residents of the Bieszczady are primarily the descendants of settlers from the Strzyżów Foothills, Sokalszczyzna, Dynowskie Foothills, Bukowski Foothills and the Beskids Sądecki and Cieszyn.
Everyone will find something for themselves in the Bieszczady Mountains. History enthusiasts usually go to the now non-existent villages, wandering the empty hills in search of the remains of ancient times, or breaking through the thicket and reaching the old cemeteries, where the remains of stone crosses are visible. Such discoveries can still be found in many places of the Bieszczady Mountains. These relics are closely related to the fact that during World War II the Bieszczady area was a place of battles between German troops, Slovak troops, the Red Army and the UPA with the Polish independence underground. From the spring of 1943, the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists - UPA, committed atrocious murders of civilians here, destroying the achievements of material culture. Regarding the historical issue, visitors to the Bieszczady can especially recommend the extremely picturesque San Valley, with historically rich towns such as Rajskie, Tworylne, Krywe, Zatwarnica, Hulskie, and also go to the more deserted border area near the town of Sianki.
Interesting is the architecture of the Bieszczady Mountains, mainly around the wooden church architecture. The northeastern part of the region is considered extremely charming in this area. Border villages slightly further away from the mountainous landscape have the largest number of surviving former churches. There were not many left in the heart of the mountains. Chmiel is an exception. One of the most interesting pearls of wooden architecture can be found, for example, in the areas of Ustrzyki Dolne, Lutowiska, and Czarna, the most impressive of them are located in Michniowiec, Hoszów, Smolnik or the known Równia. Eastern Lemko churches, some still used by Greek Catholic followers, being a showcase of this region, can be found in Turzańsk, Rzepedzi, and Komańcza. In addition to the sacred buildings in the Bieszczady there is no less interesting cluster of folk architecture, which is largely the work of local folk artists. Old huts can be admired, among others, in the Bandrow Narodowy area.
Bieszczady Mountains also attract enthusiasts of typical leisure activities. The largest holiday resorts in this region located on the Solina Lake, i.e. Myczkowce, Solina, Zawóz, Chrewt and Werlas provide places for sunbathing, a rich accommodation base, as well as a number of attractions such as gentle walking routes, fishing, sailing. Polańczyk, on the other hand, offers spa resorts conducive to exclusive relaxation.
Those who have mountain escapades in their blood should, in turn, go to Cisna, or Wetlina, or Ustrzyki Górne, which are an excellent starting point for hiking trips, while also having a convenient accommodation and catering base. The area of the Western Bieszczady Mountains, mostly located within the "Eastern Carpathians" Biosphere Reserve, is characterized by the landscape of long mountain ranges, at the foot of the forests, on the higher parts covered with pastures. The highest peak of the Western Bieszczady is Tarnica - 1346 m a.s.l. most crowded with tourists marked by many marked hiking trails best suited for tourists. Equally magnificent and at the same time beautiful is Wielka Rawka, from where the view is breathtaking. The Tarnica, Wielka Rawka, Połonina Wetlińska and Caryńska massifs are surrounded by the Bieszczady National Park, which protects the virginity of the area. Within it is concentrated the largest part of the local tourist traffic, among others because of the beauty of the extensive panoramas. Admiring the surroundings directly from the Bieszczady peaks, passes or pastures provides a lot of viewing experience, regardless of the season. In autumn, when the beech leaves turn red and the pastures become rusty, the mountain landscape becomes magical. Fairytale views are also encountered here in early spring, when the greenery is juicy, the grass is fragrant and the temperature is moderate. Also in winter, the Bieszczady hills seem to be out of this earth, while the setting sun is stroking the snow with its rays, giving it shades from the palette of purple. Bieszczady summer tempts us with the transparency of the air and ripening blueberries!
There are countless attractions offered by the Bieszczady Mountains. Although these are the least populated and least developed Polish mountains, it does not blow boredom. The most interesting curiosities of the Bieszczady nature can be admired in many reserves. The "Zwiezło" nature reserve near Chryszczata protects pretty landslide type lakes, Rabe's area is interesting for us with the rocky boulder, in the eastern areas, near Tarnawa, there are protected raised bogs. One of the well-known business cards of the Bieszczady Mountains is the Bieszczady Forest Railway, a narrow-gauge tourist railway with an initial stop in Majdan near Cisna. Wołosate is a refuge for those who are interested in horse riding. There is a Hucul horse farm organizing rides and horse riding lessons. For winter sports enthusiasts equipped sports centers, ski lifts can be found in Ustrzyki Dolne. Educational and exhibition activities are also developed in the Bieszczady Mountains. In the largest cities of the region you can visit interesting museums presenting the topics of various fields. Sanok's showcase is the Ethnographic Park together with the Museum of Folk Architecture. The open-air museum has numerous homesteads presenting the Bieszczady type of folk architecture. In the Historical Museum, we can, for example, see a collection of church icons. In Ustrzyki Dolne the Natural Museum of the Bieszczady National Park operates. The range of monuments in the Bieszczady is also considerable. In Lesko there is the only synagogue in this region, entered in the register of monuments, the Kmitów Castle, and one of the oldest Jewish cemeteries. Zagórz impresses us with the ruins of the Carmelite monastery. Within the village of Manasterzec we can admire the magnificent ruins of the Castle Sobień.
The Bieszczady Mountains are, first and foremost, endless pastures, friendly routes, a region containing a rich history entwined with a mosaic of many cultures, wonderful legends about devils and angels, good and evil. Bieszczady is not only a palette of places that are worth visiting, but also a spiritual experience that is impossible not to experience being there and that makes you want to go back there. As the scout song by Adam Drąg says:
And when the sand falls on me When four boards cover me Then I'll go where the trail goes For pastures, blue.
It is therefore worth rediscovering the dazzling Bieszczady beauty.
