Ruins of the Monastery in Zagórz - Visiting, Viewing Tower, Legends

The Discalced Carmelite Monastery in Zagórz, or rather its monumental ruins, is one of the biggest attractions in the Podkarpacie region. This picturesque place by the Osława River is full of amazing legends and stories about the fortified monastery of the old Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. There is also a viewing tower with a panorama of the Sanocko-Turczańskie Mountains and the Western Bieszczady Mountains.

History of the Monastery in Zagórz

The history of the monastery dates back to the first half of the 18th century. During the 30-year-long construction, an accident occurred: the western part of the hill collapsed. Because of this, the entrance to the church was built unusually from the east.

The fortified monastery, surrounded by a wall, provided shelter for war veterans treated in the monastery hospital. The defensive features of the hill were useful during the siege in 1772 when Russian troops attacked the monastery because Bar Confederates were hiding behind its walls.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the buildings were destroyed by a great fire.

Visiting the Monastery Ruins in Zagórz - Viewing Tower

Today, you can visit the monastery ruins, look into the church ruins, and walk through the small reconstructed cloister gardens:

...and climb the viewing tower (22 meters) with a panorama of the Osława Valley, the Sanocko-Turczańskie Mountains, and the Western Bieszczady Mountains.

Legends of the Monastery in Zagórz

Was the fire in the monastery caused by the Austrian authorities who disliked the monks? Or was it the result of a quarrel between the abbot and one of the monks, accidentally starting the fire?

Or maybe, as one legend says, the fire was started by Brother Grzegorz Nieczuja, who was upset by his fellow monks not following the monastic rules. The monk, who hoped the fire would lead to the brothers' repentance, died in the flames himself. It is said that in November, on the anniversary of the fire, his ghost roams the ruins, sometimes in a habit, sometimes in knight's armor.

Other legends speak of treasures hidden in the underground ruins of the monastery, guarded by the spirit of Brother Nieczuja. It is also said that long tunnels were dug under the hill, connecting the monastery even with the castle in Lesko.

Practical Information about the Discalced Carmelite Monastery Ruins in Zagórz

• Entry to the area is free.
  
• Access to the viewing tower is only in the summer season, and it is paid.
• There is an additional fee for the multimedia exhibition in the renovated Foresterium Culture Center (the former guesthouse of the monastery).
• There are small seasonal food stalls along the road to the monastery, and a restaurant in the Foresterium.
• You can visit the ruins with a dog.
• You can use the toilet in the Foresterium.

How to Get to the Monastery Ruins in Zagórz?

• You can reach the monastery on foot via an asphalt road - Klasztorna Street. 
• Cars and buses can park for free near the main road, next to the church (J. Piłsudski Street).
• Along the road, there are unique Stations of the Cross made by local artists.
• Walking along Klasztorna Street will take about 20 minutes (approximately 1 km distance).

PS. During your trip to Zagórz, it is also worth visiting nearby Sanok and exploring the beautiful and interesting open-air museum with the Galician Market Square:

Open-Air Museum in Sanok: Galician Market and Museum of Folk Architecture

The Museum of Folk Architecture, also known as the famous open-air museum in Sanok, along with the so-called Galician Market, is the largest ethnographic park in Poland. Is it worth visiting, what will we see, and what attractions await us at the open-air museum in Sanok? ...

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Author: Marfusza
Publish Date: 2023-09-27