In the footsteps of Aleksander Fredro – The International Tourist Trail
The Podkarpackie (Subcarpathian) Province in the south-eastern part of Poland and Lviv – the region in Ukraine, are the two regions that in the past belonged to one state. Nowadays, these regions are divided by a national border, but still have much in common. These are two lands of extremely rich history and interaction of culture, religions, customs and ordinary people’s lives.
It’s here where we can admire the magnificent scenery od Bieszczady Mountains and where material relics of the past are preserved. Among them are manor houses, churches, Orthodox churches, castles and palaces. Here, finally, among the various proposals for tourists, we can find interesting theme routes, based on historical, cultural and natural heritage. An example of that kind of touristic route is almost 450 km long trail, associated with the life and work of Aleksander Fredro – comedy writer, fabulist, diarist and poet (which literary critics wrote that he had a wit, gaiety and ease of rhyming, knew how to entertain and amuse the audience), a participant of the Napoleonic Wars, a great patriot and social activist.
The Gothic castle “Kamieniec” was built by king Casimir the Great in the 14th century on a rocky mountain, 452 meters above the sea level. In the 17th century the approaches of Kamieniec castle were rebuilt and since then became a property of the Firlej family, while the so called upper castle was in the hands of the Skotnicki family. The constant arguments and fights between neighbours were the literary prototype of Cześnik and Rejent quarrels, which personalities were so wonderfully described by Aleksander Fredro in his literary work “Zemsta” (Revenge). The castle was destroyed by the Swedish and Hungarian army in the 17th century. The fate of the feuding families A. Fredro knew due to his marriage with Sophie Jabłonowska in 1828, a daughter of Count Joseph Jabłonowski. By this marriage Fredro became one of the heirs of Kamieniec castle (and also surrounding areas of Korczyna, Węglówka and Sporne).
To our times are preserved fragments of the upper and middle castle including an interesting entrance portal and the remains of the walls. In the reconstructed part of the castle was opened a modest castle museum. The wedding of before mentioned pair: Sophie Skarbek, née Jablonowscy, and Count Aleksander Fredro took place on November 8, 1828, in the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in the near Korczyna. Sister of A. Fredro – Cecilia Jabłonowska, née Fredro, one day later organized for them a big wedding reception in the manor-house of Krościenko Wyżne. Unfortunately, no traces of this manor-house have been preserved up to our time. In the cemetery in Korczyna, you can still visit the grave of a grandson of A. Fredo: general Stanisław Count Szeptycki (Stanley Sheptytsky), the last heir of Korczyna.
For more information visit www.beskidniski.org.pl
To our times are preserved fragments of the upper and middle castle including an interesting entrance portal and the remains of the walls. In the reconstructed part of the castle was opened a modest castle museum. The wedding of before mentioned pair: Sophie Skarbek, née Jablonowscy, and Count Aleksander Fredro took place on November 8, 1828, in the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in the near Korczyna. Sister of A. Fredro – Cecilia Jabłonowska, née Fredro, one day later organized for them a big wedding reception in the manor-house of Krościenko Wyżne. Unfortunately, no traces of this manor-house have been preserved up to our time. In the cemetery in Korczyna, you can still visit the grave of a grandson of A. Fredo: general Stanisław Count Szeptycki (Stanley Sheptytsky), the last heir of Korczyna.
For more information visit www.beskidniski.org.pl