The Monastery of Barefoot Carmelites and its complex in Zagórz comprise an area of 1.75 hectares. The remnants of this late Baroque church and monastery, dating from the 1700s, are a rare example of a Polish fortified monastery. The evocative complex was built during the times of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to defend the area against the marauding Swedes, and covers an area of 1.75 hectares. Instead, it became the site of the last battle of the Bar Confederation and was destroyed by the Russian Army during the siege.
Although essentially a ruin today, its location atop Mariemont Hill affords great views of the Osława River valley below, and some wonderful photo opportunities for fans of crumbled grandeur. Interestingly, Karol Wojtyła - soon to be Pope John Paul II - visited the ruins while tramping about in the Bieszczady hills in 1957; this event is commemorated with a plaque. In recent years, the Way of the Cross has been organised amidst the ruins during Lent. The ruins are also the backdrop to the popular novel, Pan Samochodzik & the Zagórz Monastery.
Photo by Adelina Krupski.
In the adjacent Foresterium Culture Centre, you can check out the ruins through virtual reality glasses while getting a multimedia rundown of the site's history. Entrance to the ruins is 5zł. Foresterium tours are 20zł and begin every 30mins. Call ahead for foreign language guides.
