Pogorzany on Ciecień
Accommodation in Pogorzany
Pogorzany lies almost entirely on the northeastern slope of Ciecień. Two very different points of interest can help you plan your visit: the memorial to the events in the hamlet of Smykań and a hiking route that passes through Pogorzany. There is also a view of the mountains in the municipality of Jodłownik. Here, you can explore both a specific chapter of local history and the area’s geographical setting within the surrounding mountain landscape.
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Photo: Z. M. Nochenski, T. Tomek, T. Szybiak & K. Wertz via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Location on Ciecień and the mountains of the municipality
The hillside setting describes Pogorzany itself: the village lies almost entirely on the northeastern slope of Ciecień. In the municipality of Jodłownik, Ciecień, at 829 meters, and Kostrza, at 720 meters, are the highest mountains. These details place the village in a broader geographical context. Ciecień is both the mountain on whose slope Pogorzany lies and the highest mountain in the municipality; Kostrza adds another point of reference for the municipal area. If the landscape matters when choosing your destination, this distinction offers a useful point of orientation without conflating the two mountains with the village area.
Remembering the events in Smykań
Smykań is a hamlet of Pogorzany. During a pacification operation in September 1944, German troops murdered 42 people there; 18 of them were burned alive in a barn. Execution units also burned down 17 houses. The memorial obelisk in Pogorzany commemorates the victims of this operation. It was ceremonially unveiled on May 18, 1986. A visit to the monument brings you to a clearly defined chapter of local history and commemorates the people who were murdered there.
Directions: From the Szczyrzyc–Dobczyce road, turn left in Pogorzany onto a narrow paved road after a wooden bus shelter. The monument is 50 meters from the main road. As road and path conditions may change, check the local situation before your visit if needed.
Hiking through Pogorzany
A one-and-a-half-hour tour runs from Szczyrzyc through Pogorzany to Przełęcz nad Grodziskiem and covers 10.4 kilometers. The tour begins with a visit to Diabli Kamień and the Szczyrzyc hermitage. Below Diabli Kamień, in the vicinity of Pogorzany, is the hermitage of Saint Benedict, founded in the early 19th century. The route continues to a scenic saddle on the southern slopes of Grodzisko. From there, you can enjoy a panorama of the Pasmo Łysiny i Lubomira in the Beskid Średni.
The duration and distance provide two concrete planning details for the hike. Pogorzany is one section of the route, while the viewpoint is at Przełęcz nad Grodziskiem. If you plan to take the tour, confirm current trail conditions locally. This allows you to include the hike as a distinct part of your trip while also seeing the memorial site in Pogorzany as a different focus of your stay.
Discover more destinations: Nowe Rybie, Kasinka Mala, Makowica, Szczawa, Niedzwiedz K Limanowej, Raba Nizna, Kobyłczyna, Lubomierz.
For the broader travel overview: Limanowa.
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