Museums
In Cięcina, in the Żywiec Beskids, operates Sopki Stopki — a wooden settlement where old highlander cottages are being rescued, with sheep grazing beside them. The name joins two things: "sopki" are old, small cottages typical of the Żywiec Beskids, while "Stopka" is the surname of the founders. The settlement, supported by the Górom Foundation, is run by the Stopka family, and its originator was Jan Stopka.
The heart of the settlement beats in the shepherd's hut. Grazing lasts from May to August — that is exactly when you can buy oscypek cheeses, sheep butter and other cheeses at the hut. The sheep are milked twice a day, morning and afternoon, so a visit easily combines with watching the shepherd at work. The tradition cherished here reaches back to the times of the Vlachs, who centuries ago began grazing sheep on burned-over mountain meadows.
Sopki Stopki is not only an open-air museum: it hosts herbal workshops, folk instrument building, paper-craft and bushcraft sessions. The settlement also takes part in regional highlander events such as the Festival of the Leontopodium (Festiwal Dziewięsiła).
The settlement lies on Św. Katarzyny street in Cięcina, a village among the oldest in the Żywiec region — settlement here may go back to the 13th century. It is easiest to reach by car from Węgierska Górka or Żywiec, and a visit pairs well with a walk on the surrounding slopes.
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