Viewpoints

Szczerbanówka Tower in the Bieszczady Mountains

The wooden Szczerbanówka lookout tower was erected in 2017 on the Przysłup pass, at 749 m above sea level, in the Western Bieszczady Mountains. The structure is only 9 metres tall, but its three platforms are enough to take in the most important summits of the Polish Bieszczady. Entry and parking are free of charge.

A panorama of the polonynas

From the top platform you can see, among others, Połonina Wetlińska (1,255 m), Smerek (1,222 m), Jasło (1,153 m), Hyrlata (1,103 m) and Wysokie Berdo (968 m). A telescope and a board with the names of the peaks await on site, so it is easy to identify what shines on the horizon. The tower stands right by the road, so you can enjoy the view even on days without long hikes.

A name after a vanished village

The name refers to the village of Szczerbanówka, already mentioned in 1606. The former royal village, lying on the western side of the pass, counted about 150 inhabitants before the Second World War and gathered a multicultural community. After displacement — including 30 Lemko families — it emptied completely; the wooden Greek Catholic church of 1858 was dismantled in 1950. Today, among the meadows, you can spot the foundations of Lemko cottages and feral orchards.

In practice

The tower stands by voivodeship road 897 leading to Komańcza, about 10 km from Cisna — getting there and parking require no hiking at all, which you will appreciate on a rainy day. In the area it is worth combining the visit with a ride on the Bieszczady Forest Railway (4 km) and visits to the wooden churches of Turzańsk or Komańcza, inscribed on the UNESCO list.