Magurski National Park
Encyclopedia
Magura National Park is a National Park located in the south-east of Poland
, close to Slovakia
, on the boundary of Lesser Poland Voivodeship
and Subcarpathian Voivodeship
. It covers the main part of the upper basin of the Wisłoka river. When the Park was created in 1995 it covered 199.62 km², although it is now only 194.39 km² (75.1 sq mi), of which 185.31 km² is forest.
The Park takes its name from the massif
known as Magura Wątkowska, after Wątkowa, its highest peak. Magura is also the name of the second-highest peak of this massif.
ridge and consists mainly of heavily forested low and medium peaks. Among geological curiosities the most important are the Diabli Kamień ("Devil’s Stone") and the Kornuty reserve. The main part of the park consists of the Magura Wątkowska massif, with its highest peak Wątkowa at 847 metres (2,778.9 ft) above sea level. Other significant hills are Magura (842 m), Wielka Góra (719 m) and Nad Tysowym (713 m).
The Wisłoka river and its tributaries are some of the most important elements of the park. The Wisłoka is a typical mountain river, which creates picturesque ravines and frequently changes its course.
. The majority of the Park is forest. Spruce is not frequent here, which means that the woodland is for the most part natural.
Animal life is very rich in the Park - there are 137 species
of birds, including several endangered such as the eagle
and eagle-owl as well as the stork
. There are also 35 engagered mammal
species including the brown bear
(they roam back and forth between Poland
and Slovakia
), lynx
, wildcat
, wolf and otter
. One can also find fish
, snakes, salamanders and numerous insects. It is estimated that within the Park there are 200 species of endangered animals.
, on the Walik mountain. It was part of the system of strongholds built by the Wislanie tribe in the 9th century on the Southern border of their lands. Also, one can find small, wooden Orthodox
churches, which were built by the eastern Slavic Lemkos
. Unfortunately, some of these buildings are ruined. In one of the farmers’ huts, at the village of Kolonia Olchowiec, there is a small, private museum of Lemko culture.
There are also numerous cemeteries from World War I
, as this area was for a long time a battleground between the Russian and Austro-German armies. A tragic reminder of World War II
is the cemetery of 1250 Jews
, who were killed by the Nazis in 1942 at the Halbów pass.
The Park has its headquarters in the village of Krempna
.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, close to Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, on the boundary of Lesser Poland Voivodeship
Lesser Poland Voivodeship
Małopolska Voivodeship , or Lesser Poland Voivodeship, is a voivodeship, in southern Poland...
and Subcarpathian Voivodeship
Subcarpathian Voivodeship
Podkarpackie Voivodeship , or Subcarpathian Voivodeship, is a voivodeship, or province, in extreme-southeastern Poland. Its administrative capital and largest city is Rzeszów...
. It covers the main part of the upper basin of the Wisłoka river. When the Park was created in 1995 it covered 199.62 km², although it is now only 194.39 km² (75.1 sq mi), of which 185.31 km² is forest.
The Park takes its name from the massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
known as Magura Wątkowska, after Wątkowa, its highest peak. Magura is also the name of the second-highest peak of this massif.
The landscape
Magurski National Park’s landscape is typical of the Beskid NiskiBeskids
The Beskids , ) is a traditional name for a series of Eastern European mountain ranges.- Definition :The Beskids are approximately 600 km in length and 50–70 km in width...
ridge and consists mainly of heavily forested low and medium peaks. Among geological curiosities the most important are the Diabli Kamień ("Devil’s Stone") and the Kornuty reserve. The main part of the park consists of the Magura Wątkowska massif, with its highest peak Wątkowa at 847 metres (2,778.9 ft) above sea level. Other significant hills are Magura (842 m), Wielka Góra (719 m) and Nad Tysowym (713 m).
The Wisłoka river and its tributaries are some of the most important elements of the park. The Wisłoka is a typical mountain river, which creates picturesque ravines and frequently changes its course.
Flora and fauna
Plant life is of a transitional character and reflects the park’s location - between the Eastern and Western CarpathiansCarpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a range of mountains forming an arc roughly long across Central and Eastern Europe, making them the second-longest mountain range in Europe...
. The majority of the Park is forest. Spruce is not frequent here, which means that the woodland is for the most part natural.
Animal life is very rich in the Park - there are 137 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of birds, including several endangered such as the eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
and eagle-owl as well as the stork
Stork
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family Ciconiidae. They are the only family in the biological order Ciconiiformes, which was once much larger and held a number of families....
. There are also 35 engagered mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
species including the brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
(they roam back and forth between Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
), lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
, wildcat
Wild cat
The wildcat is a small cat with several subspecies and a very broad distribution, found throughout most of Africa, Europe, and southwest and central Asia into India, China, and Mongolia. It is a hunter of small mammals, birds, and other creatures of a similar or smaller size. Sometimes included is...
, wolf and otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
. One can also find fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, snakes, salamanders and numerous insects. It is estimated that within the Park there are 200 species of endangered animals.
Human settlement
The oldest trace of human settlement in this area are remains of a stronghold at BrzezowaBrzezowa
Brzezowa may refer to the following places:*Brzezowa, Bochnia County in Lesser Poland Voivodeship *Brzezowa, Myślenice County in Lesser Poland Voivodeship *Brzezowa, Subcarpathian Voivodeship...
, on the Walik mountain. It was part of the system of strongholds built by the Wislanie tribe in the 9th century on the Southern border of their lands. Also, one can find small, wooden Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
churches, which were built by the eastern Slavic Lemkos
Lemkos
Lemkos , one of several quantitatively and territorially small ethnic groups who also call themselves Rusyns , are one of the ethnic groups inhabiting the Carpathian Mountains...
. Unfortunately, some of these buildings are ruined. In one of the farmers’ huts, at the village of Kolonia Olchowiec, there is a small, private museum of Lemko culture.
There are also numerous cemeteries from World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, as this area was for a long time a battleground between the Russian and Austro-German armies. A tragic reminder of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
is the cemetery of 1250 Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
, who were killed by the Nazis in 1942 at the Halbów pass.
The Park has its headquarters in the village of Krempna
Krempna
Krempna is a village in Jasło County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in south-eastern Poland, close to the border with Slovakia. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Krempna. It lies approximately south of Jasło and south-west of the regional capital Rzeszów.The village has a population of...
.