Uście Gorlickie: Wooden Church, Memorial Site and Trails

Uście Gorlickie brings together a Western Lemko wooden church and a First World War memorial site with two trails designed in different ways. You can shape your stay around a particular theme: architectural and religious history, or cycling and hiking. The blue-marked Transborder Cycling Route passes through Uście Gorlickie. The Uście Gorlickie–Sucha Homola–Uście Gorlickie walking route also starts in the village and is a loop. When looking for a hotel, these differences can help you decide what to focus on during your trip: the village’s cultural history, a cycling route or a walking loop.

Church of St. Paraskevi

The Greek Catholic parish church of St. Paraskevi in Uście Gorlickie is a Western Lemko wooden church dating from 1786. It is built using log construction and has shingle-covered walls. Log construction refers to the structural timber framework, while shingles are the wall covering: the first term describes the construction method, the second the exterior finish. If you are interested in wooden architecture, these features let you distinguish between two different aspects rather than treating the construction method and surface as the same thing. “Western Lemko” identifies the regional architectural style; “Greek Catholic” refers to the parish church’s denomination.

The dates also refer to different aspects. 1786 is the year the church was built; the figurative and ornamental polychrome decoration dates from 1938. Polychromy means a multicoloured design, while the terms “figurative” and “ornamental” describe the kinds of motifs used. This distinguishes the earlier construction date from the later date of the decorative work. The church’s religious history also includes the fact that, since 1951, Greek Catholic services have been held there alongside Roman Catholic ones. The building’s design, decoration and historical use thus offer different ways of approaching the same structure.

Memorial site in Uście Gorlickie

First World War Cemetery No. 57 in Uście Gorlickie is a different historical point of interest from the church. There are 59 people buried there. The cemetery broadens the historical perspective on Uście Gorlickie by adding remembrance of the First World War. This places two distinct themes side by side: sacred wooden architecture and remembrance of the war. If you are looking for a focus for your trip, this comparison offers a clear choice between architectural and religious history on the one hand, and remembrance on the other.

Cycling route and walking loop

The two route options differ not only in how you travel, but also in their described courses. The blue-marked Transborder Cycling Route passes through Uście Gorlickie; the blue markings and the route through the village are useful points of reference for this cycling route. Check the signs and local conditions before setting out. The Uście Gorlickie–Sucha Homola–Uście Gorlickie walking route starts in Uście Gorlickie and forms a loop via Sucha Homola back to the starting point. Starting and returning to the same village are therefore part of its described format. You should also check local conditions before setting out on this route. The practical difference is in the activity and route format: cycling on a marked route or walking a loop.

Discover more destinations: Gładyszów, Kwiatonowice, Krzywa, Biecz, Nowica, Wysowa-Zdrój, Gorlice, Korczyna

Go to the main travel overview: Gorlice.