Tourist attractions in Istebna
What should you see in the town of Istebna?
Tourist attractions in Istebna are interesting and incredibly diverse. Some of the highlights of Istebna include the 18th century catholic Good Shephard’s church, located in the center of the
village, the church of Our Lady of Fatima at Stekowka and the wooden church of the Lifting of the Holy Cross at Kubalonka. There are also museums: the Jan Walach museum with a collection of graphics, drawings and sculptures, as well as the Konarzewski Family Museum at Andziolowka. The Konarzewski family were the authors of the local church’s interior. Meanwhile, the rememberance chamber of Jerzy Kukuczka gives the visitors a chance to get familiar with one of our most famous mountain climber. There is also the most locally famous regional Kawulokow cottage. Inside, you will find, among others, a collection of folk musical instruments. Istebna, similarly to many other local villages, is often visited by tourists, who come to the mountains for wekend trips. Here, you can find quite cheap accommodation (compared to Ustron and the town of Vistula). Istebna is also located near the border with both the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The short history of Istebna
The town of Istebna is located in Beskid Slaski, upon the river Olza. This region is sometimes reffered to as the Cieszyn Silesia. Along with the nearby Koniakow and Jaworzynka it creates something known as the Beskid Tri-village. The landscapes in this area are gorgeous – hilly and forested. The river Olza flows through the village.
Similar to many other Beskid villages, Istebna is very extensive. Walking from one end of the village to the other might take even several hours. If we don’t have a car, it’s worth getting familiar with the local bus ride schedule. Istebna stretches at the surface of nearly 5000 hectares, with the number of people living here also being approximately 5000. This large surface includes many settlements and farmsteads connected, of which most well-known include Andziolowka, Beskid, Kubalonka, Stecowka and over 50 others. The oldest of thise settlements, Jasnowice, was mentioned in documents back in the 16th century. After the period of partitions and the decline of the Austria-Hungary monsarchy, and after the war with Czechoslovakia (for the areas of the Cieszyn Silesia) Istebna joined the Polish country in 1919.