Komańcza

Komańcza it is located south of Sanok, on the border of the Bieszczady Mountains and Beskid Niski, in the valley of the Osławica River and Barbarka stream. Inhabited by about 880 inhabitants. The village was established in 1512 under Wallachian law. It took its name from the Barbarka stream, which was then called Kumaniecki Potok. In the 19^th century, there was a considerable economic recovery in Komancza due to construction of the strategic I Hungarian-Galician Iron Railway connecting Budapest with Przemyśl Fortress and Lviv. In 1918, the Komańcza Republicwas created here – it is a movement in favor to join with independent Ukraine. That is why at the time Komańcza in literature is called the Komańcza Republic. It prevailed until January 1919 when it was crushed by the Polish army. During the interwar period, Komańcza began to develop as a summer resort. A few wooden guesthouses were built, two of which have survived till today - the Monastery of the Nazareth Sisters and the former PTTK shelter. After the World War II, the population, mostly Lemko people, was displaced to Soviet Ukraine in 1946 and in 1947 during the Vistula Operation to the Regained Territories.

Currently, among the tourist attractions of Komańcza are the Monastery of the Nazareth Sisters and the reconstruction of the Greek Catholic Church of the Protection of the Mother of God from 1802, which burned down on September 13, 2006 and was one of the three churches representing East-Lemko religious architecture. In the private house of Lemko woman - Daria Boiwka one can see the mini museum dedicated to the Lemkos.