Poloniny National Park is Slovakia’s most remote and wild protected area — a UNESCO-listed wilderness of primeval beech forests, high mountain meadows (poloniny), and traditional wooden churches in the far northeast of the country, where the borders of Slovakia, Poland, and Ukraine meet. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of the “Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians,” Poloniny is a place where European bison have been successfully reintroduced, wolves and bears still roam, and traditional Rusyn culture survives in the scattered mountain villages.
Quick Facts: Poloniny National Park
- Best time to visit: June–September for hiking; the poloniny flower meadows are at their peak in June
- Top attraction: Kremenec — the tripoint where Slovakia, Poland, and Ukraine meet at 1,221 metres; and the UNESCO-listed wooden churches (tserkovs) in the surrounding villages
- How to get there: ~5 hours from Bratislava by car; the nearest town is Snina
- Wildlife: European bison (reintroduced), brown bear, wolf, lynx, and golden eagle
Poloniny National Park is the biggest complex of primaeval forests in Slovakia, located in north-eastern part of Slovakia, in Snina region at the Polish and Ukrainian borders. It is a part of Bukovské vrchy mountain range, which belongs to the Eastern Carpathians. Poloniny National Park was established in 1997 with a protected area of 298.05 km² and a buffer zone of 109.73 km². Selected parts are included into Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Mountain meadows are typical for this national park. They can be found on mountain ranges in the Bukovské hills/Bukovské vrchy. The most beautiful are near Pľaša, Ďurkovec, Riaba skala and Kamenná lúka/Kamenná meadow.
In Poloniny National Park there are unique cultural landmarks, particularly famous are the wooden churches in Topola, Uličské Krivné, Ruský Potok and Jalová.
The highest peak is Kremenec (1 221 m above sea level). It is the easternmost peak of Slovakia, where three state borders meet (Slovakia, Poland and the Ukraine).
View Poloniny National Park in Slovakia in a larger map
Have you explored Poloniny or discovered Slovakia’s far east? Share your wilderness experiences in the comments! 🐺
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