The village of Dzembronia has preserved the unique traditions of the Carpathian region. Lesya Ukrainka and Vasyl Stefanyk rested here, and Sergei Parajanov was inspired to create a masterpiece of cinema - Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors. Find out all the secrets of Dzembronia - from the history of the name to the most popular routes on the Visit Ukraine portal

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Dzembronia is located in the Carpathian Mountains. It is a fairly large village - its length reaches 10 km. However, the number of yards here is quite small - 112, and 245 people live there. This is the specificity of mountain settlements - a small number of people live in a large area. Today, Dzembronia (which until 2009 was called Berestechko) is part of the Bystrets village council. Find out all about this extraordinary village - its history, interesting facts and the most convenient routes on the Visit Ukraine portal.

Photo: Leonid Morozov / Pinterest

Why Dzembronia?

Previously, the village was called Berestetska Dzembronia, so the modern name was a part of the past. In 1946, the settlement was renamed Berestechko, but it did not catch on with the locals. So in 2009, they decided to try another part of the name. That's how Dzembronia came about. There are several local legends that explain the origin of the village name. Here are the theories:

- Bronia (Bronislava) was the name of a lord's daughter who got lost in these woods, and ‘dze’ is a pre-letter translation of the Polish ‘gdze’;

- The name comes from the Hungarian word for ‘celebration’, which is similar to the name of the settlement;

- The village was named after the pagans who performed their rituals on the day of the summer solstice nearby - on the mountain near the Eared Stone.

Photo: Serhiy Stepanenko / Pinterest

Interesting facts about Dzembronia

1. Famous Ukrainian writers Lesia Ukrainka and Vasyl Stefanyk loved to create and relax here.

2. It was Dzembronia that inspired Sergei Parajanov to create the film Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors.

3. Dzembronia is the highest mountain village in Ukraine.

4. Tania Maliarchuk and Taras Prokhasko most often describe the village in their books.

5. The village offers an incredible view of the Chornohora massif.

6. According to legend, absolutely all the evil spirits from the neighbourhood gather here at night.

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What can you see and try in Dzembronia?

Go to the Smotrytski waterfalls

The waterfalls of extraordinary beauty are located at a distance of two hours on foot from Dzembronia. They are 100 metres long and the height of the largest threshold is 10 metres. The Smotrytsky waterfalls are considered a real business card of the Carpathians and their extraordinary decoration.

Photo: Edelweiss / Pinterest

Try rafting on the Cheremosh

Cheremosh is a rafting paradise for Ukrainians. The fast-moving mountain river opens up space for many extreme sports, but rafting remains the undisputed leader. If you want to keep fit, admire the scenery, breathe fresh mountain air and, of course, test your courage and endurance, you should definitely go to Dzembronia!

See the White Elephant Observatory

At the top of Mount Pip Ivan is the highest building in Ukraine - the Polish White Elephant Observatory. In 1938-1941, researchers lived and worked at an altitude of 2028 metres. The observatory is currently closed to visitors as it is undergoing restoration. Ukraine plans to reopen the observatory and continue scientific research.

Touching history at the Eared Stone

Vuhatyi Kamen is a peak in the Ukrainian part of the Carpathians, located near Dzembronia in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast. On the top of the mountain and its slopes there are strange rocks, popularly called ‘temples’, which are the product of wind and time.

Photo: Nata Poda / Pinterest

How to get to Dzembronia?

Step 1: From any city in Ukraine, buy a train/bus ticket to Ivano-Frankivsk.

Step 2: At the Ivano-Frankivsk bus station, take a bus to Verkhovyna.

Step 3: Go to your destination by a special route ‘Verkhovyna - Dzembronia’, which departs from Verkhovyna at 12:00, 15:30 and 17:30 (schedule deviations are possible).

You can get to Dzembronia by car from Kyiv, passing through Zhytomyr, Ivano-Frankivsk and going through the settlements of Otynia-Kolomyia-Kosiv-Kryvorivnia-Verkhovyna-Krasnyi.

For those who not only want to see the picturesque villages of the Carpathians, but also enjoy extreme tourism, there is a special trip on the Visit Ukraine portal.

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