Hotel in Stakčín – Poloniny Trail and Rusyn culture

Stakčín is a gateway to Poloniny National Park. The town lies in the valley of the Cirocha River between Snina and the Starina Reservoir, combining a clearly defined valley location with access to an important natural area.

Cycling routes

The Poloniny Trail is a cycling loop located directly in Poloniny National Park and passing through Stakčín. From the section near Stakčín, the trail follows the Cirocha River before turning towards Jalová. The loop is approximately 74 kilometres long; with the planned connection to the Ukrainian border via the municipality of Ubľa, the total length is expected to be around 98 kilometres. Thus, the planned extension remains explicitly a target and not a length that has already been achieved.

Another specific connection is the yellow-marked cycling route “Stakčín–Ulič”, numbered 8879. It is 25.8 kilometres long and connects Stakčín with Ulič. The route is intended for recreational cyclists and runs predominantly along paved and surfaced roads.

Culture and history

The Museum of Rusyn Culture is housed in the Stakčín manor house and features a permanent exhibition on the history of the Rusyns. The manor house was originally built as a Rococo mansion in the second half of the 18th century. In the second half of the 19th century, it was extended with a Neo-Gothic wing. This brings an exhibition, architectural history, and the development of various architectural forms into close proximity at the same location.

Other historic buildings include the Church of the Holy Trinity in Stakčín. It was built from 1947 to 1952 in the Neo-Byzantine style, with a large central dome. The well-known Baránkov concrete bridge is a technical monument in Stakčín and a preserved relic of former railway lines.

The region’s memorial sites are also documented in detail. The monumental First World War cemetery in Stakčín contains 590 graves: 569 individual graves, 3 shared graves, and 18 mass graves. In the abandoned village of Dara, the First World War cemetery contains 22 war graves with 41 soldiers buried there. The Beskydský panteón at the junction near Jalová is a symbolic cemetery commemorating notable figures from the Poloniny area.

Historic Park

Stakčín’s Historic Park is a protected park covering an area of 2.6295 hectares. A circular trail through the historic park highlights 15 particularly interesting trees. They include a 300-year-old pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) and a bald cypress (Taxodium distichum).

Events

The Stakčín Folk Art Festival focuses primarily on the musical and dance traditions of the Rusyn ethnic group. It takes place every year on the second weekend in July in the local park. Another event is Ľude pud Nastasom, held in May, which gives craftspeople from the region an opportunity to offer their products.

For a comparison with other places in the destination area, you can next visit Snina.

For the higher-level travel overview: Snina District.