For Czarna Woda, cultural history and geographical orientation offer two useful ways to explore the area. Chyża Babci Matrony points to the historic village; a stream also bears the same name and flows through the area. Together with the region’s connection to Lemko settlement history, these provide a clearer picture of the area.

Czarna Woda and Ruś Szlachtowska

The village of Czarna Woda was one of four settlements that made up Ruś Szlachtowska. It was the westernmost enclave of Lemko settlements in the Carpathians. This places the village’s history in a broader context than a single cultural site: Czarna Woda is also part of a regionally named group of settlements.

Chyża Babci Matrony: Building and Collections

Chyża Babci Matrony stood in the village of Czarna Woda from at least the 19th century. Today, Czarna Woda is one of the streets in Jaworki, in the municipality of Szczawnica. The collections include a historic rural building with a cellar and an outhouse, a chapel, old furniture such as chests and a cradle, and household objects. They also include religious items such as icons and a small Ruthenian cross, authentic Ruthenian costumes, sculptures, photographs, and family records. The combination of the building, everyday objects, religious items, and records offers architectural, domestic, religious, and family perspectives on cultural history.

During the ongoing renovation, the Chyża is partially open to visitors, but only by prior arrangement with the owner. Arrange your visit with her in advance and check access again before your appointment.

The Shrine in Masłejakówka

Another cultural site in Czarna Woda is the shrine in Masłejakówka. It stands on the site of a planned Orthodox church, in the oldest, lower-lying part of the area near the border with Jaworki. While the Chyża is associated with a historic rural building and collections, the shrine marks the site of the planned church.

Stream and Landscape

The Czarna Woda stream is a right-bank tributary of the Grajcarka and is 6.99 kilometres long. It flows through the area of Czarna Woda and then enters the territory of the village of Jaworki. In the broader regional landscape, it is considered an important feature of the Beskid Sądecki. Alongside the cultural sites, this offers a geographical perspective on Czarna Woda: the course of a named waterway from the area into the territory of Jaworki.

An Activity Nearby

The quest “U źródeł Białej Wody” takes you through the Biała Woda Nature Reserve in the Małe Pieniny mountain range and tells the history of areas once inhabited by Lemkos. It starts in the centre of Jaworki, in a square at the intersection of Czarna Woda and Pod Homolami streets. The quest can be played at any time; check the route details before setting out.

For the broader travel overview: Szczawnica.