Dąbków is best understood through its local history: the village was founded as Felsendorf and received its present name in 1949. A former Protestant church, a former Protestant cemetery and several memorial sites bring different chapters of its history to light. If you are looking for a cultural and historical focus for your stay, Dąbków can be understood above all through these specific places—with a timeline stretching from the founding of the settlement to the memorials of the 20th century.
From Felsendorf to Dąbków
Dąbków was founded in 1783 as a German settlement called Felsendorf, as part of the Josephine colonisation. The present-day name came later: in 1949, at the request of its residents, Felsendorf was renamed Dąbków in honour of General Stanisław Dąbek. The village was also his place of residence. This sequence connects the settlement’s early history with the later remembrance of the general, without treating the two periods as one and the same.
Church and Memorial Sites
The former Protestant church was built in 1886 and now serves as the Roman Catholic filial church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It remained unchanged until 2011, after which it was extended. In the Lubaczów municipality, it is described as the second-oldest brick church. The building thus brings together its Protestant origins and its present-day Catholic use. If you would like to see inside the church, check in advance what local visiting arrangements are available.
Two memorial sites also commemorate different historical events. Between the church and the school stands a cross erected in 1920 for the young people who died in the Polish-Ukrainian fighting in late 1918. An obelisk was unveiled and consecrated on 26 October 2014. It commemorates General Stanisław Dąbek and the residents of Dąbków and Opaka who lost their lives during the Second World War and in the killings carried out by Ukrainian nationalists of the OUN-UPA between 1944 and 1947.
Opposite the former school building, on private property, stands a historic chapel with figures of Saint Joseph and the Mother of God. It was probably built in 1886 by Protestants during the construction of the church, so this date and attribution remain uncertain. The former denominational school building itself was constructed towards the end of the 19th century. Together, the church, chapel and school place several historic buildings in Dąbków in context, although their construction dates do not exactly coincide.
The Former Protestant Cemetery
The former Protestant cemetery lies about 300 m from the church. Only a few tombstones remain, and several impressive old trees also stand there. The cemetery, including its tombstones and old trees, has been listed in the heritage register under number A-1595 since 15 February 2019. The few surviving tombstones and several impressive old trees are part of the cemetery. The small number of tombstones still standing also gives a concrete idea of what can be seen there today.
Main Road and Yellow Route
The main road through Dąbków follows the former route between Lubaczów, Wielkie Oczy and Jaworów. This provides a historical point of reference for finding your way around the village. The Yellow Route offers another connection: it starts at the town square in Lubaczów and reaches Dąbków after 3 km. In Dąbków, the former Protestant church, built in 1886, is one of the sights along the route.
The road connection and the Yellow Route are two distinct points of reference: the former follows an old transport route, while the latter leads from Lubaczów to Dąbków and includes the church along its course. If you would like to use the route when planning your visit, check its local signage and the conditions applicable to your visit in advance. This helps place a visit to the church within the broader context of the village and route, while the memorial sites and cemetery offer their own historical points of interest.
For an overview of the wider area: Gmina Lubaczów.
