Lesko

Poland, Poland

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Lesko is a small town in southeastern Poland's Podkarpackie Voivodeship, nestled in the Bieszczady Mountains along the San River, often called the "Bieszczady Gate" for its position about 70 km south of Rzeszów and 20 km southeast of Sanok.

First mentioned in 1436 and granted town rights around 1469-1470 under the noble Kmita family—who built a prominent castle around 1507 after relocating the settlement to a hilltop for defense—it thrived as a trade hub at key road intersections, blending Polish, Ruthenian, and Jewish communities by the 16th century.

The castle, repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, now functions partly as a hotel while retaining its fortress-residence features overlooking the river. Its growth halted after Swedish looting in 1704 during the Great Northern War, followed by partitions, world wars, and postwar border shifts that placed it firmly in Poland after 1945.

Today, with about 5,700 residents, it serves as a county seat and gateway for mountain tourism, featuring historic synagogues, a market square, and cultural sites amid stunning natural surroundings.