The Stone on Równica

The "Stone" (Kamień) on Równica is a forest place of worship of the Lutherans of Cieszyn Silesia, on the western slopes of Równica above Ustroń. A flat boulder once served here as an altar, and today it is one of the best-known such places in the Beskids.

Where the forest services came from

In 1654 a religious commission took all churches away from the Lutherans of Cieszyn Silesia, so for the following decades, until about 1709, they held services secretly in remote places, mainly in the mountains. The preachers came mainly from Upper Hungary, but also from Lower Silesia and from the Kingdom of Poland. The memory of nine such places has survived to this day, six of them in the Polish part of the Beskids.

What to see at the Stone

The place lies at an altitude of about 700 m above sea level, in the area of the headwaters of the Gościeradowiec stream. The flat stone served as an altar, which is why the people of Ustroń traditionally call it "ku Kamiyniu". In 1904, on the 250th anniversary of the beginning of the forest services, a small spring was enclosed next to the stone and a plaque dated 16.07.1904 was placed on it. The place was entered in the heritage register in 1928, and a few years later an inscription was added, "A place of worship of the Lutherans in the years 1654 to 1709", which was partly damaged in 1935.

Services today

Annual services are held at the Stone on the Gustav Adolf Fraternal Aid Day, organised since 1961 on the day when Catholics celebrate Corpus Christi. They are attended by crowds of the faithful, including from distant parishes. Nearby, in the area of the Równica mountain hut, accompanying events are held every two years. The area is best explored together with the Równica Mountain Park, less than a kilometre away.

Practical information

• Location: western slopes of Równica, Ustroń, about 700 m above sea level.
• Access: the Main Beskid Trail, marked in red, runs right beside it.
• This is a place of prayer and religious remembrance, so it is worth keeping quiet during services.
• Check the route and how to get there before setting out, on the map of Silesian Beskids trails.