a stream , at the foot a mountain massif called 'Wiecha' (512 m above sea level) . Moreover Poraż is surrounded by 'Wysoki Dział' - on west side (437 m above sea level) and 'Ubocz'

Photo: A Church in Poraż

( 479 m above sea level). The first name of current Poraż was Kunzendorf. It was mentioned for the first time in 1383, when Maria, the Hungarian Quinn, ratified a purchase deed of Poraż lands for some Józef Wołoch. But most probably Poraż has been founded as early as the ages of Kazimierz the Great. The village was located on German law. Today?s name of the village comes from a great defeat suffered before the ages in this area by Tartarian army. Since 15th century the village was in possession of great houses representatives: the Tarnawski family, the Kmita family, the Stadnicki family, the Łempicki family. In 19th century the lands of Poraż were in possession of the Krasicki family.

The first church in Poraż was already mentioned in 1455. The second one, founded by Krzysztof Tarnawski from Tarnawa, was mentioned in 1600. In 1697 Father Piotr Głuski - the parish priest of Poraż- founded and equipped a church in Zagórz. Today?s church under the invocation of Our Lady Absolution has been raised in 1784.

On southern-west side of the church, there?s a building of former vicarage farm of 19th century. In the Poraż area, there has also survived a building of 19th century inn , with two ? course interior structure and passing vestibule. The building with an appropriation for school was founded about 1860 by count Krasicki.

Between Zagórz and Poraz there?s a very original building. Huge, thick walls,

a quadrangular tower with intended battlements. Other architectonic elements, such as for instance: ogives on windows may be indicative of a very old descent of the structure. But more nature observer will certainly notice some unnatural proportions of the construction 'The very last castle of Polish Republic' - often used to name the structure. It has been raised by baron Adam Gubrynowicz in 1928. The Gubrynowicz family descended from the area of Lvov.

One of baron Gubrynowicz fore fathers was a well-known bookseller and publisher. Bolesław Gubrynowicz - a professor of polish literature at the Warsaw Uniwersity, Polish Academy of Skills' member, an author of numerous publications and the ' Literary Diary' editor - was Adam?s father. Together with Wiktor Hann, he published the very first critical edition of Julius Słowacki literary outputs.

Photo: 'The very last castle of Polish Republic' in Poraż.

Adam Gubrynowicz always dreamed about a diplomatic career and fashionable affairs. To reach this purpose, he married an Austrian general Fryderyk baron de Salis Samaden?s daughter. Unfortunately this relationship didn?t give him the title of a baron?, he dreamed about. Finally the squad of Poraż had to ?by it from King of Spain-Alfons XIII ; and pay for it the price of twenty thousands American dollars.

The investment of the castle was in confirmation of the Gubrynowicz house growing prestige. The structure was situated in a very picturesque area. In 1928, to common disturbance of local landlords, the building?s walls, adapted to an ancient fortress were topped with shooting battlements. From that day the castle became a center of fashionable affairs. Time after time there were given numerous quarrels, balles, masquerades, hunts, described personally by the count, in a specially edited paper 'High of life'.

The squad of Poraż also edited on his own cost, the nobleman's encyclopaedia. But the work under the publication absorbed him only till the moment, when he wrote, partly made up history of the Gubrynowicz house.

Avid of fame and honours, baron did everything to obtain longed for position in government. Unfortunately without success. So he became a local social - worker: he was

a secretary of the Friends of Sanok Society. After that he held a financial patronage on the Museum of Sanok lands. Thanks to his effort, a parish church in Zagórz has been enriched with beautiful stained - glass windows. He was free with his money to support both: Roman Catholic parish church and Greek Catholic church in Zagórz. During his stay in Rome, he initiated there the rise of Polish colony library. Moreover he also patronized many charity foundations. His dreams and aspirations were to be realized in 1939, when he finaly obtained an appointment to a diplomatic agency in Bukarest. Unfortunately an outbreak of war made it impossible to take up the office.

During the war the castle was a residence of count Ksawery Krasicki, who lived there with his family. For a long time the building was a contact station for messangers on their way to Hungary. The location of the castle ? in direct closeness to forest, a bit off the beaten track, was a very conductive one.

The next reason of an- Polish fame of Poraż are? jokes, about the following village administrators. Luckly the administrators themselves and citizens of Poraż are

a hardworking, cheerful people with a great sense of humour. That?s why they treat all jokes as a great promotion of their home village.