This is the land of the Hutsuls, which for many years was cut off from the outside world by mountain ranges. Here, amidst untouched nature, hides a whole unique universe with its bizarre blend of Christianity and paganism, saints and nymphs with wizards.
The first mention of the town dates back to 1797. At that time, this corner of land had just become part of the mighty Austro-Hungarian Empire, and changes began to manifest in its measured life.
Yaremche was one of the favorite relaxation spots for the multi-national aristocracy of the empire. Noble families from Vienna, Krakow, Lviv came here for the Carpathian exoticism and endless wild nature.
Local residents – Hutsuls – were especially interesting for visitors. The thing is that the region where they live (Hutsulshchyna) until the mid-19th century was largely unexplored. Researchers knew almost nothing about the life, customs, and beliefs of the local inhabitants. Even the inhabitants of neighboring Ukrainian villages often had very vague notions about their mountain neighbors. One of the biggest peculiarities of the mountain Ukrainians was their rituals and beliefs. The thing is that, like the rest of the Slavs, they were Christianized around the 10th century, but due to the remoteness from central authority, the new religion initially had little influence on local life and very quickly merged with their own, local pagan religion.
As a result, a very interesting synthesis of myths, legends, superstitions of ancient people with the norms of Christian morality and behavior, as well as a mixture of rituals of both religions, emerged. This is beautifully described by Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi in his work “Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors.” His characters seem to live in a world where various mythical characters, spells, etc… it’s not a fairy tale, but a real world that surrounds them.
Rocks of Dovbush
This place – a group of ancient rocks of whimsical form – has a unique, magical atmosphere that one wants to immerse oneself in endlessly. It’s easy to get here, so even a family with small children can enjoy the enchanting Hutsul forest. After passing through the rocks, you can climb to the nearest mountain Makovitsya, from where there is a panoramic view of the settlement.
