Tucked away on a forested hillside in the Lipna glade, Military Cemetery No. 45 is one of those quiet places that make you stop and reflect. Designed by the celebrated architect Dušan Jurkovič, it blends wood and stone in a way that feels both humble and deeply moving — 153 soldiers from the First World War rest here.
The cemetery occupies the slope of what was once the village of Lipna, now part of the village of Czarne in the Gorlice district. Wooden picket fences enclose it on three sides, while a low stone wall marks the northern edge. At its heart stands a tall wooden cross with a round wooden shield at the crossing of its arms, set on a stone mound bearing the inscription: 'War destroys — war builds.' The surrounding forest filters the light and keeps the atmosphere hushed year-round, making this a genuinely moving destination at any season.
How to get thereOf the 153 soldiers buried here, only 22 have been identified so far — mostly Austro-Hungarian troops. This is one of over 400 West Galician war cemeteries, silent witnesses to the fierce Carpathian Front battles of 1915.