Subcarpathian Voivodeship

The Subcarpathian Voivodeship, also known as Podkarpackie, is an administrative region in southeastern Poland with Rzeszów as its capital. The area extends across forested hillsides, river valleys and agricultural landscapes up to the Slovak and Ukrainian borders.

The voivodeship emerged in 1999 through a nationwide administrative reform that merged earlier smaller districts. Before that, parts of this region historically formed borderlands between Polish heartland, Galician influences and Lemko settlements.

The name Podkarpackie refers to its position below the Carpathian range, which shapes the southeastern borderland. Visitors notice regional architectural forms, including timber churches and historic market squares, influenced by Polish, Ukrainian and Lemko traditions.

Travelers reach the region through Rzeszów with its airport and rail links, from where regional buses serve smaller towns. A personal vehicle makes accessing remote valleys, forests and mountain areas far easier.

Three sites hold UNESCO World Heritage status, including old timber churches and sections of cross-border protected areas. In higher mountain elevations, European bison continue to roam after reintroduction programs brought the species back over recent decades.

Location: Poland

Inception: 1999

Capital city: Rzeszów

Reference: PK

Shares border with: Lublin Voivodeship, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Prešov Region, Lviv Oblast

Website: http://podkarpackie.pl

GPS coordinates: 49.95000,22.16667

Latest update: December 15, 2025 06:19