Lesko is a town on the outskirts of the Bieszczady Mountains. In the past, a large Jewish community lived here, which left a Mannerist synagogue and one of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in Poland.
The town was founded in the 15th century by the Kmita family, who owned extensive estates in the area. She led them from the nearby Sobień Castle, where in 1417 the wedding of King Władysław Jagiełło and Elżbieta Granowska took place. In the 16th century the Kmita family moved their seat to Lesko. To this day, there is their former castle, but its present appearance is the result of the reconstruction in the nineteenth century, led by Wincenty Pol.
From the very beginning of the town's existence, Jews constituted a large part of its inhabitants. A memento of them is a synagogue from the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, which now houses an art gallery and a Jewish cemetery. It is one of the oldest in Poland and its existence is documented in the 16th century.
Lesko surroundings offer many landscape attractions and opportunities to spend time hiking. The green trail that leads to Lake Solińskie begins here. On its route there are, among others Kamień Leski, one of the largest sandstone outcrops in the region.
