Lably
Skip to content

Beskids

Series of mountain ranges in the Carpathians

  • 5 min read
  • 4 chapters

Related on Lably

Through Poland and Balkans

The highest mountain in the Beskids is Hoverla, at 2,061 m (6,762 ft).

Etymology

The origin of the name beskydy has not been conclusively established. A Thracian or Illyrian origin has been suggested; however, as yet, no theory has majority support among linguists. The word appears in numerous mountain names throughout the Carpathians and the adjacent Balkan regions, like in Albanian bjeshkë. According to linguists Çabej and Orel, it is possibly derived from Proto-Albanian *beškāi tāi (meaning 'the mountain pastures'). The Slovak name Beskydy refers to the Polish Bieszczady Mountains, which is not a synonym for the entire Beskids but one single range, belonging to the Eastern Beskids. According to another linguistic theory, it may be related to Middle Low German beshêt, beskēt, meaning 'watershed'.

Historically, the term was used for hundreds of years to describe the mountain range separating the old Kingdom of Hungary from the old Kingdom of Poland. In 1269, the Beskids were known by the Latin name Beschad Alpes Poloniae 'Beskid Mountains of Poland'.

Sign in to keep reading

3 more chapters are free with a Lably account.

More in Geography

New WorldMajority of lands of the Western HemisphereIslamic worldMuslim-majority countries, states, districts, or townsNorthern HemisphereHalf of Earth that is north of the EquatorMainland ChinaGeopolitical term for China without Hong Kong, Macau, TaiwanSouthern HemisphereHalf of Earth that is south of the EquatorRoman provinceAncient Roman administrative regions