Wooden Churches (Cultural Heritage of Slovakia)

Publication from the edition of Cultural Heritage od Slovakia. Wooden churches are part of Slovakia`s cache of cultural heritage.

These noteworthy architectural treasures now number fewer than 50 structures of the original approximately 300. There are many color photographs, a map and lot of text information in the book. Published in 3 versions: English, Polish and Slovak.

Preview from the book

Slovakia's natural conditions with the huge Western Carpathians Mountains from times immemorial determined the use of wood as the basic and most widespread building material. Naturally, wood was used not only to build simple residential houses and outbuildings, but also magnificent sacral buildings. In this fairly small region of central Europe, very diverse ethnic groups moved, settled down and then moved again. Varied, more or less advanced cultures mixed with and influenced each other here. Greta and small political and religious events always left here a deep mark in both material and spiritual area.

A unique phenomenon of multi-confessional and multi-ethnic symbiosis gradually formed inn central Europe and was reflected also in a special and unique architectural and artistic expression of building culture. Its most characteristic and representative part undoubtedly are wooden churches and until the end of World War II also wooden synagogues. Their architectural forms and internal contents probably reflect the creative ideas of a simple man influenced by a deep faith and religious beliefs. The architectural and building-construction design of the wooden sacral structures together with their artistic-decorative conceptions were based on local traditions. The skills, workmanship and wisdom of their creators developed and improved little by little and were passed from father to his sons for several generations. The untrained folk style and empirical knowledge of the builders were often influenced by the "big" style architecture. The knowledge of remote corners of Europe brought unusual means of expression and technical solutions for many structures which, however, always preserved their typical unique features. They fully conformed to the wooden material and the surrounding natural environment. The structures never competed with the environment, but suitably and sensitively created and enriched it.

Slovakia's eldest preserved wooden churches date back to the second half of the 15th century.

A special type of wooden churches found nowhere in Europe outside Slovakia are protestant temples from the late 17th and early 18th century.

The division between the Western and Eastern Carpathians was characterised by a direct contact and influence of both wester Roman and Byzantine cultures. These cultures mixed and the special Boiko-style sacral architecture - wooden churches of the Lemko form were built. Such churches were built in the 17th, but mostly 18th century in northeastern Slovakia, southeastern Poland and western Ukraine. There are many painted icons in these churches, known as tserkvas.

(From the chapter Wooden Churches in Slovakia, written by Milos Dudas)

Contents:

Wooden churches in Slovakia(4)
Rimskokatolicke drevene kostoly (7)
Kostol sv. Juraja, Trnove (8)
Kostol sv. Stefana Krala z Rudna, Martin (10)
Kostol Vsetkych svätych, Tvrdosin (12)
Kostol sv. Alzbety zo Zabreze, Zuberec (15)
Kostol Neposkvrneneho pocatia Panny Marie, Hranicne (18)
Kostol sv. Frantiska z Assisi, Hervartov (20)
Articular evangelical wooden churches (27)
Evanjelicky kostol, Hronsek (28)
Evanjelicky kostol, Istebne (32)
Evanjelicky kostol, Lestiny (34)
Evanjelicky kostol z Paludze, Sväty Kriz (37)
Evanjelicky kostol, Kezmarok
Greek Catholic wooden churches (45)
Chram sv. Michala Archanjela z Matysovej, Stara Lubovna (46)
Chram sv. Lukasa Evanjelistu, Brezany (48)
Chram sv. Mikulasa Biskupa zo Zboja, Bardejovske Kupele (50)
Chram Ochrany Presvätej Bohorodicky z Mikulasovej, Bardejovske Kupele(52)
Chram sv. Kozmu a Damiana, Lukov-Venecia (54)
Chram Ochrany Presvätej Bohorodicky, Jedlinka (57)
Chram sv. Michala Archanjela, Fricka (60)
Chram Stretnutia Pana so Simeonom, Kozany (63)Chram sv. Lukasa Evanjelistu, Krive (66)Chram sv. Lukasa Evanjelistu, Trocany (70)
Chram sv. Mikulasa Biskupa z Kozuchoviec, Kosice (72)
Chram sv. Paraskevy z Novej Polianky, Svidnik (74)
Chram sv. Michala Archanjela, Ladomirova (77)Chram Ochrany Presvätej Bohorodicky, Korejovce (80)
Chram sv. Bazila Velkeho, Krajne Cierno (82)
Chram Zosnutia Presvätej Bohorodicky, Hunkovce (85)
Chram sv. Michala Archanjela, Semetkovce (87)
Chram sv. Paraskevy, Dobroslava (89)
Chram Ochrany Presvätej Bohorodicky, Nizny Komarnik (92)
Chram sv. Kozmu a Damiana, Vysny Komarnik (94)
Chram sv. Mikulasa, Bodruzal (96)
Chram Ochrany Presvätej Bohorodicky, Mirola (100)
Chram sv. Michala Archanjela, Prikra (104)
Chram sv. Paraskevy, Potoky (106)
Chram sv. Michala Archanjela z Novej Sedlice, Humenne (108)
Chram sv. Juraja Velkomucenika, Jalova (110)
Chram Nanebovstupenia Pana, Smigovec (111)
Chram sv. Jana Krstitela, Kalna Roztoka (112)
Chram sv. Bazila Velkeho, Hrabova Roztoka (114)
Chram sv. Michala Archanjela, Topola (116)
Chram sv. Michala Archanjela, Rusky Potok (118)
Chram sv. Michala Archanjela, Ulicske Krive (120)
Chram sv. Mikulasa Biskupa, Ruska Bystra (123)
Chram sv. Michala Archanjela, Inovce (126)
Bibliography (128)