Unesco in Podkarpackie

These include two wooden Gothic churches in Blizne and in Haczów and four unique tserkovs in Chotyniec, Radruż, Smolnik and Turzańsk. All of these landmarks are definitely worth visiting.

Subcarpathian attractions under the UNESCO sign.

 

One of the best UNESCO attractions in Poland is Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Archangel Michael in Haczów. Church is a log structure; its main body is made of logs interlocked at the corners. As a result the entire edifice was built with no use of nails. The church in Haczów is one of the oldest and largest buildings of this type in the world. In fact, all the UNESCO heritage sites in Podkarpackie are log churches.


Built in the first half of the 1400s, the church in Haczów served the local people for centuries. For them it was of extraordinary importance and one of the reasons was the Gothic Pietà (today over 600 years old!) which was brought to them by the water of the Wisłok river.

All Saints’ Church in Blizne, another UNESCO site in Podkarpackie, is slightly smaller and only a little younger than the building in Haczów, as it is dated to the second half of the 1400s. It is, however, equally valuable and delightful. Looking at the refined and elegant silhouette of the church, one hardly expects the bright and colourful ornaments inside. Yet, in fact, the trademark features of the church in Blizne include its wall paintings from the 16th, 17th and early 18th century. These polychromes are like the Paupers' Bible taking an unusually elaborate form. A particularly interesting detail can be noticed in the painting which depicts martyrdom of the saints. In this representation the persecutors are shown with exotic facial features, an unquestionable reference to Tartar invasions once plaguing the areas of Blizne.

A notable feature inside the church in Blizne is the figure of Our Lady Full of Grace, in the side altar. Miraculously saved, the statue of Madonna is extremely valuable; sculpted ca. 1515, it was inspired by a drawing by Albrecht Dűrer and is credited to the school of Veit Stoss.

Even at the first glance you can see that the tserkov of St. Paraskeva in Radruż is absolutely unique. Why is it so? – Presumably built towards the end of the 1500s, this is one of the oldest wooden churches of Eastern Christianity which have been preserved in Poland – explains Anna Fortuna-Marek. The tserkov in Radruż stands out for its age, shape and form. It has a three-part structure, with a separate section for women, the nave in which men used to prey, and the chancel designed for liturgical service. Notably, each of these sections is covered with a tent-shaped roof.

The church in Radruż, however, shares some characteristics with the other UNESCO sites in Podkarpackie. It also used to provide shelter to villagers during invasions, and was even referred to as “Peasants’ Stronghold”. Therefore, in its architecture it is possible to identify defensive elements, particularly visible in the belfry standing nearby.

A legend has it that originally the tserkov in Chotyniec was situated 8 kilometres away from its present location. It is believed the new site was chosen by the Virgin Mary, and the church was moved here by oxen.

 

The fortunes of the tserkov in Chotyniec were as varied as those of the village itself. As it was mentioned, once the local Greek Catholic community was so big that two chapels were needed. Before WWII the village was inhabited by nearly 3,000 people, mostly representing this denomination.

 Later, however, the turmoil of WWII and the subsequent enforced population transfers completely changed the situation here. When a small group of Greek Catholics returned to the village in the 1950s, they found the tserkov was being used by Roman Catholics; then 30 years later it was closed down. Fortunately, in the 1990s the Greek Catholic parish was re-established here, and brought life back to the tserkov. Today, thoroughly restored, the church can again be admired in its full glory.

 

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For cyclists: The tserkovs in Chotyniec and Radruż can be visited during a journey along Green Velo route. The length of the route in Podkarpackie amounts to 400 km.

 

One of the best UNESCO attractions in Poland can also be found in the Bieszczady Mountains. Built in 1791, the tserkov in Smolnik nad Sanem is younger than the churches presented above. Unlike the other UNESCO sites in Podkarpackie, the Smolnik tserkov was furnished in contemporary times. The original furnishings were lost as a result of historic upheavals. Despite that the tserkov in Smolnik is still a truly unique landmark, mainly because it represents Bojko-style architecture. The modest-looking, small, yet very characteristic building consists of three basic parts, seemingly separate but complete structures attached to one another, each with its own tent-like hipped roof. Symmetry and centrally oriented layout, two characteristic features of Bojko style, are well visible in the Smolnik tserkov, explains Anna Fortuna-Marek.

Before WWII in south-eastern outskirts of Poland there were many buildings of this type. Yet only three Bojko churches have survived, the best preserved being the tserkov in Smolnik.

 

Beautifully blending within the landscape on the border of the Bieszczady and Beskid Mountains, the graceful tserkov of Archangel Michael is located in Turzańsk, on the Osława river. Roughly speaking, everything about it is related to Łemko, or more specifically Eastern-Łemko heritage.


The history of Łemko people, once living in the Beskid-Bieszczady border area is similar to the history of Bojko people in the Bieszczady. Shortly before WWII they were the main ethnic group populating the areas along River Osława. After the war they were forcefully relocated and it seemed Łemko people would never come back.