Date: 5 December 2024 Author: Tomasz Sumara

The Podkarpacie Region: A Tapestry of History and Cultural Heritage

One of the key factors defining the region’s significance is its rich historical and cultural heritage. Towns, cities, and provinces alike are defined by their singular histories, enduring traditions, and prominent local heroes. The idea of cultural heritage is marked by its complexity and diversity of interpretations.

Photo: Fundacja Misji Obywatelskiej

Cultural heritage, as one definition asserts, is ‘a collection of both tangible and intangible assets linked to spiritual, historical, and moral phenomena, serving as the foundation for legal protection to foster societal development and intergenerational transmission. Its value derives from its historical, patriotic, religious, scientific, and artistic significance, which is vital for preserving identity, ensuring cultural continuity, and safeguarding collective memory, while promoting aesthetic and civilizational unity’ [1].

Cultural heritage, in its broadest sense, encompasses cultural assets such as architectural works, artistic creations, and folk traditions––all of which fall under legal protection. Cultural heritage is generally divided into tangible and intangible categories. Within the tangible realm, immovable monuments are included, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites are of exceptional importance. Conversely, intangible cultural heritage includes cultural assets preserved within society through customs, traditions, and oral practices.

The geographical landscape, along with its natural assets and diverse cultural heritage, underscores the exceptional richness and heterogeneity of Podkarpacie, a region in southeastern Poland. It houses some of the finest examples of wooden sacred architecture, alongside monuments of historical importance and objects of considerable cultural heritage. Monuments in the region also comprise majestic castles, estates, historic parks, and residential buildings. Furthermore, the Podkarpacie region boasts fascinating sites that embody its historical legacy in technology and industry. Within the region, one can find numerous quaint towns characterized by their collection of historic wooden houses. Noteworthy among the region’s cultural offerings are the open-air museums that exhibit a variety of folk architecture and reflect the diverse ethnographic groups of Podkarpacie.

In the region, two locations have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In 2003, these were the wooden churches of southern Lesser Poland. Two of the six designated sites are found in the region: the All Saints Church in Blizne and the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Haczów. Both exemplify the varied aspects and architectural traditions characteristic of medieval Roman Catholic ecclesiastical construction. The buildings were crafted using a logging method, characteristic of the construction practices in Northern and Eastern Europe since the Middle Ages. Serving as symbols of prestige, the churches were established at the behest of noble families [2].

The All Saints Church in Blizne dates back to the 15th century. In 1549, it was embellished with intricate ornamental polychrome. The bell tower, as it stands today, was built in the early 17th century, with the building subsequently surrounded by sobotas, a distinctive form of outdoor wooden arcade. At the beginning of the 18th century, new church furnishings were commissioned. A meticulous renovation of the church was carried out in 1811, during which the sobotas were demolished and the sacristy was expanded. The church is located in the central area of Blizne. Around the monument stand the preserved wooden structures of the former clergy housing: the old clergy house (wikarówka), the storage house, the former parish school (organistówka), and the barn.

The church consists of a single-nave space and a narrower presbytery. Its interior is striking, with the preserved paintings standing out as particularly noteworthy. Of particular note are the artistic depictions of the Last Judgment in the northern nave and the cycle of the Passion of Christ on the northern wall of the presbytery. The 17th-century polychromes embellishing the walls and the nave’s vault were sponsored by affluent local peasants. Notable for their prominence are the depictions of saints and the scenes that portray their martyrdom. The church’s invaluable furnishings include essentially the main altar, which showcases the Veneration of the Virgin Mary by All Saints, and the statue of the Madonna, evoking the Annunciation. The church in Blizne stands as one of Poland’s greatest gems of medieval wooden sacred architecture [3].

The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Haczów sits centrally in the village. In the churchyard stands a historic wooden granary, once part of the presbytery. Erected in the 15th century, the late Gothic church was adorned with polychrome on its ceiling and walls back in 1494. Damaged during the Tatar invasion in 1624, the church was later renovated and extended. In the mid-18th century, the sacristy was expanded, a new ceiling was constructed, wooden supports were added, and funds were allocated for the acquisition of new furnishings for the church. In the mid-19th century, eclectic polychrome was added.

In 1944, the construction of a brick building left the old church abandoned, with its furnishings removed. Back in the 1960s, the church underwent a round of restoration to stop its deterioration. Its interior still retains some preserved fragments of monumental figural and ornamental decoration. The northern wall of the presbytery displays the cycle of the Passion of Christ, whereas the southern wall presents scenes depicting the Murder of St. Stanislaus, the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the image of St. Michael the Archangel. Among the temple’s treasures are a Madonna and Child sculpture, four 18th-century side altars, an 18th-century pulpit, and a 16th-century stone baptismal font. The church in Haczów is the oldest and largest wooden Gothic church in Europe [4].

In 2013, as many as sixteen temples were recognized by UNESCO as noteworthy ‘Wooden Orthodox Churches of the Carpathian Region in Poland and Ukraine.’ Of the total number of Orthodox churches, half are found in Poland, with four located in the Podkarpacie region. These include the Greek Catholic Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God in Chotyniec, St. Michael Archangel’s Orthodox Church in Smolnik, and St. Michael Archangel’s Orthodox Church in Turzańsk [5].

The Orthodox Church of St. Paraskeva was erected in the late 16th century. It is widely assumed by historians to have been founded in 1583 by Jan Płaza, the starost of Lubaczów. In 1648, the interior was partially decorated with polychrome frescoes. Though the region, including Radruż, was affected by wars and Tatar invasions, the temple remained intact. The 18th-century renovation saw the demolition of the bell tower above the babinets (‘the women’s section’) and the reconstruction of the sobotas. In the 19th century, further works were completed, and by the close of the interwar period, the building was well-preserved. After World War II, the church was used as a Roman Catholic chapel and later became the property of the State Treasury. From 1964 to 1966 an extensive renovation was carried out on the church and its adjacent buildings.

It now serves as a branch of the Museum of the Borderlands in Lubaczów. A group of the church buildings is located at the heart of the village. The interior is accessible via two door openings: one located in the western block of the babinets and the other in the southern wall of the nave. At its center stands an iconostasis that stretches across the wall, displaying intricately preserved figural and ornamental polychromy. The northern wall of the church features paintings depicting the three Church Fathers. The church in Radruż is considered Poland’s most valuable wooden church. Its importance is underscored by its connection to other historic churches that remain along the Polish-Ukrainian border, like those in Gorajec, Potylicz, and Wola Wysocka [6]

The Greek Catholic Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God in Chotyniec was founded in the 17th century, with most scholars dating its construction to around 1600. The earliest archival evidence of its existence is a privilege granted by Michał Korybut-Wiśniowiecki in 1671. In 1733, the church premises underwent renovations. The nave’s polychrome was completed two years later, and in 1753, alterations were made to the lower section of the iconostasis. In 1858, a dome was constructed, and three window openings were carved into the tambour. In 1925, a rectangular church porch was added. From 1945 to 1947, the church was converted into a Roman Catholic church. Between 1991 and 1992, the church was carefully restored to maintain its cultural and architectural value. The church is found in the eastern area of Chotyniec. In the northwestern part of the churchyard stands a wooden bell tower, with a graveyard located behind the fence. The interior preserves polychromes from 1735 and 1772. Notably, the southern wall of the nave features a depiction of the Last Judgment. Notable for its exceptional architectural form, the Orthodox Church in Chotyniec also boasts rich interior décor and furnishings. The sanctuary is undoubtedly one of the most important examples of Orthodox architecture in the Podkarpacie region [7].

Erected in 1791, St. Michael Archangel’s Orthodox Church in Smolnik features a tripartite structure, comprising the vestibule, nave, and presbytery. This is a hallmark of Boyko architecture, where the various elements of the temple are similarly scaled, with distinctions primarily in height and width. A small graveyard lies around the church. A visit to the site offers an opportunity to admire both the bell tower and the statue of the Archangel Michael, sculpted into the trunk of a tree. An iconostasis was present in the temple until its destruction in 1951. The only remaining original features are fragments of the polychrome. They depict a curtain held aloft by angels and some empty cartouches. The wooden Orthodox church in Smolnik is a rare gem of the Bieszczady Mountains, well worth visiting for its significance as one of the few remaining testaments to the Boyko community in the region [8].

St. Michael Archangel’s Orthodox Church in Turzańsk was built between 1801 and 1803. It showcases the characteristic features of Eastern Lemko architecture. The church’s uniqueness is evident in numerous ways, making it stand out from others. It features five domes, an iconostasis adorned with two side altars, a more than 200-year-old wooden floor secured with wooden pegs, and elaborate figural polychrome. The church in Turzańsk is distinguished by its remarkable iconography, a defining and essential feature of its identity. The 1895 polychrome by Josif Bukovchyk features several scenes that poignantly capture the socio-cultural realities of the Lemko region at the close of the 19th century. Among these is the depiction of Christ visiting a Lemko family, a Lemko farmer sowing grain, and a tranquil mountainous landscape, each serving as a testament to the daily life and spiritual life of the community. Turzańsk is presently home to an active Orthodox parish [9].

Furthermore, in 2021, the forested landscapes of the Podkarpacie region, located in the Bieszczady National Park, were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. These include the valleys of the Wołosatek and Terebowiec streams, the picturesque expanses of Wetlina Mountain Pasture and Mount Smerek, as well as the Border Range of the Low Beskids and the Upper Solinka River Valley.

Orthodox churches in the Podkarpacie region are a lasting testament to the shared history of communities living together in the area for centuries. Wooden buildings epitomize the cultural richness of the region’s early inhabitants while simultaneously embodying the devout religiosity of local communities, an aspect that deserves special attention. The distinguished landmarks on the UNESCO list bear witness to the cultural singularity of the Podkarpacie region. A visit to these towns unveils an array of awe-inspiring landmarks, notably wooden churches, which eloquently preserve the historical and cultural essence of the Podkarpacie region.

References

“Acta Carpathica” 2017, No. 17.
Brykowski R., Uwagi o konstrukcji, etapach budowy i konserwacji gotyckiego, drewnianego kościoła w Haczowie, „Ochrona Zabytków” 1966, Vol. 19, No. 1 (72).
Chabiera A., Na uboczu? Zarządzanie ruchem turystycznym w Radrużu – planowanie działań rozwojowych przez właściciela zabytku i gospodarzy gminy, „Turystyka Kulturowa” 2017, No. 1.
Kryciński S., Cerkwie w Bieszczadach, Pruszków 2021.
Krasny P., Kościoły drewniane w Polsce, Kraków 2022.
Mazur J., Radruż. Cerkiew w przestrzeni pogranicza, Lubaczów 2023.
Łopatkiewicz P., Drewniany kościół w Haczowie. Pomnik Światowego Dziedzictwa Kultury, Kraków 2015.
Łopatkiewicz P., Zagadnienia związane z fundacją drewnianego kościoła w Haczowie w kontekście najnowszych ustaleń chronologicznych, „Studia Pigoniana” 2020, No. 3.
Olszewski A. M., Drewniany kościół w Bliznem, „Ochrona Zabytków” 1957, Vol. 10, No. 3 (38).
Pruszyński J., Dziedzictwo kultury Polski. Jego straty i ochrona prawna, Vol. 1, Kraków 2001.
Szlak Architektury Drewnianej Podkarpackie, Rzeszów 2015.
Szmygin B., Światowe Dziedzictwo Kultury UNESCO – charakterystyka, metodologia, zarządzanie, Warszawa-Lublin 2016.
https://blizne.przemyska.pl/stary-kosciol-i-historia-parafii/ (accessed: November 21, 2024).
https://www.unesco.pl/kultura/dziedzictwo-kulturowe/swiatowe-dziedzictwo/lista-swiatowego-dziedzictwa/europa-i-ameryka-polnocna/polska/ (accessed: November 21, 2024).

_____________________________________

The „Dumni z Polski/Proud of Poland/Stolz auf Polen” project was funded by the National Institute of Freedom – Centre for Civil Society Development as part of the Government’s Youth Fund Programme 2022-2033.

Support Us

If content prepared by Warsaw Institute team is useful for you, please support our actions. Donations from private persons are necessary for the continuation of our mission.

Support

All texts published by the Warsaw Institute Foundation may be disseminated on the condition that their origin is credited. Images may not be used without permission.