Wooden Churches of the Slovak Part of the Carpathian Mountain Area UNESCO World Heritage Site

Greek Catholic Wooden Church of St Nicholas the Bishop at Ruská Bystrá (photo by Peter Fratrič)

Name:

Drevené kostolíky v slovenskej časti Karpatského oblúka zapísané v Zozname svetového dedičstva UNESCO

Website:

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1273

Greek Catholic Wooden Church of St Nicholas the Bishop at Ruská Bystrá (photo by Peter Fratrič) The Wooden Churches of the Slovak part of Carpathian Mountain Area inscribed on the World Heritage List illustrate the coexistence of different religious faiths within a small territory of central Europe. This series of eight properties (see below) includes two Roman Catholic, three Protestant and three Greek Orthodox churches built between the 16th and 18th centuries, most of them in quite isolated villages, and using wood as the main material and traditional construction techniques. Within the framework of their common features, the churches exhibit some typological variations, in accordance with the correspondent faith, expressed in their plans, interior spaces and external appearance. The churches also bear testimony to the development of major architectural and artistic trends during the period of construction and its interpretation and adaptation to a specific geographical and cultural context. Interiors are decorated with wall and ceiling paintings and works of art that enrich the cultural significance of the properties.