Wooden churches

The wooden Greek Catholic church of St. Nicholas, 1658, NKP

    This wooden, originally parochial, presently filial church is considered one of the oldest and most well preserved churches of Eastern rite in Slovakia. It was built in 1658, and dedicated to St. Nicholas. Often is the dedication of the church mistakenly ascribed to St. Basil the Great. During WWII the church was damaged.
    The wooden church in Bodružal has three parts, three spaces, three towers, originally made of deal, with three crosses. Its structure is rustic, the tower having one column. The main tower has two parts, which narrows as it ascends. On its top is an onion dome and two-barred decorated cross. Presently are three bells hanging in the tower, one of them being from 1759. The entrance is from the western side, leading into narthex. The area of the whole church is surrounded by a wooden fence.
    The iconostasis and icons are outstanding for the variety of colors. It has four rows on four levels. It might be dated to the 17th or 18th century. The deacon doors are not set with leaves, unlike the royal doors, which depict four medallions of Evangelists and two medallions of Annunciation on two leaves. The main row contains these icons: Epiphany of Our Lord, Theotokos (Hodigitria), Christ the Teacher and icon of St. Nicholas. The second row contains twelve icons of the feasts with the Last (Mystical) Supper in the middle. The third row is the so-called apostolic row with an icon of Christ the High Priest in the middle. The fourth row of prophets consists of six medallions with pairs of figures. In the middle is an icon of the crucified Christ.
    On the northern wall of the nave before the iconostasis is a precious restored painting of the Crucifixion and Last Judgment from the second half of the 18th century.
    This church, together with eight other wooden churches were registered on July 8th 2008, with UNESCO and placed on the World Heritage List, under the title "Wooden Churches of the Slovak part of the Carpathian Mountain Area" based on their outstanding universal value.

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