Wooden churches in Ukraine

19th century view of village of Trypillia and its wooden church, prior to damming of Dnipro river (Regional Archeological Museum).

Wooden church architecture in Ukraine dates from the beginning of Christianity and comprises a set of unique styles and forms specific to many sub-regions of the country. As a form of vernacular culture, construction of the churches in specific styles is passed on to subsequent generations. The architecture style of them vary from very simple to complicated involving a high degree of carpentry and wood-cutting artistry. Aside of tserkvas (Eastern Orthodox churches) there are quite of few kosciols (Latin Catholic churches) that are preserved in the West Ukraine and some of them are active.

General overview

At the end of 2010 in Ukraine were accounted for some 1900 wooden temples. When Ukrainians emigrated to the new world in the late 19th century, many used these forms but adapted their construction to new materials and new environmental conditions (see e.g. the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Chicago, Illinois). Currently the situation in preservation of these unique churches in Ukraine is very difficult as according to the director of Lviv Art Gallery Borys Voznytsky in the West Ukraine in Soviet times were burnt down less churches than in the post-Soviet period.

Wooden Churches of Central and Eastern Ukraine

Church of the Holy-Trinity Monastery in Novomoskovsk

Wooden church architecture of Central and Eastern Ukraine finds its roots through the first millennium of Christianity in Ukraine, from the time of Volodymyr the Great in Kyiv. While masonry churches prevailed in urban areas, wooden church architecture continued primarily in Ukrainian villages of central and eastern Ukraine. Unlike western Ukraine, there is no clear separation of style based on region. Central Ukrainian churches are similar to the multi-chamber masonry churches of Kyivan Rus, but instead constructed in wood. Both framed construction and nail-less styles are present, as well.

Wooden Churches of Western Ukraine

Wooden church at the Pyrohiv Museum

Wooden tserkva near Rivne

Kryvka Church in Lviv

St. George's Church in Drohobych

Relatively isolated peasant cultures in western and Transcarpathian Ukraine were able to maintain construction into the early 20th century in wooden styles. Many ethnographic regions maintained specific styles of architecture owing to cultural, environmental and historical differences. Common to all the regions, in some way, are two techniques of roofing: opasannia, the structure supporting the roof formed from projecting logs from top corners of log walls and piddashshia, a style using opasannia supports, but extending the roofing far enough to form a continuous overhang of the roof around the church perimeter. Only in Lviv Region there are 999 churches that are registered monuments of architecture, 398 of which are of national importance, however only 16 of those thousand churches have fire-signalization. In post Soviet period Lviv Region has already lost some 80 churches to fires. In 2009 the government of the region granted around 2 million hryvnias to finance restoration projects of the churches.

Bukovyna

The traditional Bukovynian church features a tall gabled roof, but often terminates in splayed roof over the polygonal sanctuary. The roofwork features opasannia and was covered in wooden shingles. The structure was usually built from logs but was often covered in clay and whitewashed, similar to Bukovynian style homes.

Lemko

Lemko churches most often used a three section church with very tall gabled roofs and a tower over each section with the tower over the entrance being the tallest. Topping each tower is a spire, bearing resemblance to Gothic spires, albeit constructed in Ukrainian style.

Hutsul

Hutsul churches most often were 5 section cruciform churches, using spruce logs to form walls with opasannia type arcades. The central dome is formed in an octahedral shape with a splayed roof, instead of an onion dome. Also unique to Hutsul churches is the use of tin or metalwork in the upper parts of the church, which are also used in home architecture of the region.

Boyko

Boyko churches are defined by their three section design, with the central nave being the largest. Intricate, multi-tiered and shingled roofwork is the most distinguishing factor in Boyko church design. The structures used the most traditional techniques, being both frameless walls and rafterless roofs as well as using opasannia and piddashshia.

Ternopil

Ternopil construction styles are considered a mix of Carpathian style and Kyiv styles. Two styles prevail: Ternopil Nave Style and Ternopil Cruciform Style. The nave style used a long rectangular shape with gabled roofing on opposite ends with a small decorative onion dome, often not visible from inside the church. The cruciform style uses an equidistant cruciform pattern with a structural central onion dome, and gabled roofing over each cruciform section. While constructed in wood in villages, this style often used masonry in urban areas.

List Wooden Churches in Ukraine

Churh in Kolodne

• Apşiţa (Vodytsia in Ukrainian, Felso-Apsa-Apsicza in Hungarian)
• Apşa de Mijloc, Susani (Serednie Vodyane is Ukrainian, Kozep Apsa in Hungarian)
• Apşa de Mijloc, Josani
• Apşa din Jos, Părău (Verkhnie Vodyane is Ukrainian, Also-Apsa in Hungarian)
• Danylovo (Dănileşti in Romanian, Sofalva in Hungarian)
• Dulovo (Duleni in Romanian, Dulfalva in Hungarian)
• Hanychi (Găneşti in Romanian, Ganya in Hungarian)
• Kobyletska Poliana (Poiana Cobilei in Romanian and Gyergyanliget in Hungarian)
• Kolodne (Darva in Romanian and Hungarian)
• Krainykovo (Mihalka in Hungarian, formerly Steblivka between 1919–1938 and 1945–1946, Crainiceni in Romanian)
• Neresnytsia (Nereşniţa in Romanian, Also Neresznicze in Hungarian)
• Nyzhnie Selyshche (Săliştea de Jos in Romanian, Also Szelistye in Hungarian)
• Oleksandrivka (Sândreni in Romanian, Sandorfalva in Hungarian)
• Ruska Pole I (Domneştii Mari in Romanian, Urmezo in Hungarian)
• Ruska Pole II
• Sokyrnytsia (Săclânţa in Romanian, Szeklencze in Hungarian)
• Steblivka (Duboşari in Romanian, Szaldobos in Hungarian)
• Ternovo (Târnova in Romanian, Kokenyes in Hungarian)

List Wooden Churches in Zakarpattia Oblast

Kolochava, Greek Catholic Church

• Serednie Vodyane churches
• Verkhnie Vodyane church
• Danylovo church
• Kolodne church
• Krainykovo church
• Nyzhnie Selyshche church
• Oleksandrivka church
• Sokyrnytsia church

See also

• Carpathian Wooden Churches
• Wooden Churches of Southern Little Poland
• Wooden Churches of the Slovak Carpathians
• Wooden Churches of Maramureş in Romania
• Vernacular architecture of the Carpathians
• Stave church, wooden churches of Scandinavia

External links

• Ukrainian Wooden Architecture
• Wooden Churches of Ukraine
• Wooden Churches of the Rusyns
• Wooden churches of Lviv Region

Bibliography

• Rescuing the Hidden European Wooden Churches Heritage an International Methodology for Implementing a Database for Restoration Projects. Ukraine (Kharkov State Technical University of Construction and Architecture) ... Actual Restoration and Preservation Problems of the Ukrainian Wooden Churches

• Rotoff, Basil. Monuments to Faith: Ukrainian Churches in Manitoba. University of Manitoba Press, 1990.