The most numerous group of wooden churches in Slovakia is that formed by the Greek Catholic and Orthodox churches, which are scattered all over the north eastern region. The most characteristic feature of these religious buildings is their emphasis on the number three, symbolising the Holy Trinity. This can be seen not only in their three domes, but also in their groundplan, with three areas arranged in an axis ascending in height from west to east. The women congregated in the babinec (babinets), the area nearest to the door and the men in the nave (the largest part of the church), while the sanctuary was used for church rites. A wooden screen known as the iconostasis, typically incorporating three openings or doors and painted with icons depicting Christ, the Mother of God, the saints, feast days and the prophets and apostles, separates the nave from the sanctuary.
The Eastern Orthodox Church of the Holiest Mother Decease in Hunkovce dates from the late 18th century and is situated in the centre of the municipality. It was repaired in 1947. The church stands in a cemetery but the wooden entrance with its shingled roof is the only part of the original surrounding wooden fence. A log structure standing on low stone masonry, the church has typical Eastern Catholic architectural elements and consists of three parts.
Unfortunately no iconostasis or original internal decoration have been preserved in this church, although some precious icons have been deposited in the Šariš Museum in Bardejov. The church is no longer in use as a place of worship.
Heritage > National cultural monuments > Wooden Churches of Eastern Slovakia
