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.
This wooden church dates from the mid 18th century and is noteworthy in that the width of the nave is equal to the width of the babinec, the place reserved for women. The unusual Baroque interior of the church also dates from the 18th century and incorporates aniconostasis with only two doors, above which hang pictures from the New Testament. Both the roof and timber walls of the building are covered in shingles and the grounds of the church and cemetery are protected by a wooden fence. In 2000 the cathedral was added to the list of the 100 most endangered structures in the world.
Heritage > National cultural monuments > Wooden Churches of Eastern Slovakia
