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 Church of St Michael the Archangel at Topoľa was built by its congregation in around 1700 on a steep hill above the village. The area of the church includes a cemetery and a separate bell-house from the 20th century. The three-section log construction is covered by a shingle terrace roof with two small towers protruding from it. The iconostasis dates back to the 17th century and the first half of the 18th century.
Heritage > National cultural monuments > Wooden Churches of Eastern Slovakia
