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 Nicholas the Bishop at Ruská Bystrá dates from the early 18th century and features a shingle roof with two towers. The interior decoration dates back to the era of construction and is in the Baroque-Rococo style.
The church at Ruská Bystrá, along with seven other wooden churches of the Slovak part of Carpathian Mountain Area, has been included on UNESCO’s Word Heritage List.
Heritage > National cultural monuments > Wooden Churches of Eastern Slovakia
