POLISH HISTORICAL WOODEN TEMPLES AS PART OF EUROPEAN HERITAGE

Dominik Maczynski
Warsaw

Abundance of high quality timber in Middle Ages encouraged diverse and sophisticated techniques of constructing wooden edifices in Poland.
The new religion which came to Poland from the West gave them a new function of religious temples. The oldest wooden churches erected in the 13th century did not survive to our times, the remaining places of worship that we can admire today go back as far as the 15th century. Wooden temples in Poland represent influences of various religions.

In the still standing historical churches we can see diversified forms of art reflected in the wooden structures of gothic, baroque and other styles. Most numerous are Roman-Catholic churches but Greek-Catholic, Russian and Greek Orthodox and Uniate Church temples in the eastern borderland of Poland are a testimony to strong eastern religious influences in this part of our country. Whereas two still active Tartar Mosques represent existing Islamic influences. We can also find Evangelic churches in the western part of Poland.

A characteristic feature of majority of Roman-Catholic churches are towers or detached belfries in framework construction. As late as the 19th century places of worship were surrounded by cemeteries with groups of tall trees forming architectural dominants of unique beauty in Polish countryside.
Some of remaining temples have very rich interior decoration and historical design with well preserved polychromes on walls, ceilings with carvings, sculptures, sophisticated details and well preserved paintings.
Temples that survived to our times were built to perfection with best materials.

All these temples of various religions , that we can still admire, are part of our history and a testimony to tolerance and common cultural heritage of Central Europe.
At the same time, destroyed churches testify to acts of chauvinism, nationalism, vandalism or terror. The horrors of the second world war are the best example. All wooden synagogues were destroyed! After the war, especially on the western borderline evangelist churches were turned into catholic ones. Also due to political migrations in Beskidy district and local conflicts some wooden orthodox churches were destroyed.
Despite those dramatic historical events some of the places of worship are still standing and works are carried on to protect them from extinction. Both state and church organs are engaged in the process of saving these historical monuments. Nowadays Catholic Church with the Polish Pope follows the principles of ecumenical tolerance.

Efforts to save wooden temples are made in various areas. The idea of protection of historical heritage is popularised in the society also by means of Internet.
Priests are trained and familiarised with ways of protection of sacral complexes in order not to take false steps in the field of preservation of historical churches. Nevertheless it happens that some works are undertaken without consent of conservationists. Fortunately we can see much improvement in this area - church authorities issue instructions which require consultations with state and church preservation authorities before undertaking any activities in historical buildings and acting according to obligatory procedures.

More and more advanced technologies are available in the field of direct protection of monuments, among them systems of early detection of fires based on laser tests of smoke in the sucked air. Modern miniaturised and improved models, very convenient in historical churches, are offered by importers.
But unfortunately there is not a single wooden church in our country which has been equipped with fixed automatic fire extinguishing installations.
There are at least twenty precious historical temples which should get such systems immediately. I have in mind these temples which are located far from fire brigade posts which prevents rapid and efficient action in case of fire.

Other complexes should be equipped according to individual needs, mainly in instant fire detection systems.
Although modern chemical products for wood protection are available in our country, they are not very effectively used.
It is well known that the first 10 minutes of uncontrolled fire can decide if the rescue action is going to be successful and whether the wooden building can be saved or only its surroundings.

In my opinion it is high time to stop treating saving historical wooden temples as a domestic problem only. National projects for protecting these complexes, although carried on with great care, are not sufficient.
There is a strong need of forming a European coalition for protection of this part of our common historical heritage. We should join our efforts, share experience and draw conclusions for united actions.
European experience could be very useful for modification of Polish law and regulations that prevent using certain financial sources for protection of historical heritage.
We should implement long-term strategy of saving historical wooden temples with use of well known and tried techniques.
Whether United Europe will recognise this problem and assist with saving this unique part of its heritage depends on us all.

GRYWAL. Une de plus belles eglises en bois du XV-XVI s. localise dans le meme region que Debno (catholiques). Construction en poutres, covertures du toit - bardeaux en bois. Polychromie - 1618, tryptique gotique tardif - debut du XVI s.

CHOTYNIEC. Une eglise orthodoxe construit en 1644. Un exemple extra-ordinaire de formes characteristiques pour eglises ortodoxes en bois. La region de Przemysl (sud-est de la Pologne)

GRABARKA. Sanctuaire en bois a completement brule en 1990. La forme entierment reconstruit, mais construit en briques. Une site sainte dans la religion orhodoxe, situe sur la coline. Eglise entourne par quelques milles crois votives en bois.

KUSZYNIANY. Mosque en bois du XVIII s. Avec deux tours en facade principale.Localise pas loi de Bia³ystok (nord-est de la Pologne).

PUSZCZA MARIAÑSKA. Exemple tragique de la destruction d'une eglise du XVII s. Situe pas loin de Varsovie (dans la region Mazowsze) eglise a partielemnet brule a la fin de l'annes 80 du XX s. Choeur sauve et restaure en bois, en utilisation des methodes traditionelles.