Europe

[Visited: August 2021]

My legs are still hurting from climbing Mount Rysy when I decide to take a shortcut road through Slovakia to the Muszynka valley further east. I pass several spots I have been to before. When I cross back into Poland, I am just a drive on a road next to the Muszynka river away from seeing my first wooden church: the one at Powroźnik. The wooden church is not painted, and has the light colour of wood. I walk around the three-towered building, and find that the door is closed. At the information board, I only see Polish texts, and I ask a female motor driver for a translation. It so happens that the church will be open for visitors the next morning at 9. I have read that the interior of these wooden churches are worth the while, and I decide to stay overnight in nearby Krynica.
After a good night's sleep, I am ready for a day of exploring the wooden churches of Małopolska. I have drawn up a route that will take me to many of the wooden churches for which the region is famous. A short drive takes me to Tylicz where I stop at the St Peter and St Paul church on a small square in Tylicz. This one looks very different from the one I had seen the day before. It is painted in dark red, and is much more sturdy. The door is closed, and I walk around the building, trying to peek inside through the windows. Unfortunately, they are both small and high up in the walls, and I can't really get a good view of the interior. I continue to the Damian church a little further south. Same story: church closed, different looks. From here, I drive to the small village of Muszynka, just a few kilometres before the Slovakian border. Here, again, I find a closed church door.
From Muszynka, I drive to Wojkowa where I find the church of St Cosmas and St Damian. A sturdy church with dark wood, right at the edge of a meadow in the small village. Again, the door of the church is closed, and I am now beginning to understand that I will have to accept that I will not see the inside of these wooden beauties. Fortunately, the St James church of Powroźnik is open. I find a guard sitting inside, his eyes glued to his phone, and I enjoy the paintings on the walls of this temple. I then go to the churches of Złockie, Szczawnik and Jastrzębik. Again, every single one of them is unique, and every one of them is closed. I drive along the Leśna river and make my way to Dubna, where I find a particularly beautiful church on a hilltop overlooking this small, remote village. On my way further north, I stop at the villages of Berest and Polany, both of which have wooden churches as well. It is time to head west and leave the lovely churches of Małopolska behind.

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Wooden churches of southern Poland (Poland)

Wooden churches of southern Poland > Poland > Europe

[Visited: August 2021]

Around the World in 80 Clicks