Faith Tours: The Wooden Articular Churches of Slovakia
Slovakia, a landlocked Balkan state, is a region that offers unique travelling experience, given its diverse range of geographies. While there are some spectacular places for relaxation, some unique natural locales will strike a chord even for a seasoned traveler. Another attraction is its unique cultural and historical sites that offer an insight into the life as it was centuries ago.
The highlight of faith-based places in Slovakia is the spectacularly built Wooden Churches. These are spread across the northeastern parts of the Presov areas and parts of far Western Slovak regions as well. Historians suggest that these, all-wood churches were built during the long drawn Counter-Reformation period.
Christian clashes resulted in unique architecture
It is believed that religious movement in the Slovakian region resulted in the evolution of architectural styles that are unique to the region and highlight the technology and native engineering strengths of the artisans of these all-wooden churches.
Protestantism is believed to have been the established faith in the Slovak region during the 1600s. However, the period also saw a long-drawn bloody battle with the Catholic Church, which resolutely attempted to re-establish the Roman Rites in the region. The constant battles are believed to have ended only in 1550 when a Council of Trent was formed and Catholic kings came back to rule the region. This led to constant tussle between Protestants and the rulers, which ended in a treaty of unique consequence.
Treaty dictated new style of Protestant Churches
In the year 1681, the Austrian Emperor conceded to agitating Protestants the right to build churches in the region. However, there were some imperial restriction and guidelines. These conditions were listed in two different articles and hence churches built as per these rules came to be called Articular Churches.
Articular Churches: Made of only Wood
First, as per the royal order, these churches were constructed in such locations where there were no road directly leading to it. Second, these had to be far away from the village limits and should have no steeple. Third, the churches had to be built within a year and had to be built of only wood and not even an iron nail could be used.
This period led to one of the golden architectural periods of Slovakia as several such churches were built across the region. The most spectacular articular church remaining in Zvolen region is the Hronsek Church and is a church that will excite faith travelers.
This church was built during 1725-6 and is in the form of an amphitheatre. It can hold upto 1,100 visitors at a time and exhibits the unique Scandinavian architectural techniques- beam connections and columns are arranged in a style that are the hallmark of the northern countries.
Set between historical linden trees, which are as old as the Church, the Hronsek Church should be a place to visit if cultural travel, with a faith-theme is your niche.
TravelMole Staff Writer
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