Saint Luke church in Kunkowa, Oosters-orthodox kerkgebouw in Polen
Saint Luke church in Kunkowa is a wooden building built in 1868 that displays the traditional architecture of the Western Lemko region, with simple log walls, a pitched roof covered in metal sheets, and a tower topped with a cross. The interior features a neo-Baroque iconostasis, religious icons dating back to the 17th century, and wall paintings created in the early 20th century by local artist Jan Jakubowski.
The building was constructed in 1868, though some of its decorations date back to the 17th century or earlier and came from a previous church at the site. In 1947, the local Orthodox community was displaced during the Wisla operation, but many residents began returning from the 1950s onward and worked to restore their spiritual home.
The church is named after Luke the Evangelist and serves as an active place of worship for the local Orthodox community. It reflects religious traditions that have been maintained over generations in this region and continues to function as a gathering space for services and community celebrations.
The church stands on a hill above the village of Kunkowa in a peaceful rural setting surrounded by gentle terrain and forests. Visitors can explore the location on foot or by bicycle, and multimedia resources including virtual tours allow exploration from a distance as well.
The iconostasis was created in the early 20th century in a neo-Baroque style, replacing an older, more traditional icon screen, showing how the local community integrated Western artistic influences into its religious practice. This blend of styles is a distinctive feature among wooden churches in the region and reflects the community's openness to broader cultural currents.
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