Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains # 17 - Broumov, Czech Republic

This church is found at the edge of the town of Broumov in Eastern Bohemia, just a few kilometres from the Polish border. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it is the oldest wooden church still standing in the Czech Republic and one of the oldest wooden buildings in Bohemia. The settlement of Broumov was originally founded in 1171 and the first church was constructed on this site a few years later in 1177.

An invasion of the town by Hussite troops in 1421 caused severe damage to the church, and in 1449 it was struck by lightning and burned almost to the ground. The church was completely rebuilt in 1450-1451 in the form that we can see today. A windstorm damaged the tower of the church in 1550, which required extensive repairs. Further alterations to the tower and roof were made in 1811.

The church stands on a stone foundation and follows the plan of an elongated octagon in the Gothic style. Originally there were two entrances, one on the northern side and another on the western side. The roof is dominated by its slender tower which is one of the most striking features of the building's design.

The roofed porch gallery which surrounds the church was originally enclosed with wooden siding, but this was removed in 1779. Wooden planks attached to the walls of the gallery are covered with inscriptions which provide a chronicle of the town's history, recording the years of disasters such as fires, floods, invasions and the plague.

The wooden beams of the ceiling are decorated with stencil decorations of plant and animal themes. These decorations likely date from the time of the reconstruction in 1450, and they have a strong resemblance to those found in wooden churches across the border in Polish Silesia.

The main altar is designed in the rococo style and also features a late-Gothic statue of the Virgin Mary. In 2008 the church was declared a Czech national cultural monument.

The church is open daily for visitors in the summer months, but is kept locked for the rest of the year apart from occasional services and events. Broumov is at the end of a branch railway line with regular local trains running to Starkoč, a station on the main Trutnov - Prague line.

Classic Castles # 2 - Gýmeš, Slovakia

This large castle ruin sits on a wooded hilltop above the village of Jelenec in the Tribeč mountains, about 20 kilometres north-east of the city of Nitra. The current structure dates from around 1270, when it was constructed as a Gothic palace, although it was built on the site of an earlier fort.

The first owners were the Forgách family, who controlled the castle for several centuries. A peasant revolt against worsening living conditions and increased taxes in 1610 had to be suppressed by force by the Forgáchs. The Ottoman Turkish armies conquered the castle in 1530 and caused significant damage to it, and it was conquered again by the Turks in 1663. Following this period it was fully reconstructed and it remained in use up until the mid-19th century, when it was abandoned and slowly fell into ruin.

Today many parts of the structure remain intact, including several tunnels, standing arches and a chapel. The castle is slowly being reclaimed by the forest, and large trees are growing all through the structure. The castle can be reached on foot following the walking trail from the village of Jelenec, it's about a one hour walk up through the forest. Another access point is from the village of Kostoľany pod Tribečom, which is considerably closer to the castle and has a path leading there that requires a hike of about 45 minutes.

In the village of Kostoľany pod Tribečom there is an another worthwhile attraction to stop and see, the 11th century Romanesque church of St. George, which features design elements typical of the Great Moravian Empire period. Both Jelencec and Kostoľany pod Tribečom are accessible by bus from Nitra, with regular buses stopping in Jelenec which is near the main road heading east towards Banská Bystrica.

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains #5 - Desesti, Romania

The UNESCO-listed wooden church in Desesti is one of the best preserved in the Maramures region of north-west Romania. Known as the church of Pious Parascheva, it was constructed in 1770. The influence of the gothic style is clear in its design, and this was typical of the churches built in the region following the destruction caused by the Tatar invasions of 1717.

The interior contains an excellent collection of icons painted on glass as well as wood. The exterior of the church features a large cross shape formed in the shingles above the front entrance. The church is surrounded by a small colourful cemetery featuring wooden and stone grave markers and sits on a low forested hill above the village.

A highly decorative gate with wooden towers attached can be found below the church at the foot of the hill. A sign on the front of the church informs visitors that the church was struck by lightning in 1924 and that the tower of the church burned down and had to be rebuilt. It seems remarkable that a building made of wood with such an incredibly tall tower wasn't a more frequent target of lightning in the days before lightning conductors came into common use. I was unable to find any local person about who could locate the key to open the church, so this was one of the few Maramures churches I was unable to see the interior of. The village of Desesti has many of the typical Maramures-style wooden gates lining the streets in front of people's houses, and horse carts are a common sight in the roads and laneways.