Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains # 14 - Lukov-Venézia, Slovakia

This unique church dedicated to Saint Kosmos and Saint Damian stands on the top of a hill at the edge of the village of Lukov-Venécia in north-eastern Slovakia, not far from the city of Bardejov. The village was a regional centre for glass production throughout the centuries, first mentioned in records in 1410. Construction of the church started in 1708 and finished the following year.

The structure features a tall bell tower placed above an entrance area with a porch on the front and sides set on vertical pillars. The tower contains several bells cast between 1755 and 1866. The central tent-roof covers the nave which has an unusually elongated shape for a Greek Catholic church. A large stone foundation allows the structure to sit level on the side of the hill, with enough space below that a cellar is included, making it the only wooden church with a cellar in Slovakia.

Most of the interior design is influenced by the baroque style. The iconostasis contains sections painted in different periods, with the upper part dating from 1736 and the lower part from the late 18th century. A number of the icons in the nave are older than this, dating from the 16th and 17th centuries.

The key to the church is kept by the local priest who lives in a house on the opposite side of the village on the road into Lukov. On weekdays a few buses run to the village from the city of Bardejov, but hardly any on Saturdays or Sundays. It is possible to take one of the frequent buses travelling on the main road between Bardejov and Stará Ľubovňa and then get out in the village of Malcov, which is a two-kilometre walk from Lukov-Venécia.

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains # 7 - Frička, Slovakia

This church stands on a small hill in the centre of the village of Frička, in a remote corner of eastern Slovakia close to the Polish border. The church is dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, who is present in several of the icons that grace the interior. The iconostasis dates from 1830, while most of the icons are from the late nineteenth century. The ceiling of the nave is decorated with a colourful painting of St. Trinity, completed in 1933 by a local artist from the city of Prešov. The tower contains three different bells, the oldest from 1697.

The church is surrounded by a low wooden fence and contains an entrance gate which is typical of the Rusyn churches of the region. The church was fully renovated inside and out in the spring and summer of 2010, returning the structure to its original appearance. The use of a coating of protective varnish on the wood surface of the exterior has been criticised by some historians as not in keeping with the pledge to preserve the original integrity of the building, and this coating will not be used in other renovation projects of Rusyn churches in Slovakia (although it has already been used in the restoration of the church in Potoky). However, the varnish does give a very impressive appearance to the wood because of its shiny finish.

Frička is one of the most isolated villages in the region, but it can be reached by bus from the town of Bardejov with a few connections per day. It is also possible to follow a trail that leads up and over the hill into Poland, as the border is less than one kilometre from the village.

Beautiful Towns #2 - Špania Dolina, Slovakia

The small historic village of Špania Dolina lies in a valley surrounded by forested hills and mountains a few kilometres from the central Slovak city of Banská Bystrica. Much of the town's character as a centre of medieval copper and silver mining has been carefully retained, with many impressive stone miners' houses dating from the 17th century. Several entrances to the mines have been preserved, including one with a small chapel where the miners would have stopped to pray for a safe working day before they descended down into the depths gripping a candle.

A special form of bell tower was used to call the miners to work each morning - a large flat piece of wood called a 'knocker' was struck with hammers to produce a loud sound that could be heard echoing throughout the village. This wooden bell tower has been restored to its original 16th century appearance.
A fortified gothic church dominates the centre of the settlement, perched on a hill with a steep covered staircase running up to it from the main square below. The church contains several frescoes and mural paintings which depict miners at work; this is a feature that is common in churches found in mining settlements from this period - the main churches in Rožňava, Slovakia, and in Kutná Hora, Czech Republic, also feature such mining images dedicated to the patron saint of miners, Saint Barbara.

The mines were closed in 1888 when the major copper and silver deposits ran out, but the village has tightly held onto its heritage and today is a popular outdoor tourism destination for Slovaks and Czechs. Wonderful hiking opportunities abound in the mountains that surround the village in all directions. It is also possible to rent a few of the historic cottages in order to spend the night in this atmospheric place. A particularly memorable experience is to climb the hilltop above the church just before dusk to enjoy the panoramic view. There is also a rustic village pub full of local characters to enjoy a beer in later on in the evening.