Wooden churches

The wooden Greek Catholic church of St. Michael the Archangel, 1700, NKP

    Greek Catholic wooden church in Topoľa was built around 1700 and dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel. Presently are two churches in the village. Wooden one and new, brick one, dedicated to Ss. Peter and Paul, built in 1994. The old church doesn’t serve for regular services. Fr. Alexander Duchnovič, important national and cultural leader was born here in the family of a local priest at the beginning of the 19th century.
    The building has three parts, three spaces and one tower. Massive roof makes optically compact building. Construction is rustic, based on low stone foundation. The entrance is from the western part, leading through narthex. The tower has a roof in a shape of a cut pyramid, covered with shingles. On it is smaller body of a small tower with three-barred cross. On a shelter in a shape of a pyramid is a cone with three-barred cross. Above the sanctuary is at the end of the roof three-barred cross. Originally were three bells in the tower. Later they were transferred to the outside belfry, and finally they ended up in the new brick church.
    Iconostasis (National cultural monument - NKP) shines with its variety of colors. It has architecture of four rows with icons displayed on four levels. It is dated to the middle of the 18th century. Deaconal doors have no leaves. Royal doors have two leaves and are adorned with six medallions of Evangelists and the Annunciation. In the first row are placed the icons of St. Nicholas, Theotokos (Hodigitria) Christ the Teacher and icon of St. Michael the Archangel. Second row of feasts has the icon of the Last (Mystical) Supper in the middle. Third row contains the icon of Christ the High Priest with Theotokos and St. John the Baptist in the middle. Fourth row is so called row of prophets. In the middle is Christ on red three-barred cross with the Theotokos and St. John the Evangelist on the sides.
    Belfry (National cultural monument - NKP) – Part of the area is also independently standing wooden belfry, built in 20th century. It is empty. Belfry is built on stone foundation. It has simple, columned structure. Whole roof of the tower is covered with shingles. In the frontal part of the roof is placed simple one-barred cross.

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