Travelling around Poland, we often come across traces of past centuries – castles, palaces, historic city centres. However, it is the wooden sacral architecture, especially that hidden in smaller towns, which has a unique charm and is capable of evoking true reflection. The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Haczów, located in the picturesque Podkarpackie Voivodeship, is an absolutely unique place. It is not only one of the oldest and largest Gothic wooden churches in Europe, but also a testimony of its turbulent history and extraordinary art. We invite you on a journey to Haczów to discover the secrets of this extraordinary temple. (It really is impressive!)

Architecture and history of the church in Haczów

The history of the wooden temple in Haczów is as fascinating as its architecture. Let’s go back in time to understand the genesis of this remarkable place and see how it has evolved over the centuries, facing all sorts of challenges.

Genesis and construction: from the Middle Ages to the present day

The parish in Haczów was established as early as 1388, by the will of King Władysław Jagiełło himself. The present church, maintained in the Gothic style, was probably built at the end of the 15th century. Some researchers have hypothesised that its construction dates back as far as the fourth quarter of the 14th century. The founder, according to these theories, was supposed to be King Casimir Jagiellon. Actually, let’s go back a little further – after all, the history of the parish goes much deeper!

The original timber-framed building was the heart of the local community. Unfortunately, history has not been kind to it. In 1624, the church was severely damaged during a Tartar invasion, which necessitated subsequent rebuilding and extensions. After the construction of a new brick parish church in the neighbourhood, which took place in 1944, the wooden church remained abandoned. It was administered by the state until 1980, and its furnishings were taken to the open-air museum in Sanok (there was even a plan to create an exhibition of agricultural equipment in it! – something that, frankly, is a little sad to see in its present state).

Fortunately, after 1980, the temple was recovered by the church authorities and returned to Haczów, and the monuments began to gradually return to their place. Since then, the building has been subjected to constant restoration and conservation work, and in 2000 the church was re-consecrated, regaining its original sacred significance, although today it serves mainly as a museum and historic site. Can a better testimony of survival be imagined?

Architectural styles and their evolution over the centuries

The Haczowian church is an outstanding example of wooden sacral architecture of the Gothic period, although later stylistic layering is evident. Built in the log technique, it is characterised by a tripartite body, consisting of an equal-height chancel and nave body. And it was this technique that made it possible to create such a monumental (for wood!) building. In the 17th century, the church was extended with the addition of a bell tower, built in post-and-frame construction, and a turret for a bell. Saturdays were also added, which encircle the body of the church and the tower. Can you imagine a more practical solution to protect the walls from the rain?

In the 18th century, the chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows and a small treasury were added to the north side of the nave, and the sacristy was probably enlarged. A major renovation and modernisation of the interior, which took place in 1864, brought new ceilings with facets in the nave and chancel, with entablature supported by wooden pillars-pillars. The walls, reinforced with foxing and shingled, conceal medieval carpentry assembly marks (a fascinating detail!). Influences from other styles can also be discerned, such as the Baroque cover of the stone baptistery or the 19th-century polychromy of an eclectic character. Characteristic elements are the moulded and chamfered catches supporting the crowning cornice, some in the form of simplified human masks. (Surprising, isn’t it?) The building, covered entirely in shingles (except for the helmet of the tower and the bell turret, which are covered in copper sheeting), may be reminiscent of Norwegian wooden architecture, especially stave churches, which adds an extra, intriguing dimension.

Building materials: wood, shingle, stone – their role and importance

The primary and most important material used in the construction of the Haczów church is, of course, wood, mainly larch and fir. It is thanks to the use of a log structure made of such durable material that the temple has survived the centuries. The wood is evident in the body itself, walls reinforced with foxgloves, ceilings, pillars and entablatures. Stone was used to create a solid foundation, protecting the wooden structure from moisture from the ground. The roof and walls of the church, as well as the canopy of the surrounding wooden fence (added in the 1980s), are covered with traditional shingles. These natural materials not only provided durability and functionality, but also fit the church perfectly into the surrounding landscape, creating a harmonious whole and emphasising its historic character. Can you imagine a more natural combination?

The church in Haczów compared to other wooden churches

The church in Haczów is not the only wooden church in Poland and Europe, but it certainly occupies a special place among them. Its unique features set it apart from others and make it a must-see on the map for lovers of historic architecture.

Comparison with other wooden churches in Poland and Europe

Poland, especially its southern part, abounds in beautiful wooden churches. Until recently, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Haczów was considered the oldest wooden church in Poland. However, recent dendrological studies have shown that the St. Nicholas Church in Tarnow Paluki holds the primacy. However, this does not diminish the importance of the Haczów church as one of the oldest timber-framed churches in our country. Haczów is also on the same prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List as other outstanding Polish wooden churches: in Binarowa, Blizna, Dębno, Lipnica Murowana and Sękowa. I have to admit that when we visited the church in Bliznem, we were impressed, but it was Haczów that surprised us even more with its monumentality and scale. Compared to some of the small, atmospheric churches that can be found on European routes, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Haczów stands out for its size, especially in a Gothic context.

Unique architectural features of the Haczów church

What makes the Church of the Assumption in Haczów so special? First of all, it is the largest, oldest and best-preserved wooden Gothic church in the world, although its state of preservation requires constant care. Erected in the 15th century, it has retained much of its original Gothic exterior, despite later additions and alterations. Its monumental scale for a wooden building, its high walls reinforced with foxholes, its stone foundation, and especially its unique architectural details, such as moulded abutments (some with carved simplified human faces) or medieval carpentry assembly marks, testify to the mastery of the craftsmen of old. Added to this is the extremely valuable and rare Gothic figural polychrome, which we will discuss in more detail in a moment – its presence on the wooden walls is practically unprecedented in Poland and Europe to such an extent. And it is this polychrome that constitutes one of the greatest treasures of the place.

A place on the wooden architecture route of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship

In appreciation of the richness of wooden sacral architecture in the region, the church in Haczów was included in the Wooden Architecture Route of the Podkarpackie Province. This is a great initiative that makes it easier for tourists to discover these often hidden treasures. Haczów is one of the highlights of this trail, being its true pearl. Travelling along the trail, we can admire the variety of styles and construction techniques of wooden churches, orthodox churches and other buildings, but Haczów remains a reference point because of its age, size and Gothic character.

Art and culture in the wooden church in Haczów

The interior of the Haczów church is a real art gallery where time seems to stop. The most valuable treasures are undoubtedly the Gothic polychromes and unique works of sacred art that tell stories from centuries ago.

Gothic polychromes: a history of discovery and conservation

The biggest sensation in the history of the church was caused by a discovery in 1955. While the parishioners were moving the altars to the new church, Jerzy Gadomski, then a graduate of the Conservation of Monuments Department of the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow, noticed fragments of paintings under the whitewash. His discovery changed the perception of the age of the church – from then on, the dating of the building was moved to the end of the 15th century, as the figural polychrome dates from 1494 and is one of the oldest of its kind in Europe! It is the only known Gothic wall polychromy on wood in Poland. Before the appearance of the figural scenes, the walls were covered with zacheus, paintings that were probably painted on the occasion of the church’s consecration in the mid-15th century. Unfortunately, the 15th-century polychrome was covered up at some point by whitewashing the walls. The paintings were studied by 20th century researchers Ryszard Brykowski and Marian Kornecki, and Wojciech Kurpik managed to establish the chronological arrangement of the paintings.

The work of conservators over the years has clearly influenced the current state of the paintings, especially in the presbytery. In the 1970s, detached fragments were glued with polyvinyl acetate, which could not be fully extracted, worsening the aesthetic perception. In the 1990s, wood defects were filled in with vinyl and sawdust compound. The resin-wax varnish used to fuse the paint layer created a film on the surface of the original. When I was recently preparing material on the conservation of wall paintings, I realised how complex these processes are, especially on such an unusual substrate as wood.

The research carried out by Katarzyna Witalis under the supervision of Prof. Jarosław Adamowicz of the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow, in cooperation with the Voivodeship Office for the Protection of Monuments in Przemyśl and the OT NID in Rzeszów (the documentation was prepared by Anna Fortuna-Marek), allowed us to enrich our knowledge of the Haczowian Gothic paintings, which turned out to be unique due to their figural character and atypical execution technique (greasy tempera with impasto). A number of pigments were identified: minia, iron red, umber, yellow ochre, chalk, lead white (used for the complexion of the figures), malachite, azurite (unstable, turning into malachite), and auripigment. The paintings were executed on a chalk-glue base containing sand grains and oat bran. The mortar contains iron pigments visible under the microscope.

The paintings, although not showing any sensitivity to water, are dusty, dirty, darkened, with losses and shiny/matt stains. Conservation of a fragment of the scene ‘The Fall of Christ under the Cross’ (partially cut through the sacristy door on the north wall of the chancel), which was carried out by Jerzy Gadomski as part of his diploma (he fixed a small part with a borax casein solution, created inventories in the nave), and subsequent cleaning work (brushes, synthetic erasers, UV light-controlled solvents, lignin compresses soaked in distilled water), the restoration of the wood with epoxy resin and glue and chalk mortar, and the restoration of the missing horseman’s head (based on Jerzy Gadomski’s inventory and the Conservation Commission’s approval) showed how much could be restored. Ultraviolet light allowed previously unknown fragments of vegetation to be read. The extent of the preserved painting made it possible to reproduce the colours and the course of the lines and forms of the greater part of the scene, which was painted with great lightness.

The effect achieved in this one scene distinguishes the representation from the other darkened, yellowed and illegible scenes, demonstrating that the wall polychromes in the wooden church in Haczów still require intervention. This work, based on Jerzy Gadomski’s inventories from the 1970s when the details were probably already soiled, has proved invaluable. The conservation of the Gothic ceiling planks carried out by Barbara Czajkowska-Palusińska and Slawomir Stępień was completed in 1999, and in 2000 the conservation arrangement of the ceiling in the nave was completed according to the design of Professor Gadomski and Dr Kornecki.

Sculptures and other works of sacred art

The interior of the church in Haczów conceals many valuable works of sacred art. Currently on display in the church are:

• Late Gothic sculpture of the Virgin Mary with Child from ca. 1540-1550.
• 18th-century side altars.
• 18th century pulpit.
• 18th century organ prospectus.
• 16th century stone baptistery with wooden baroque lid.
• Late 17th century altarpiece of Christ the Merciful.

The Altar of the Merciful Christ contains a copy of the famous Gothic Pieta from around 1400. This miraculous statue of Our Lady of Sorrows has a special history – it originally sailed down the Wisłok River, and the original is now in the main altar of the brick parish church. The statue was crowned in Krosno on 10 June 1997 by Pope John Paul II during his pilgrimage to Poland. The enthronement of the crowned Pieta into the Haczowian church was carried out by Cardinal Józef Glemp on 29 June 1997. A remarkable interweaving of history and faith, isn’t it?

Symbolism and meaning of the decoration in a religious and artistic context

The polychromes and sculptures in the church in Haczów have a profound religious and artistic significance. The figural scenes on the walls, such as the multi-quarter Cycle of the Passion, scenes from Genesis, representations of saints (e.g. St Christopher), the Assassination of St Stanislaus, the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary or the image of St Michael the Archangel, served to educate the faithful and strengthen their faith at a time when few could read. The Zacchaeans, consecration crosses, symbolise the consecration of the church. Symbolism is also evident in the architectural details – the hooks in the form of human masks may have roots in pre-Christian beliefs or have apotropaic functions. From an artistic point of view, Gothic wall paintings on wood are extremely valuable due to their rarity, age, execution technique (greasy tempera, impasto) and richness of depiction. They constitute a unique example of Gothic monumental painting in Poland. Even the later, 19th-century illusionist-ornamental polychromes or the Rococo decorations in the chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows testify to the continuity of the tradition of decorating the church’s interior.

The church in Haczów – location and accessibility

Reaching such a unique place as the wooden church in Haczów is part of the journey and pleasure of discovering the Podkarpacie region. It is worth planning a visit to fully appreciate its charm and significance.

How to get to Haczów?

Haczów is a village located in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, in the district of Brzozów, in the municipality of Haczów. It is located near Krosno, some 12 kilometres away. Getting to Haczów by car is relatively easy. It is less than 3.5 kilometres from the S19 national road, which is part of the important E371 European route (connecting Rzeszów with the Slovakian city of Prešov) and the Via Carpathia European road under construction (to connect Klaipėda with Thessaloniki). Good transport accessibility makes Haczów easily reachable from different parts of Poland as well as from abroad, although getting there by public transport may be slightly less convenient than by car.

Visiting the church: practical information

The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is located in the historic centre of the village, at Haczów 603, and is situated on a high escarpment above the Wisłok River. To the west, it is adjacent to the 20th-century brick parish church. The church grounds are surrounded by a wooden fence roofed with shingles, which was made in the 1980s. There is also a wooden, historic vicarage granary in the church yard. The church is orientated, meaning that its chancel faces east. The interior of the church, although the mass appears very large from the outside, is smaller inside than we might expect. It is covered with a flat ceiling, in the nave with a mullion supported by two columns, in the chancel with a faceted ceiling. The rainbow wall is rectangular and the music choir is supported by two pillars. The interior is decorated with polychrome, which sometimes requires good light to view in order to appreciate its centuries-old paintings. It is always advisable to check the opening hours for visitors before planning a visit, which can vary according to the season. If you’re ready for variable opening hours, it’s worth taking a chance!

Tourist attractions around Haczów

Taking the opportunity of being in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship, it is also worth discovering its other treasures. Haczów lies on the Wooden Architecture Route, so a natural choice is to visit other churches on the route, including the aforementioned church in Blizne, which is also on the UNESCO list. It’s also worth a trip to nearby Krosno – the city where the Haczowian Pieta was crowned and which offers many interesting attractions, museums and a charming market square. The Subcarpathian region itself is full of wooden churches, Orthodox churches, manor houses and other monuments waiting to be discovered by travellers. After all, if you’re already here, why not see more?

Conservation and protection of the Haczowian church

Preserving such a valuable monument as the wooden church in Haczów is a huge challenge and a process that requires constant work and commitment. The history of conservation is as long and complex as the history of the building itself. But is it any wonder that such a valuable monument requires constant care?

History of conservation and restoration work

Renovation and conservation work on the architecture and interior design of the church in Haczów has actually been ongoing since the 1950s, i.e. since the discovery of the Gothic ceiling paintings in 1955. Prior to this, the church had undergone repeated renovations, such as in 1864, when the interior was extensively modernised and the shingles and shuttering replaced. The roof of the church, damaged during the warfare in 1914, was repaired in 1915. Following the discovery of the paintings, their study (Ryszard Brykowski, Marian Kornecki, Wojciech Kurpik) and the first conservation work (Jerzy Gadomski) began. The 1970s saw attempts to glue up detached fragments of the original with polyvinyl acetate, and the 1990s saw the replenishment of wood defects with vinyl and sawdust.

In the 1990s, conservation work was also carried out on the polychrome in the chancel; it was cleaned and strengthened with Osolan KL3 solution, and the wood defects were filled with flecks and putty (containing sawdust and chalk), while the paint layer was completed with resin paints and the whole was covered with damar varnish. The conservation of the Gothic ceiling boards, led by Barbara Czajkowska-Palusińska and Slawomir Stępień, was completed in 1999. In 2000, the conservation arrangement of the ceiling in the nave of the church, designed by Prof. Gadomski and Dr. Kornecki, was completed. Recent research, such as within the framework of Katarzyna Witalis’s master’s thesis, continues to contribute important information and points to the need for further action.

Challenges of conserving a wooden monument

The conservation of wooden objects, especially such old and valuable objects, presents a number of specific challenges. Wood is an organic material, susceptible to biological degradation (fungi, insects), changes in humidity and temperature. Constant control of microclimatic conditions and protection against pests is necessary. An additional challenge in Haczow is the build-up from past, not always successful, conservation interventions, e.g. the use of synthetic resins that degrade over time and negatively affect the appearance of the original, such as polyvinyl acetate or resin-wax varnish, which creates an unsightly film. In fact, looking at it from a different perspective, some of the old methods, although they were supposed to help, today pose a considerable challenge for conservators.

The state of preservation of the paintings themselves is also a problem – they are dusty, dirty, darkened, with numerous defects, and their surface has a non-uniform texture (the glosses contrast with the dull stains). The instability of some pigments, such as azurite, which irreversibly changes to the much more stable malachite, alters the original colouring (for example, Christ’s robe in the ‘Fall’ scene appears green, although Jerzy Gadomski may have seen it as blue). Wood defects, whose restorations from the past deviate from the shape of the surface, also require attention. Conservation work has to be carried out with extreme precision, often using a microscope, and based on careful physico-chemical analyses of pigments and binders so as not to harm the delicate Gothic paint layer. As a conservator friend of mine says, every monument is like a patient requiring an individual approach, and wooden objects have their own unique ‘ailments’.

The role of institutions and specialists in protecting the church

The protection of the church in Haczów is a joint effort of many institutions and specialists. Its entry on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2003 raised its profile and brought it to the attention of the international community, making it easier to raise funds for conservation. The building is also protected under Polish law, being listed in the Register of Monuments and the Register of Historical Monuments. Conservation institutions such as the Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków (where future conservators are trained and research is conducted), the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments in Przemyśl (which supervises the works) and the National Heritage Institute (documentation and research, e.g. OT NID in Rzeszów) play a key role.

Specialists – art historians, conservators, chemists – carry out research (such as the research of Brykowski, Kornecki, Kurpik) and works (such as the works of Gadomski, Czajkowska-Palusińska, Stępień, Witalis), which allow us to better understand the monument and choose appropriate methods of its preservation. Decisions concerning complex treatments, such as the restoration of a missing fragment of a painting, are made by the Conservation Commission. It is thanks to the cooperation of all these entities that this remarkable testimony to the past can be saved and made available for future generations.

The significance of the church in Haczów in terms of cultural heritage

The church in Haczów is more than just a building – it is a living piece of cultural heritage that influences the local community and attracts attention from all over the world.

UNESCO World Heritage Site

In 2003, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Haczów was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, along with other valuable wooden churches in Malopolska and Podkarpacie. This is a great distinction and confirmation of its exceptional universal value. UNESCO has recognised it as a site of special significance for the culture and heritage of humanity, which testifies to its uniqueness and importance on a global scale. Being on the UNESCO list not only provides prestige, but also obliges us to take special care in preserving the monument and makes it easier to raise funds for this purpose. This is something that should fill us with national pride!

The role of the church in the life of the local community

Since the parish was established by Władysław Jagiełło in 1388, the church has been and remains an important centre of religious and social life in Haczów. For centuries it has been a place of prayer, celebration of the sacraments and gathering of the faithful. Despite the construction of a new church in 1944 and the period when the old church was under state administration, it was returned to the parish and continues to be a place of worship, albeit in a limited capacity, serving mainly a historical function. The enthronement of the crowned Pieta by Cardinal Józef Glemp in 1997 was an important event for the community, strengthening the connection with this miraculous statue of Our Lady of Sorrows. The inhabitants of Haczów are proud of their unique church and are actively involved in its protection and promotion, as exemplified by the involvement of parishioners in moving the altars.

Influence of the church on the development of tourism in the region

The status of a UNESCO site and membership of the Wooden Architecture Route of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship have significantly increased tourist interest in Haczów and the surrounding area. The church has become a magnet for tourists from Poland and abroad, interested in history, art and wooden architecture. The presence on the image of commemorative coins issued by the National Bank of Poland in 2006 in the series “Monuments of Material Culture in Poland” has further made the church famous throughout the country. The development of tourism benefits the entire commune and the Podkarpacie region, stimulating the local economy and promoting the cultural wealth of the area.

Leaving Haczów, we take with us images of the remarkable wooden church. We remember its monumental body covered with shingles, stone foundations, and intriguing hooded arches. What lingers in our minds above all are the centuries-old Gothic wall paintings, which we have managed to save and whose details, such as a fragment of vegetation or the reconstructed head of a horseman, tell stories from centuries ago. Reflection accompanies us long after we have left the place – about the durability of the wood, the craftsmanship of the old masters, the tumultuous history that experienced the building from the invasion of the Tartars in 1624, to the damage to the roof in 1914 and its repair in 1915, to its abandonment after the construction of a new brick church in 1944, its administration by the state until 1980, and its return to the parish. And of the tireless efforts of the restorers who have fought for years to preserve every bit of it, facing the challenges of preserving a wooden monument and the role of institutions and professionals in protecting the church.

The church in Haczów is a testimony to faith, art and history that has miraculously survived to our times. It is a place that is absolutely worth visiting and that certainly remains in the memory for a long time, proving how great the value of a simple, yet extremely complex, wooden Gothic church can be. We are grateful to have been able to visit this remarkable Gothic church and learn about its history, works of art such as the Gothic sculptures, altars, baptismal font, pieta or statue of Our Lady and Child, and the complex history of polychrome conservation, from the discovery of the paintings in the 1950s, through the work of the 1970s and 1990s, to the research carried out by Jerzy Gadomski, Ryszard Brykowski, Marian Kornecki, Wojciech Kurpik, supported by the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, the Voivodship Office for the Protection of Monuments in Przemyśl, the physical and chemical analyses of pigments and binders, such as tempera, polyvinyl acetate, varnish, azurite, malachite, to the replenishment of wood defects with epoxy resin, glue and chalk mortar, and all this under the supervision of a conservation commission. Every detail, from the medieval assembly marks to the Baroque baptismal font cover, from the Genesis scenes to the Passion cycle, from the Pieta crowned by Pope John Paul II to the polychromes in need of further work, creates an unforgettable whole that constitutes the uniqueness of this UNESCO World Heritage site. We hope that you too will someday wish to visit this treasure of the Podkarpacie region.