St. Michael the Archangel Church in Smolnik

The Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Smolnik is a historic Orthodox, and later Greek Catholic temple, which since 1974 has served as a subsidiary Roman Catholic church. In 2013, the church was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, highlighting its cultural and historical significance. The first mention of the church dates back to 1589, and the temple itself may have been built as early as after 1530. The history of the church is tumultuous: the building was repeatedly destroyed, including by fires and Tatar invasions. The current structure, built in 1791, represents the Boyko style and is one of the few preserved examples of this type in the Bieszczady Mountains. The church is characterized by a tripartite structure with the nave, presbytery, and vestibule of equal height, topped with onion domes. The interior of the church was originally adorned with an iconostasis, which was destroyed after 1951, and the only preserved element of the polychrome is a fragment depicting a curtain with angels. Icons from the church, including paintings dated to 1547, are now housed in museums in Lviv and Łańcut. The church not only testifies to the diverse religious history of the region but is also a valuable element of the architectural heritage of Podkarpacie, included in the Subcarpathian Wooden Architecture Trail. Despite transformations and renovations, the church retains its historical character, though its current status as a Catholic church has obscured many liturgical traditions associated with its earlier denominations. It is fascinating that the church, despite its difficult history and periods of devastation, has survived to this day, making it not only a monument but also a cultural symbol of the region.