Wooden Church of St Michael that charms its perfect proportions and ancient improved forms built in Svalyava in Lemko style.

The church stood on the hill above the present settlement of Svalyava and was dedicated to St. Nicholas. Most sources admit construction of Wooden Church of St Michael in 1588 and since that time preserved oak babinets and the nave. Inscriptions "1733" and "17..2" could be seen on the walls of the babinets obviously indicative of repairs of the church.

In 1759 Wooden Church of St Michael moved to its present location and partly rebuilt. Lemko style indicates high tower with the baroque decoration, rapid rise of forms from low altar to the high tower and classic sign of Transcarpathian Lemko churches - open gallery with carved columns around babinets.

The interior of the church is rebuilt too with well preserved iconostasis of second half of XVIII century. In the iconostasis there is royal gates with gilded elements and openwork carvings.

Since the late 1940s the church was closed and in the early 1990s again opened its doors to worshipers. In 2001 dismantled single-stage wooden tower which successfully complements Wooden Church of St Michael ensemble and cut lindens surrounding the church.

You could visit Svalyava Sights | Wooden Church of St Michael (1588) with Ukraine Tour "Wooden Tserkvas of Carpathians"