Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Selyatin

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The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Selyatyn is the oldest wooden church in the Bukovinian Carpathians. Services are regularly held in the church. It is located in the village of Halytsivka, on a high hill to the left of the road that leads to Nyzhnyi Shipot. The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is an architectural monument of national importance.

The building dates back to the middle of the 17th century. The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was originally built in 1630. It is worth noting that the church was built using unique technologies without the use of nails. The authors of the cathedral are folk architects.

During the construction of the church, two architectural styles were uniquely intertwined in its composition. The walls are characteristic of a Bukovinian hut, and the roof is made with elements of the domed architecture of the Hutsul region.

It consists of three equally wide rooms arranged sequentially along the west-east axis: a disproportionately rectangular Babynets, a faceted altar part, and an octagonal nave, above which rises an octagonal pyramidal top with a decorative dome. Almost identical dormers are located on the roof ridge above the narthex and altar, as well as above the added narthex. The pitched roof with a high overhang and the dome of the church are covered with aluminum tin, and the walls are horizontally covered with wood. On the south and north sides of the nave are two symmetrically arranged faceted side chapels, which compositional highlight the central volume in the overall structure of the church. The arrangement of a small but plastic octagonal top above the nave further enhances the dominant role of the central part of the building in the composition. This role is emphasized by the low height of the frame roofs over the narthex and altar. A similar ratio of central and side rooms is clearly visible in the interior of the monument, the compositional dominant of which is the upwardly expanding and well-lit space of the nave with side chapels. Despite the fact that the composition of the Selyatyn church does not have a traditional dormer, the building is distinguished by a special sculptural plasticity of the main elements and exquisite proportions.

Unfortunately, at present the building does not look like it used to, as the exterior has been renovated, resulting in the church being covered with zinc and boards.

No less attractive than the temple itself is the bell tower, which is located away from the temple. It was built a little later, at the end of the 17th century. Its octagonal shape distinguishes it from most Bukovinian bell towers. Such an unusual silhouette makes it even more unique and not at all like a bell tower. Thanks to this architectural solution, it looks more like a watchtower. The well-found proportions and skillfully revealed silhouette of this small building not only successfully complement the monumental architecture of the church, but also significantly affect the perception of the ensemble of the central part of the village.

The complex of the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and the bell tower is located on a high hill on the northern outskirts of the village to the left of the road towards Dolishniy Shepot and is in good harmony with the surrounding mountainous landscape.

There is also a cemetery on the territory of the church where you can see interesting monuments. Many people of different nationalities lived in Selyatyn: Ukrainians - Hutsuls, Germans, Poles, Romanians, and noble families. Accordingly, their graves are crowned with beautiful monuments.

Today, the rector of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is Ivan Chornei.

Another church from 1846, now St. Volodymyr' s,has been preserved in Selyatyn.

The small village of Selyatyn is located in the southwest of the Chernivtsi region, 100 km from Chernivtsi. It is located near the border of Ukraine with Romania. You can get there either by your own car or by using regular bus services from the regional center and nearby cities.