St James's Church in Powroźnik

The Church of St James in Powroźnik is one of the oldest wooden churches in the Carpathians and is considered the oldest surviving church of the Lemko region. The village lies between Krynica-Zdrój and Muszyna, on the left bank of the Muszynka river. In 2013 the church was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the "Wooden Tserkvas of the Carpathian Region in Poland and Ukraine"; it is also on the Małopolska Wooden Architecture Route and the "In the Footsteps of the Lemkos" car trail. Today it is the Roman Catholic parish church of St James the Less.

The village is first mentioned in 1391 among the Kraków bishops' estates around Muszyna, and in 1525 it was re-founded under Wallachian law. Beneath later paintings on the wall of the original sanctuary an inscription was found that dates the completion of the building to 5 October 1600, and a name with the year 1604 is carved into the log wall of the nave. In 1643 an "upper chapel" was built and consecrated above the narthex; it was used for about a hundred years. The flood of 1813–1814 forced the church to be moved from the riverbank to higher ground; at the same time it was enlarged, and the old sanctuary became the sacristy. After the Lemkos were deported in 1947 during Operation Vistula, the building was taken over by the Roman Catholic community, and a separate parish was founded here in 1951.

What to see

• The 1607 paintings in the sacristy — the oldest figural wall paintings preserved in wooden churches. The central scene is the Crucifixion, with the Holy Spirit as a dove above it and God the Father on the ceiling, together forming an image of the Holy Trinity. Nearby are the Entombment, the Sacrifice of Abraham, Moses receiving the Tablets and the Entry into Jerusalem.
• The 18th-century iconostasis, divided because of the church's Roman Catholic use: the Deesis and Prophets rows hang on the east wall of the nave, the other icons on the sanctuary walls. Older icons and deacon's doors from a 17th-century iconostasis also survive, along with the Last Judgement (1623) and the Lamentation (1646).
• The Lemko architecture: a three-part church with a post-and-frame tower over the narthex, a smaller dome over the nave and a small turret over the sanctuary; walls and roofs are shingled. As in the oldest Lemko churches, there are windows only on the south side — against snow and wind and, in folk belief, against evil forces coming from the north. A bell of 1615 hangs in the tower.
• The stone wall around the church with 20th-century sculptures of saints.

Practical information

Address: Powroźnik 50, 33-370 Powroźnik (Muszyna commune). Powroźnik lies on the road between Krynica-Zdrój and Muszyna, so it is easy to reach by car or to stop on the way from the spa; parking is free. No official visiting hours or prices are published. The exterior can be seen at any time; to see the interior it is best to arrange a visit with the parish on +48 18 471 16 44 or +48 508 866 402. Photography is allowed. This is a working church, so visits are not possible during services; please be respectful. Information as of October 2026.

Nearby

Right next door is the spa town of Krynica-Zdrój with its pump rooms and mountain trails. To the east, in the Low Beskids, are other UNESCO churches — in Brunary and in Kwiatoń. To the west are the castle ruins in Rytro above the Poprad.

Official website: parafiapowroznik.pl

Photos: Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Piotr Widerski, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Henryk Bielamowicz, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Piotr Widerski, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Pelnykadrtwojezdjecia, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; KOWANA Anna Kowalczyk, CC BY-SA 3.0 pl, Wikimedia Commons.