Drevený kostolík v Tvrdošíne - svetové dedičstvo UNESCO

On memorable April 23, 1995, the mayor of Tvrdošín received a diploma issued by the Paneuropean organization Europa Nostra “for preservation and excellent restoration of this significant monument of wooden architecture with its traditional internal handicraft”. On the same day, a 22 cm wide round bronze commemorative plaque Europa Nostra Auszeichnung was placed at the southern church entrance. It should remind the future generations of their duty to continue to preserve this great Slovak and European cultural monument.

In 1986 – 1993, extensive repairs and restoration of some parts of the building were done: long-restored historic furniture was placed inside, reinstallation of the whole internal decoration, terraine adjustments, exchange of roofing, preservation of belfry, bastions and cemetery fence. The church  together with a stylish morgue built only recently create a unified and impressive architectural unit.

Today, the church is restored in the Renaissance style from 1650 and 1653-1654 which is engraved in the triumphal arch on the side of the chancel. The Baroque altar from the turn of 17^th and 18^th centuries with its rich sculptural decoration without colours enables us to admire the beauty of pure lime tree wood and wood-carving the way its creators did just after finishing it.

The fragments of the original smaller Gothic altar can be seen in the Orava Gallery in Dolný Kubín and in the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest where is also the original Gothic altar painting of the Mourning of Christ. Among other sights of the internal decoration belong: late-Renaissance pulpit with statues of evangelists, stallum- the bench in the presbytery painted by a stencil, lacunar ceiling with painted roses, picture of St.George on a horse killing a dragon, altar picture of All Saints with Ignatius of Loyola in front, the board paintings of four evangelists, the Saviour of the world, six couples of apostles and St.Paul with cylindrical, plaited and tendrilled ornaments around them.

The church combines several sorts of art in harmony. Visitors can observe beauty of architecture, painting and sculpture in one. Several centuries old works of art by various artists form a unique original masterpiece that has never been repeated. Avoiding folk art, only pure artistic styles can be found. The church creates its own artistic values distancing itself from everyday village life.

The Tvrdošín wooden church of All Saints was re- consecrated on November 1, 1993. Once a year – in a week of All Saints is Day /1^st of November/, religious services are held in it.

(www.tvrdosin.sk)