Kunkowa is a small village near Lake Klimkówka. To help you decide whether the place suits your travel interests, its local history offers several specific points of interest: the wooden St. Luke’s Church, its furnishings from different centuries, and the work of two figures associated with Kunkowa. These topics complement one another without telling the same story. The church draws attention to architecture and sacred art; the biographies lead to education, culture and civic engagement in the village. The nearby lake also provides a geographical reference for planning.
St. Luke’s Church: Wooden Architecture and Art
Dedicated to the Apostle Luke, the church is made of wood. It was Greek Catholic and is now Orthodox. It was probably built in 1868 or earlier. The exact year of construction therefore remains uncertain: the date is a cautious estimate and does not specify a single year. Both its construction and its former and current church affiliations offer insight into the building.
The interior furnishings add further traces of different periods. The ceilings and walls are covered with polychrome decoration created by Jan Jakubowski-Sasów in 1904. The walls also feature elements of a Baroque iconostasis from 1796 and icons from the 17th century, including an icon of St. Nicholas dating from after 1660. These dates refer to different elements, not to a single building phase: the furnishings span older icons, the iconostasis and the 1904 paintings. Several periods of creation can thus be distinguished at St. Luke’s Church.
Education and Culture in the Village
Maksym Hładyk founded a school in Kunkowa and developed cultural life by establishing a theatre, a choir and a reading room. His work thus encompassed education and reading as well as community culture. The school and reading room stand alongside the theatre and choir: together, these institutions point to different aspects of village life at the time.
Another figure associated with Kunkowa is Orest Hładyk. He served as village head for 32 years and was also active as a translator and in civic life. While Maksym Hładyk’s work included founding educational and cultural institutions, Orest Hładyk’s biography combines a long tenure in local office with translation work and civic engagement. These different emphases broaden the view of village history beyond the church.
Cemetery and Geographical Orientation
Above St. Luke’s Church, a village cemetery lies on the hillside, with gravestones dating from the early 20th century. It adds another historical layer to the church’s architectural and artistic history. Its position above the church building also provides a specific geographical reference within Kunkowa.
If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Kunkowa, you can choose your destination based on these topics: are you most interested in the wooden church and its layers of furnishings, or would you also like to explore the village’s educational and cultural history? The proximity of Lake Klimkówka adds a landscape reference. This can help you first decide which aspects of Kunkowa you want to shape your stay before choosing accommodation.
Discover more destinations: Rożnowice, Nowica, Bystra, Krzywa, Kwiatonowice, Stróżówka, Strzeszyn, Ropki
For the broader travel overview: Gorlice.
