St Joseph's Church in Podhorce, photo Сергій Венцеславський, 2019
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ID: POL-001591-P/142057

St Joseph's Church in Podhorce

ID: POL-001591-P/142057

St Joseph's Church in Podhorce

Variants of the name:

Cerkiew pw. błogosławionego Mykoły Czarneckiego i nowomęczenników cerkwi ukraińskiej

The church in Podhorce was first a castle church (i.e. in a sense a private church) and only later became a parish church. In the 18th century, Grand Hetman of the Crown Wacław Piotr Rzewuski, who owned the village, wanted to incorporate the church into the palace-park concept. Rzewuski was a well-informed, but also deeply fascinated by architecture, patron of the arts who was well aware of the intricacy and meandering nature of the matter. On top of that, he knew who to hire. In addition to the mysterious Charles Romanus, who was signed as "C. Romanus", several other true masters took part in the venture. Foremost among these was Jean Lucas de Toux de Salverte, who was not only the teacher of the Hetman's sons, but also a painter. Perhaps it was also thanks to his suggestions that the building gained aesthetically. The garden was designed by Johann Christian Seydel. The sculptor Sebastian Fesinger, the painters Szymon Czechowicz and Łukasz and Antoni Smuglewicz were responsible for the interior design.

Unfortunately, the Second World War led to serious damage to the building. Artillery shelling in 1944 caused damage to the dome and some elements. After conquering Podhorce, Soviet soldiers committed acts of vandalism and theft, typical of their mentality. Fortunately, a large part of the furnishings survived.

It was taken away by displaced Poles. In August 1945, the parish was closed. Since Ukraine regained its independence, the church has been managed by the Lviv Art Gallery.

Since 2013, the building has belonged to the Greek Catholic Church. In 2021-2022, with the help of funds from the state programme "Great Preservation", emergency works were carried out on the church. These included replacing the roofing, the entrance staircase and changing the external plasterwork.

Architecture

Stylistically, Rzewuski's penchant for thoughtful forms is clearly evident. It is worth looking at the Podhorce estate as a whole, although the church itself is a very interesting building. It is dominated by a rotunda topped with a dome above a high, columnar portico. On the frieze is the inscription: IN CULTUM DOMINI DEI NOSTRI EXODI X. On the other hand, the building fits magnificently into the palace-park composition. It has been incorporated, in a sense, as a reflection of the main building on the other side of the avenue. The building is the first example of classicist Polish architecture. Rzewuski thus preceded Warsaw or Puławy by almost half a century.

The interior of the church is a separate chapter. It is as careful as its overall design. On the other hand, it corresponds superbly with it. It is not only the magnificent sculptures by Sebastian Festinger, paintings by the Smuglewicz family or paintings by Czechowicz. It is also the intricate woodwork and carpentry work.

Among the most important elements associated with the church's decoration and surroundings are also:

- The sculpture depicting St Peter, located on the façade of the building,

- Sculpture depicting (most probably) Mary, located on the façade of the building,

- Sculpture depicting St Joseph, located on the façade of the building,

- Sculpture depicting St Anne, located on the facade of the building,

- Sculpture depicting St Wenceslas, located on the facade of the building,

- Sculpture depicting St Onufry, located on the façade of the building,

- Sculpture depicting St Onufry on the church grounds,

- Sculpture of St Anthony of Padua on the church grounds,

- Sculpture of St John of Nepomuk in the churchyard,

- Sculpture of St Cajetan Thiene in the churchyard,

- Two columns with sculptures depicting the figures of: Our Lady Immaculate, St Joseph.

Time of origin:

1766

Creator:

Karol Romanus (architekt; Podhorce), Jean Lucas de Toux de Salverte (malarz; obwód lwowski)

Bibliography:

  • Jan K. Ostrowski, „Kościół parafialny p.w. Św. Józefa w Podhorcach”, [w:] „Materiały do dziejów sztuki sakralnej na ziemiach wschodnich Rzeczypospolitej”, cz. I: „Kościoły i klasztory rzymskokatolickie dawnego województwa ruskiego”, red. Jan K. Ostrowski, Kraków 1993, t. 3, s. 89-98.

Author:

Michał Dziadosz
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St Joseph's Church in Podhorce
St Joseph's Church in Podhorce, photo Сергій Венцеславський, 2019

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