Chrám sv. archandela Michaela / Church of St. Archangel Michael - Petrín (Prague) - This Old Church on Waymarking.com

Depicted pictoresque and historically valuable wooden Carpathian Church of St. Archangel Michael (Chrám sv. archandela Michaela), relocated to Prague from Carpathian Ruthenia in 1929, is one of several active Orthodox churches in Prague.

This wooden church, whose patron is St. Archangel Michael, situated in the Kinsky garden in Petrin hill, has been donated for use by Czech and Slovak religious communities at the beginning of 2008. The church was built in the second half of the 17th century in the village of Velke Loucky, near Mukacevo (Carpathian Ruthenia), combining a native Bojkov style with elements of rustic Baroque.

The length of the church is 14 m and its width is approximately 8 m. The church is constructed entirely of specialized wood, all beams, joints, ornamentation, and nails were made also from wood. As characteristic of the Bojkov style the nave is divided into three equal squares, each having a wooden spire above. The Orthodox origin of the church is evident in the use of the three colors — namely, white, green and red - for the decoration of the interior and of the spires. These colors represent the three basic Christian virtues: faith, hope and love.

St. Archangel Michael Church has been dismantled twice and reconstructed. The first deconstruction occurred in 1793, when the villagers of Velke Loucky sold the church to the wealthier village of Medvedovce. The second in 1929, when Ruthenians offered the church to the city of Prague, their state capital during that period, as a symbol of typical vernacular architecture in Ruthenia. After being carefully dismantled, the church was transported in four train cars, especially customized to transport the church for the 800 km long jouney. All costs were paid by the National Museum with the support of the Czechoslovakian Ministry of Culture. The ceremony transferring the church to the citizens of Prague was held on September 10th, 1929 in the presence of representatives of the Czechoslovakian govemment, the governor of Ruthenia, as well as the villagers of Medvedovce, who were dressed in traditional costumes.

The church has become a part of the Prague National Museum, Ethnographic Department, as it is a historic symbol of the Czech Republic’s culture. After restoration the church is used by the Orthodox church in the Czech Republic and is accessible to anyone, on request.

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