Green Velo

The church and defence complex in Radruż is one of the best preserved examples of wooden architecture in Poland. Its main building is an Orthodox church, built of oak and fir wood in the 16th century, most probably funded by starosta of Lubaczów, Jan Płaza.

The interior is composed of a 2-level nave, a narthex and a presbytery. Wooden polychromes from mid-17th century are preserved both in the presbytery and on the iconostasis. The church is covered with a four-sided dome roof, covered with shingles, and the narthex is covered with a two-slope roof. The church was surrounded by a so-called ‘sobota’ – an arcaded roof, under which the believers could hide from the elements. In 1963–65 the church was renovated by local craftsmen. The complex also encompasses a wooden bell tower from the 16th century, a 19th century mortuary, and a wall built of stone, surrounding the hill. In the 17th century the church served both as a place of worship and as a point of defence. A cemetery is located in its vicinity, where a gravestone from 1682 can be found. The legend of a girl, who was taken captive by the Tatars is associated with this gravestone. Outside of the walls, two parish cemeteries can be found, with many white Brusno crosses on the graves. Conservation works are ongoing since 2010, and in 2013 the entire complex became a UNESCO World Heritage site.