Podjastrzębik: St. Luke’s Church and Mineral Water Springs

Podjastrzębik combines the wooden St. Luke’s Church with mineral water springs in the Jastrzębik Valley. It also has a distinctive high-altitude setting and road connections from Krynica and Złockie.

Location and Mineral Water Springs

Jastrzębik lies at an altitude of about 550 metres at the foot of 659-metre Jastrzębia Góra. Jastrzębik can be reached by road from Krynica and Złockie. Check current road connections before setting out.

There are numerous mineral water springs in the Jastrzębik Valley. The springs have a low yield, and some of the mineral waters are carbonated. The Iwona spring is designated an inanimate natural monument. It adds a named natural monument to the area’s mineral water heritage.

St. Luke’s Church: Architecture and History

St. Luke’s Church in Jastrzębik was built in 1856 in the Western Lemko architectural style. Parts of an earlier church building were also used in its construction. The church is wooden, three-part and single-nave, and was built using log construction. “Single-nave” describes a layout with one nave, while log construction refers to a structure made of superimposed layers of timber. Its construction date and style are thus complemented by a history made tangible through the reused older building elements. The three-part division refers to the building’s structure; the single-nave plan describes a church with one nave.

The church’s history also includes its former use as a Greek Catholic church. In addition to the building itself, visitors interested in cultural history will appreciate its furnishings, which include several clearly identifiable elements dating from different periods. These can be distinguished from the building’s history without separating them from it.

Icons and Furnishings

The church contains seven Deesis icons with apostles dating from the mid-17th century. There are also several icons from the 18th century. The ornamental polychrome decoration dates from 1801, while the iconostasis is Baroque-Classicist in style and dates from the 19th century. These dates reflect different historical periods: the 17th- and 18th-century icons and the 1801 polychrome decoration predate the church, built in 1856, while the iconostasis dates generally to the 19th century.

Next to the church stands a free-standing bell-gate tower, built in the early 20th century. There is also a spring below the church. The bell-gate tower was built well after the church building of 1856. The tower and church therefore belong to different building phases in the village; the church furnishings have their own independent dates.

A Fitting Focus for Your Trip

For a simple comparison when deciding between the area’s attractions: St. Luke’s Church brings together timber construction, its former use as a Greek Catholic church, and furnishings from several periods. In the valley, the main attractions are the mineral water springs, carbonated mineral waters and the Iwona natural monument.

For the broader travel overview: Muszyna.