The role of World Heritage Sites in sustainable community development

Hans Schneider

doi:10.5277/arc120212

Abstract

The wooden churches in western Ukraine are unique in the world of architecture for their style, construction, and artwork. Due to the region’s history, local communities had contact with diverse groups throughout Eastern and Western Europe and this is reflected in the designs of the churches which have architectural features that combine not only the Greek Orthodox tradition, but also elements of the Roman Catholic tradition. They represent the local building styles of Old Halych (Rohatyn and Poletych), New Halych (Drohobych and Zhovka), Boyko (Uzhok and Matkiv) and Hutsul (Nyzhniy Verbizh and Yasynia).     On January 28, 2010 eight of the best examples of wooden churches in western Ukraine were nominated to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World Heritage List by the Department of Restoration and Reconstruction of Architectural Complexes at Lviv Polytechnic National University.