Tytuł pozycji:
Spalona cerkiew z Hulcza i grupa cerkwi tomaszowsko-hrubieszowskich
In the south-eastern part of vaivodship of Lublin, and,
to be more accurate, within the areas of Tomaszów
and Hrubieszów districts and partly in Zamość district
may be encountered a group of timber-constructed
Uniate orthodox churches characteristic of their
specific architectural features which are greatly differing
from those present in architecture of orthodox
churches in the neighbouring areas.
The most ancient sacred buildings of that group are
dating from the mid-seventeenth century while those
most recently built, from the years ending the nineteenth
century. They all were erected as those clearly
divided into three parts in their general plans, namely
that of sanctuary, nave and a part designed for the
feminine worshipers and, in addition, with a strong
emphasis on the nave forming both in plan and in the
outer shape of the whole building its clearly discernible
central portion.
The above Uniate orthodox churches are, furthermore,
characteristic of considerable heights of their outer
walls which the impression cannot be obscured even
by a strong enough horizontal accent formed by the
overhanging eaves running around the building.
Due to the separate roofings applied in all the three
main portions of the building and having the shape
о-f three domes or a dome crowning the nave and two
gable roofs covering the two remaining parts and also
owing to the strictly observed rule that the nave
should always dominate over the other two portions
have been more still emphasised not only the central
nucleus and the symmetry of the whole structure but,
at the same time, through this perpendicular accentuation
of its separate portions was considerably
strengthened an impression of its height. Both magnitude,
but at the same time a certain tallness of solids
of these Uniate orthodox churches seem to be
even more striking features in the triple-dome buildings.
For special attention deserve the two different, with
concern to height, ways that were usually applied for
shaping 'of carcasses of these sacred buildings which
are either differentiated, i.e. these of nave walls are
higher and thus dominating over those of the other
two portions (normally having the same heights), or
are of the same height in all the three portions of the
building and are ending with a common cornice.
Buildings in their first version are mainly to be found
in the area of Tomaszów district and the so designed
objects exibit an unbroken traditional continuity in
their forms dating from the mid-seventeenth century
until the first quarter of the nineteenth century. Designs
representing the second version are grouped in
the area of Hrubieszów district and their preserved
and well known examples are dating from the nineteenth
century.
The burnt-down (due to the faulty electrical installation)
Uniate orhodox church at Hulcze (erected in
1869) constituted one of the outstanding examples of
the „Hrubieszów versionb of that group. The until now
gathered documentation allows to state that the territorial
range of the timber-constructed Uniate orthodox
churches belonging to Tomaszów-Hrubieszów
group is covering the territory of the neighbouring
deanships of the former Uniate diocese of Chełm and
also that the local building tradition was continued
throughout the period from the first half of the 17th
century until the years ending the 19th century. This
tradition must have been one strong enough if even
after the abolition in (1875 by the tzarist authorities of
the Uniate diocese and after introducing of the orthodox
rite lit was able to prevent the penetration of foreign
influences which the fact is apparently evidenced
by orthodox churches erected after 1875 and planned
for the Russian-type liturgy who, however, preserved
their former character.