Small Sacral Architecture and Its Greenery in Lower Spiš Region in Slovakia

Abstract

Abstract Small sacral structures are significant elements of Spiš cultural landscapes (North-East Slovakia). This paper presents results of the field mapping of small roadside sacral objects and their greenery along a 66-kilometre long road section connecting North and South of Lower Spiš and the municipalities of Levoča, Spišská Nová Ves, Hnilčík, Mníšek nad Hnilcom, Smolník, and Úhorná. This road was an old trade route and has an important historical legacy in Lower Spiš – a traditional mining cultural landscape with a characteristic hilly topography, wide forest landscapes and rich mining history. The presented mapping was conducted within the research project VEGA 1/0371/18 “SacralArch: Preservation of the Historical Legacy and Architectural Diversity of Small Sacral Structures in Cultural Landscapes of Slovakia“, based on the methodology elaborated by Tóth (2018), which includes localisation, spatial context, technical or health condition and an overall description of the sacral element and the woody plants in its direct surroundings. In total, 13 small roadside sacral objects were mapped, while the most prevailing elements are crosses. The most common cross type is wooden cross without pedestal. The oldest and aesthetically most valuable elements are metal crosses on stone pedestals, made of travertine. The most valuable element is a registered cultural monument – a Baroque roadside chapel of St. John of Nepomuk from 1726 in Smolník. Woody plants accompany only roadside crosses in the study area. The oldest and most significant in terms of landscape value are individuals of small-leaved linden trees (Tilia cordata Mill).