The Church of the Great Martyr Panteleimon is a true landmark of Ukraine.
Ukraine ranks 44th on the list of countries in the category of «size of territory», 146th in the ranking of the prevalence of corruption and 73rd in the global classification of quality of life. But, the number and class of local cultural values allowed the «yellow-black» state to take a worthy position in the top ten countries with a luxurious historical heritage, forcing the recognized leaders — France with its castles, Louvres, Eiffel Towers and Greece with the ruins of ancient times — to be displaced on the pedestal.
The sights of Ukraine are good and diverse. In this pleiad there is a place for Sofia of Kiev and the reserve «Askania Nova», for the base of Zaporozhye people «Khortitsa» and Kamenets-Podolskaja fortress. Lavra and vacation in the Carpathians, Marble Cave and Podolskie Tovtry can be an inexhaustible source of knowledge and pleasure, as well as a travel destination for many, many years.
Not as grandiose as all of the above sights of Ukraine, but no less interesting is the Church of St. Panteleimon the Great Martyr. The temple was built in honor of the Nicomedian healer who lived at the court of Emperor Maximian. Healed by prayer and faith Panteleimon was tortured. After his execution, the Great Martyr became the patron saint of warriors and the guardian of those who need medical help. In his honor, a church was erected in the historical center of Skole. The construction of the church dates back to 1597 and is attributed to the community of the Boyks, one of the ethnic groups inhabiting the Carpathians. Only wood was used in the erection of this sacred landmark of Ukraine. It is recognized as a benchmark of Boyk wooden church architecture.
To see the ancient Church of the Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon, travelers only need to come on vacation in Skole. In addition to the glory of the main areal of the boykoffs, the town is one of the district centers of Lvovsk region. It is distant from the city of Lvov by the distance of 106 km, but it is connected with it by regular railway communication and quite a good highway.
By choosing a vacation in Skole, guests will be able to appreciate the sacral architecture of the Ukrainians of the late 16th century and marvel at the level of skill of the locals. It so happened that in the church of St. Panteleimon the services were held only on major holidays, so the level of preservation of this landmark of Ukraine is one of the highest. Only during the German occupation regular services were held here, and with the arrival of Soviet troops the temple was used as a museum. Today it is under the jurisdiction of the UKGC, so you can no longer worry about its fate.
The local bell tower deserves a separate paragraph. It was built by the master Seni Shlokovets in 1760 in such a way that it served as a gateway to the churchyard. Since 1997, the structure received new bells, so those who came on vacation in Skole, will easily find the church by hearing the characteristic chime.
In addition to getting acquainted with the unique temple, those who came on vacation in the Carpathians will be able to see the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and the church dedicated to the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary. Both were built in the late XIX century and are recognized monuments of architecture. The the palace of Barons Gredelej, who «built» the town, has been preserved in the town. Ceramic water supply, electrification, narrow gauge railway and organized holidays in Skole for wealthy Europeans were the work of the Gredelej brothers. After the war, their house was used by the NKVD for its needs, and later orphans were placed there.
For those who plan an active vacation in the Carpathians, we can suggest climbing Mount Parashka or Mount Lopata, walking along the marked trail from Skole to Maidan, exploring landscapes along the Buchina trail, trekking along the Kamenka River, to waterfall Gurkalo or tasting water like «Naftusya» from the local well. Sights in Ukraine are many, and some of them await you in Skole: pure and enlightened, mountainous and healing, the best of the Carpathians!