Just off the road to Uličské Krivé, in the Bukov Hills north-east of Snina, is the village of Jalová. Its Greek Catholic church, dedicated to St Gregory, was built in 1792. (see also article about Wooden churches in Slovakia)
It is not on the UNESCO list, or even on Slovakia’s list of National Cultural Monuments, because a restoration in 2002 was deemed not to have followed strict rules (the Ruthenian parishioners say a complete reconstruction proved necessary as beetles had infested the original structure).
Whatever its historical credentials, its romantic setting is enhanced by the trees around it, which are as old as the original church. Peter Kováč contributed to this article.
