Drewniany kościół pw. Świętych Apostołów Szymona i Judy Tadeusza w Kosieczynie – badania i prace konserwatorskie jednej z najstarszych drewnianych świątyń w Polsce

The village Kosieczyn near Zbąszynek (Lubusz voivodeship) features the Saint Apostles Simon and Jude Thaddeus wooden church that ranks among Poland’s oldest monuments of wooden sacred architecture. Dendrological analyses completed in 2006 enabled to certify that the church (preserved within its body, i.e. the body of nave and chancel) has a log structure based on pine beams, built in 1389; roof truss system over the nave and chancel made of timber cut sometime between 1407 and 1416, hence it is dated at 1417; the tower added in 1431. Research confirmed that the object was consecrated in 1408. In order to fully identify the initial period of the existence of the church, conservation efforts were launched to determine the scope and specific features of paintings discovered in its interiors. Traces of template ornaments originating from the late Middle Ages are preserved on the walls of chancel and nave (heavily damaged by the saturating of beams to improve the adherence of clay pugging, used to cover the walls from inside the church) and on boards from dismantled ceiling (again used in the church). These discoveries determined the continuation of renovation works in further years, performed simultaneously with operations aimed at improving the technical condition of the building. The past transformations of the building, among other the replacing of original ceilings above the chancel and nave with wooden pseudo-vault and newly structured windows larger than the original, located in the upper parts of walls also on the northern side, have destabilised the structure of the church and augmented the deviations of its walls from the perpendicular. The structural transformations and lack of current renovations are the causative factors of the serious weakening of the log structure. Extensive repairs and renovation operations were launched in 2006. Firstly, the structure of the building was stabilised using a system of supports consisting of steel cables suspended above the arched ceilings, to relieve the vertical pressure of the roof truss system on the walls. It enabled to remove the unaesthetic supports and safeguards (steel buttresses at southern side of church, placed in the 1950s). The virtue of the adopted solution rests in its technical efficiency, easy monitoring, full reversibility and absence of any direct modification of the historical substance of the church. In the next years the roof coverings were replaced with shingles, damaged structural elements were replaced as well, apart from filling and repairs. Also, external formworks were replaced with new, horizontally placed timber frames, reminiscent of the log structure of walls. Secondary wooden panellings, plasters and pugging were removed from the interiors, to expose the original wall structure with the relics of its painted ornaments (conservation works were carried out and the colour of interiors was unified). The floor level was lowered to its original usable level, finishing the floor in accordance with the design of discovered ceramic floor finish. Also, the original structure of windows and the entrance in the southern wall were restated. Non-original window openings on the northern side were closed, while on the southern side windows again appeared in their original spots. Additionally, the ceiling above the chancel was recreated together with the stenciled decoration, thus recreating the former appearance of church interiors. Works in the church were completed by renovating its movable elements, namely the main and side altars, pulpit, confessional, crucifix and statues of saints. The very early time of erecting, unique timber structure, as well as the preserved original body and architectural design, in addition to the decoration and fittings of the church, all determine its outstanding artistic, historical and scientific value. The works carried out in 2006-2012 restored the church to its almost completely original state. Also, its structure has been stabilised, in accordance with the original.