Churches & monasteries

Church in Puchły

A blue Orthodox church by the Narew

In Puchły, a village in the Narew municipality, stands one of Podlasie’s most recognisable wooden Orthodox churches. The Church of the Protection of the Mother of God is known for its blue façades, rich decoration and five domes. The present building was erected in 1913–1918 on the site of older churches. It is an Orthodox Marian sanctuary in the Land of Open Shutters.

Architecture and the Pokrova icon

The church was built in a Russian-Byzantine style, with a log-built body and timber-frame bell tower. Its form includes a tall nave, porches and domes with onion-shaped roofs. Inside are polychromes, an eclectic iconostasis and an 18th-century icon of the Protection of the Mother of God, known as Pokrova. The story of the icon appearing on a lime tree is a local legend.

The Land of Open Shutters

Visit Puchły as part of a route through the three villages of the Land of Open Shutters: Puchły, Soce and Trześcianka. Look for decorated wooden houses, roadside crosses and the Narew valley landscape. Nearby villages include Ciełuszki, Pawły and Ryboły.

Visiting and access

Church address: Puchły 51, 17-210 Narew. This is an active church with no fixed tourist hours. The parish lists Sunday Divine Liturgy at about 10:00; check for changes or contact the parish at Puchły 49, tel. +48 85 681 55 27. The monument is accessible from outside; interior access depends on services and the custodians’ permission. No confirmed ticket price is available. Keep quiet and dress respectfully.