Sacred Landscape Connected with Water Flows, Based on the Study of 'The Trail of Wooden Churches in Zielonka Forest'

Abstract

Sacred landscape is inseparably linked with the revelation of sanctity in human life space (hierophany and teophany in some cases). Profanum has to be symbolically submitted to res sacra to enable the element of sacrum to act in a proper way. It involves an appropriate exposition of sacred landscape elements, especially churches. They are not only visible dominants, but also domus dei and axis mundi in cultural landcape. For that reason churches are often situated in the most prominent places, making good use of natural landform features, first of all hills usually connected with valleys of water flows. 'The trail of wooden churches around Zielonka forest' consists of twelve churches that have become an inherent part of Wielkopolska cultural landscape. Seven of them are located in the area of river valleys, which determines landscape exposition. The aim of this article is to attract attention to the vital role of small water flows in the exposition of churches and the influence of valley forms on sacred landscape perception