Stave church on the forest steppe, the Church of Our Lady in Sanarka

I saw many interesting places when I was in Southern Siberia in Russia this summer, and one of the most impressive sights is one that I feel should be shared here; the Church of Our Lady in Sanarka, a tiny village in the Plast District with just over 800 inhabitants, located about 20 minutes drive from Stepnoye where I stayed. The church is also the parish church for Stepnoye and the surrounding small villages without churches.

The 37 meter tall wooden church was built entirely without nails according to old Russian traditions. Instead, special fasteners were used on the exterior, and metal structures were used on the interior. The builders had studied the art of ancient architecture beforehand in order to combine ancient and modern technologies. The church was constructed subsequently in the period 2002-2005.

Although this rural area doesn’t get much tourism in general, this is one of the most popular sights in the area, and is a must-see if you ever – somehow – find yourself in this area of the planet. Our project director Jim made sure that we all saw this gem of a church, and Mikkel and I went together one Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get inside the church as it was closed for a service. The interior is said to be even more beautiful than the exterior – I guess that means I will have to return to Sanarka someday! Still, it was well worth making the trip to see the exquisite exterior of this masterpiece.