The Trinity Church is a wooden church in the village of Trokovychi, Zhytomyr District, not far from Chernyakhiv. It is an architectural monument of national significance and a rare example of an 18th-century Polissian wooden church that has survived to this day and remains active.
Church of Five Villages
In 1774, funded by the local priest Yanovytskyi and the landowner Kviatkovych, the communities of five villages — Trokovychi, Nekrashi, Velyka Horbasha, Mala Horbasha, and Pishchanka — gathered to build a shared church. The site was chosen in Trokovychi, the largest village at the centre of the area. The church in honour of the Holy Trinity was built in 1791 on a flat, open spot in the middle of the village.
Seven Domes
The original structure is a rare variety of a seven-log-frame, seven-domed church. Local craftsmen modified the three-part plan typical of Ukrainian wooden churches: to the three main log frames in the western and eastern sections, they added two symmetrical square towers with small cupolas on each side. The western towers form the narthex and choir loft inside, while the eastern ones serve as the sacristy and vestry next to the altar.
The three main chambers are roofed with tall, octagonal, two-tiered domes — they are noticeably taller and more complex than the side towers. The highlight of the interior is a shaped archway in the western wall of the nave, supported by two carved pillars.
The 1896 Reconstruction
In 1896, two rectangular extensions topped with decorative cupolas were added to the northern and southern walls of the nave. The western section was expanded, and the main entrance was emphasized by a tall, three-tiered tented bell tower with a porch set on two columns. Main entrances also appeared in the side extensions, giving the church ten cupolas in total.
How Grain Saved the Church
In the early 1930s, an order arrived to destroy the church. The villagers resorted to a trick: they dismantled the iconostasis, hid the icons and church utensils, took down and buried the bells, removed the crosses — and filled the building with the village's entire grain supply. The district authorities satisfied themselves that the building was being used as a granary and revoked the order.
During World War II, the church served as a watchtower, and a German supply train was stationed nearby. The wooden building could easily have burnt down, but it survived.
Tip
The church is active and belongs to the UOC (MP). It is best appreciated from the outside: walk around to see how the seven old domes and the newer ones blend together. If you want to go inside, come before or after a service.
How to get there
Trokovychi lies near Chernyakhiv, north of Zhytomyr. It is convenient to combine the trip with Chernyakhiv and the ruins of the Nemyrych Castle. Other nearby places can be found in the article on Zhytomyr District.
