The European cultural heritage of the contemporary sacred landscape in Poland and its evaluation based on the example of roadside shrines and crosses

Abstract

This paper is an attempt at evaluating roadside shrines and crosses as significant elements of the cultural heritage of Poland and Europe. Evaluation was carried out in the context of the role these objects play in the rural landscape. We examined roadside shrines and crosses that are a testimony of piety of the local community. Roadside sacral architecture was studied within the area of a representative rural commune in South-Eastern Poland. Point evaluation was used to assess the role of shrines and crosses in three most important aspects: spatial, social-cultural, and natural. We evaluated the artistic and historical values of these objects, their significance in contemporary rural landscape structure, as well as material evidence of piety left at these objects by the local people.