SOCIO-GEOGRAPHICAL PREREQUISITES OF THE FORMATION OF THE SACRED SPHERE OF IVANO-FRANKIVSK REGION

Abstract

The sacred sphere of the Ivano-Frankivsk region is formed by both natural and anthropogenic objectsthat have special spiritual properties and perform communicative, consolidating, healing, protective andenvironmental functions. The sacred sphere affects the socio-cultural and economic life of society. Theanalysis of socio-geographic conditions of its formation helps to understand the interaction betweenreligious and political structures, and also contributes to the study of various forms of social and culturaldevelopment of the territory in certain historical and political periods. The study of the sacred sphere isof practical importance for the development of tourism and recreation. Sacred objects can be attractiveplaces that increase the tourist flow and contribute to the infrastructural development of a certain area.The components of the sacred sphere of the Ivano-Frankivsk region were formed under the influence ofnatural (geographical position, features of the relief, picturesque landscapes) and socio-geographical(historical-political, ethnic and confessional) factors, which in a certain period of time in a historicaland geographical plan in a certain territory had its defining influence. For the research, 624 religious monuments built before 1939 were selected from the available sacred objects of Ivano-Frankivsk region,among which 80% are wooden churches, 12% are brick churches, 5% are churches, 1.5 % – monasteries,1.5% – synagogues. In the formation of sacred objects on the territory of the study, 5 historical periodsare distinguished: the Ancient Ukrainian period (1199–1349), the period of the Polish kingdom (1349–1772), the period of the Austrian and Austro-Hungarian empires (1772–1914), the period of the FirstWorld War, the first Russian occupation and the creation of the Western Ukrainian People’s Republic(1914–1921), the period of the Polish Republic (1921–1939). An indicator was calculated for each ofthem, which objectively reflects the dynamics of the construction of sacred objects. The results of thecalculations showed that the most favorable period for the formation of religious sacred objects wasthe period of the Austrian and Austro-Hungarian empires. Sacred objects (buildings, monuments) ofthe Ivano-Frankivsk region are an important asset of the national culture of the population, reflected incertain sacred elements, they play an important role in the religious and cultural life of society.