Impact of climatic-meteorological conditions on the Polish wooden cultural heritage: the example of wooden churches in Krakow

Polish wooden churches, a significant cultural heritage, face increasing threats from climate change. A study focusing on six churches within the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Wooden Churches of Southern Małopolska' reveals that while the region is less prone to extreme flooding due to its geographic and hydrological characteristics, it faces high risks of fires in densely forested core and buffer zones. Additionally, current climatic conditions pose challenges with year-round high relative humidity and temperature fluctuations that only meet protection criteria during summer months. The research proposes specific recommendations for conservation and restoration, emphasizing damp proofing, insulation, and drainage to mitigate these impacts. This work provides a data-driven foundation for future studies on the preservation of wooden heritage in similar climates.

hu, h. (2024). Impact of climatic-meteorological conditions on the Polish wooden cultural heritage: the example of wooden churches in Krakow. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3850364/v1