Maramureș is a very special region in Northern Transylvania, part of Romania. Here, you have the chance to meet the oldest traditions from people that want to live like hundred years ago. Some of them still make hominy at the mill, wash the clothes at the whirlpool on the river, make clothes at the weaving loom, cook in the wood oven and make those beautiful haystack on the fields.
Special constructions
The churches of Maramureș are unique in the world. In the area, are more than one hundred Orthodox constructions, built from the 17th century to 19th century. Looking at them, you can guess that are so hard to construct, because of the slim and tall bell tower. The record is owned by Săpânța Monastery, which is 78 meters tall!
The interior. Most of the churches were painted by the local artists with biblical scenes. Some of them have impressive sculptures in wood. From the inside, they seem small and dark, but are colored by the traditional carpets the locals use to put on the floor.
8, a lucky number
In 1999, UNESCO listed eight timber constructions of Maramureș as World Heritage Sites.
- The Church of the Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple in Bârsana.
- The Saint Nicholas Church in Budești.
- The Saint Parascheva Church in Desești.
- The Ieud Hill Church in Ieud.
- The Church of the Holy Archangels in Plopiș.
- The Saint Parascheva Church in Poienile Izei.
- The Holy Archangels Church in Rogoz.
- The Holy Archangels Church in Șurdești.
The wooden churches in pictures
Posted by Educated by Travelling on Thursday, June 22, 2017
You can visit them in a two days road-trip!
Here, you have a tour for the ones in UNESCO: