Europe

[Visited: July 2020]

We have been looking forward to exploring Maramureș ever since we set our eyes on visiting Romania, and we are excited when we finally drive up towards the north of the country. We had planned to spend a couple of nights in Breb, but it turns out to be a touristy village, so we decide to move on and explore the region along the way. After a brief walk through the village which also has a wooden church, we focus on the list of eight wooden churches recognised as World Heritage by Unesco. After the Austro-Hungarian authorities forbade the building of stone Orthodox churches, the locals started building them in wood; it is said there were around 1500 in the region. They became so famous that the construction of wooden churches was copied in various regions around Europe. From Breb, it is a short drive to neighbouring Budești. We end up seeing a beautiful wooden church, with thick, dark wooden beams all around, and a pointed tower turning sharply into the sky. It has a beautiful cemetery where an old lady is tending one of the tombs. It is only later that we would realise this is actually not one of the Unesco appointed churches; the real one is only a few hundred metres north.
From Budești, we head southwest and end up seeing a small wooden church in Șurdești, one wall covered in flowers. Again, this is not the Unesco one, and since it starts to rain, we decide to drive to Rogoz, the church furthest south. Indeed, when we arrive, the worst of the rain is over. We see a slender, tall tower with four pinnacles rising above the wooden church, built in 1633. Like all wooden churches, it is built with thick elm timber, without any nails, on a stone platform. The steep roof is made of small shingles, with eaves that overhang the walls. On the side, we find a twisted rope carved out. We walk around this lovely church, find the door closed, climb the plinth, and peek through the small windows to catch a glimpse of the interior and its colourful murals. We head back north, on a road that is under construction, and find the church of Plopiș, a Roman Orthodox church which is in the process of being reconstructed. The tower actually looks new with light-coloured wooden shingles. It is clear that the locals still master the necessary skills to build these churches. The door is closed, so we move on to the wooden church of Șurdești. A Greek-Catholic church, this is one of the most impressive. It stands on an open groud, where we notice some stone crosses. It has a tall tower, again with four turrets, and we can buy an entrance ticket so we can finally see a church from the inside. It was built in 1766, and the tower was made as tall as possible, so the prayers would easily reach heaven. The interior is richly decorated with murals, depicting biblical scenes; the ceiling has a painting of paradise with a ladder reaching out. What a beauty!
We continue our quest, and head to the village of Desești, where we easily find the wooden church, the Saint Parascheva. The door is closed, but we now have the appetite to see the inside, so I call the number written on a piece of paper, and within a few minutes a sweet girl and boy show up. The walls abundantly painted, with biblical scenes like the Last Supper, some gruesome depictions of Judgment Day and sinners, and one depicting Adam and Eve. The paintings are well preserved, and we are lucky the kids don't mind us taking lots of pictures. From Desești, we drive up north, and end up sleeping in Săpânța. It has the tallest wooden church in the world, as well as the Merry Cemetery. The next morning, we head east, and our first stop is Bârsana. The church is closed, even though it is Sunday, and the windows are closed off. We stop at the monastery in the same village, which is a lively place. The drive east is beautiful, especially after we take the turn into the Iza valley. Rolling hills covered in a bright green grass, with haystacks everywhere: we stop very often to enjoy the views. When we arrive in Poienile Izei, the street is full of people, all moving in the direction of the wooden church. Many are wearing traditional clothes. Mass is outside, because of Covid-19 regulations, and the hill on which the church is built is full of people. The wooden bridge connecting the old and the new church is full of older women, all in traditional attire. To avoid being seen as intruders, we stand at the back, our eyes feasting on the scene. We do not dare to walk up to the wooden church, so we walk around the complex, enter from the top of the compound, and descend through the cemetery. Here, too, many people stand and listen. Some people are dressed all in black, and they are crying. I end up being touched myself, even without knowing what is going on. We silently leave the ceremony, and continue to see the wooden church of Ieud. Service is over, and it is quiet, the church closed. After installing ourselves in Vișeu de Sus, I drive back to Poienile Izei. When I arrive at the church, the crowd has gone. A lady walks up the hill with me, it turns out that there are a few visitors who have called her. She opens the beautifully painted door, and lets us in. We get a limited time to admire the murals, before the lady closes the door again. I notice a fresh tomb, where the mourning family was standing that morning. When I see the date on the cross, I understand the sadness: this was the day a girl who died a few months before would have turned 16. My heart sinks again. As I have done at all churches, I burn a candle for a dear friend, and hike the surrounding countryside. When I come back, the village seems to be in a festive mood: a football match is going on, I hear laughter, I hear people talking and shouting, and I am glad to feel that some of the sadness has been lifted. This was the last of those incredible wooden churches of Maramureș.

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Wooden churches of Maramureș (Romania)

Wooden churches of Maramureș > Romania > Europe

[Visited: July 2020]

Around the World in 80 Clicks