Perfect for relaxing and enjoying nature: a beautiful tour through an area of ​​Transylvania surrounded by wooden baroque churches

Northern Romania hides one of the country's most important and attractive secrets: the wooden churches of Maramures. This is a rural area in the Transylvania region. Just a few kilometers from the Ukrainian border, life moves in slow motion, almost everything is done in a traditional way, and the surroundings invite you to relax and enjoy its charms. These churches date back to the 17th and 18th centuries and are an exceptional example of wooden religious architecture, which has been a tradition in the region for centuries.

World Heritage Churches

The wooden churches of Maramures arose as a result of the prohibition imposed by Catholic Hungarians on Orthodox Romanians from building religious buildings made of stone. The goal was to prevent the construction of churches that would endure over time and to impose Catholicism over the Orthodox religion. Therefore, these architectural works are more than just religious symbols; they represent the struggles of the Romanian people to preserve the Orthodox tradition and are well worth a visit.

Although there are an estimated 100 wooden churches in the Maramures region, only eight have been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1999.

Surdesti

It's an ideal starting point for a tour of these architectural monuments. This church was built in 1721 and is dedicated to the angels Michael and Gabriel. Its interior houses paintings from the late 18th century in an excellent state of preservation. It is considered the tallest wooden church in the world , with a slender bell tower that measures 54 meters.

Saint Paraskeva of Desesti

Built in 1770 , this church is dedicated to Saint Paraskevi. It was built after a previous church burned down. Legend has it that the new location was chosen because of the church's altar stone, as the villagers tried to lift it in several places but it always fell. After five failed attempts, the rock finally remained standing, and the site of the religious fortification was established there.

The building is characterized by its roof divided into two distinct areas . Its style is a bit more rugged than the rest of the churches, and its interior displays several paintings from 1780 depicting the Last Judgment.

Saint Nicholas of Budesti

One of the oldest in the complex, built in 1643 using only oak wood . It is characterized by the low height of its bell tower and by housing a spectacular Baroque fresco dedicated to the Coronation of the Virgin Mary. Nearby, there is a cemetery that must be crossed to reach the interior of the church.

Plopis

Just 16 kilometers from Surdesti Church, we find a building dating from 1791 , also dedicated to the archangels Michael and Gabriel. With a structure very similar to the one in Surdesti, its interior preserves paintings from the late 19th century in very good condition.

Barsana

Dedicated to the Presentation of the Virgin , the Barsana Church is a true gem, boasting a Baroque and Rococo-influenced frescoes and paintings, decorated in vibrant colors. It was built in 1720 and in 1806 was rebuilt on Jbar Hill, a different location from its original location. Very close to the church, on the other hill, is the Barsana Monastery , made up of several 16th-century buildings.

Jude Deal

The church of Ieud Deal was originally built in the 15th century, but later burned down, and the building that stands today dates back to a reconstruction carried out in the 17th century. It is a site of great interest among visitors, especially for the icons that decorate its interior.

El Palmar, the town in Murcia where Carlos Alcaraz was born

Poienile Izei

Its construction dates back to 1620 and its interior houses numerous late 18th-century frescoes. One of the building's curiosities is its crescent moon beneath the tower, which was built to protect the religious structure from the Tatars.

Rogoz

Unlike the rest of the wooden churches in Maramures, this one features rather excessive ornamentation on the exterior, dating back to 1663. Only elm wood was used for its construction, and inside you can see several paintings from the late 18th century in an excellent state of preservation.

How to take the tour of the wooden churches of Maramures?

Although it's a relatively short route , the best way to visit them is to take a two- or three-day drive , combining it with other attractions in the area. The distances in Maramures aren't very long, but since these are regional roads, there are many curves along the way, so caution is recommended.