The Municipality of Sighetu Marmației

Wandering around this town 

In the place where the map is pined.

Although our thoughts come rushing in heads, when we think of all the sights in Sighetu Marmatiei, the Memorial to the Victims of Communism and Resistance stands out, first of all because here one can still hear the silent cry of suffering endured by those who fell prey to the injustices of a dictatorial regime. Each cell of the former prison was arranged as a museum hall, describing chronologically or thematically the terror of the communist regime. In one of the memorial courtyards one can visit a Space of Recollection and Prayer, built in memory of the almost 8000 detainees who were taken to prisons, camps and deportation facilities in Romania. The museum houses several works of art that ennoble the space and amplify the deeply emotional experience that visitors to this place feel, the largest work being the statuary group called the "Sacrifice Procession" (Cortegiul Sacrificaților). The museum also includes the Cemetery of the Poor, where it is said that 54 detainees were buried. It is surrounded by fir trees laid out in the shape of Romania, and at the point where the town of Sighetu Marmației is found on this map, an altar-cenotaph has been erected, behind which a magnificent Byzantine-style cross was placed. 

Among the gems of the Sighetu Marmației museum, we find the departments of the Maramureș Museum, an institution under the aegis of which are found some of the most interesting collections. No visitor to Maramureș can miss the opportunity to admire a true example of traditional local architecture, comprised of over 40 heritage objects exhibited in the Maramureș Village Museum. This experience must be completed by visiting the Ethnographic Museum of Maramureș, whose collections enrich the traditional image of the villages of Maramureș. The foray into the natural richness of the Maramureș Depression can be truly impressive, highlighted by the valuable exhibits of plants, vertebrates, fungi, minerals, rocks and fossils, found in the Department of Natural Sciences. We also suggest a time travel, which goes back to the Neolithic and is made possible by exploring the museum of the Department of History and Archeology. The next stop is the Department of History of Culture - Memorial - Art - Dr. Ioan Mihalyi de Apşa Museum House, right in the building where the great Romanian historian lived and created his work. Of course, we cannot forget the Museum of Jewish Culture and Civilization in Maramureș - Elie Wiesel Memorial House, and we invite you to cross the threshold of the house, where the famous novelist, playwright, essayist and memorialist and Nobel Peace Prize winner lived up to the age of 15. The Jewish cemetery, the largest of the 52 existing in Historic Maramureș, also reminds us of the Jewish culture. It houses tombstones that are hundreds of years old, as well as the famous Soap Monument, erected in memory of Jews who ended up in Nazi extermination camps.

We know that many of the sites already proposed can be overwhelming, as only a cold-hearted person could remain indifferent to the torments of those times that are not long gone by, which is why we offer you some suggestions of recollection, in the most beautiful holy places in Sighetu Marmației. The Ukrainian Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Înălțarea Sfintei Cruci), the Piarist Monastery, the Church of the Assumption (Adormirea Maicii Domnului), the Reformed Church and the New Sephardic Synagogue are some of the centuries old places of worship that promise to take the burden of an unhealthy history off your shoulders and introduce you to the cultural and spiritual variety of the area. 

A special place among the attractions of the city is held by architectural monuments which, however numerous, seem to be constantly competing for the tourist’s attention.

 The Comitatens Court, Reduta Palace, Astra Cultural Palace, Szabó Aurel Palace, Caryatid House, the office of the Freemasonry Lodge, Darvay House, as well as the Pedagogical High School buildings, Dragoș Vodă, Leowey Klara and Taraș Sevcenko, are some of the architectural gems that combine styles, visions and many stories passed down through the hourglass of time.

When the mist of current threats ceases to overwhelm us, you will be able to fully enjoy the cultural life of Sighetu Marmației, which boasts two fairytale-like festivals. The "Aeternus Maramorosiensis" Ancient and Medieval Festival reproduce an ancestral atmosphere, through a varied program, including pyrotechnic performances, concerts, competitions and exhibitions. The second event with tradition here is the "Marmaţia" Festival of Winter Traditions and Customs, a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the way Maramureș locals prepare for, feel and enjoy the most beautiful holiday season of the year.  

After all these experiences, we want to end in a happy register and we invite you to see with your own eyes the nail on which the map hangs, a monument about two meters high, which plastically reproduces the reputation of Sighetu Marmației, known as "the place where the map hangs from the pin"„locul în care se agață harta-n cui”.. If you have stayed by our side this far, all we have to do is tell you that hosting guests suits us best and the traveler should be well on his way. In other words, we look forward to seeing you!