The wooden church "The Holy Archangels" from Șurdești

Cavnic is worth visiting, but not only for skiing! Whenever we talk about Cavnic, the tourist resort of local interest, we tend to imagine ourselves on the slopes, in a setting dominated by white expanses and tall fir trees, powdered with snow. However, the town of Cavnic means much more than just winter sports, so our recommendation is to keep it on the list of destinations to visit in the warm season as well. The small mountain town has a rich history, which one can discover by visiting the town’s historic sites. Following the chronological order of events, we begin the discovery of Cavnic by admiring the glorious Pillar of the Tartars, an obelisk over 7 m high, bearing the inscription "Anno 1717 usque hic fuerunt tartari", meaning "In 1717, the Tartars arrived until here". This monument evokes the bravery with which the locals, backed by the peasants from Șurdești, succeeded to prevent the Tartars’ invasion in 1717. It is said that in order to defeat the Tartars, the people of Cavnic resorted to a unique method, dressed as brondoși (traditional costume), with masks and harnesses with bells, and thus frightened the horses of the enemies, making it impossible for them to advance. This event seems to have been the source of the custom of the locals to dress up as brondoși around Christmas, a tradition perpetuated to this day. In 1736, in memory of the resounding victory, a small reserve of larch was planted in the place called the King's Garden, and some of those secular specimens can still be admired.  We continue by talking about the spiritual dimension and submit to your attention a pearl of the church tradition in Cavnic, namely the church "St. Varvara". The patron saint of the place of worship was not chosen by chance, St. Varvara being the protector of the miners, but also of prisoners, geologists and architects. The erection of the church was completed more than two centuries ago, in 1812, but its decoration would be completed about a century later. The edifice surprises by the imposing turret, whose height exceeds 30 m, but also by the altar and the pulpit that were carved in massive salt. This holy place, between the walls of which thousands and thousands of prayers have been said, will reward one’s curiosity for having discovered it by instilling a natural state of inner peace and tranquility. Then we discover the period of glory of the town of Cavnic, which overlaps with the mining past of the settlement, an era of prosperity, when here miners would extract the purest gold in the world. Today one can see some of the places and buildings which are emblematic for the mining industry in the area. To begin with, we stop at the ruins of the gold foundry - "Logolda". The Logolda foundry was built in 1862 and soon became famous for its cyanide technology used to extract gold, a method which was used for the first time in this region of the world. Although this objective is worthy of attention and, with a proper arrangement, it could have become a magnet for tourists, it has not been the subject of any restoration process so far. Until this happens, however, it is worth taking the time to visit this place where the deserted, time-worn walls have given way to wildlife. Among the old technological archetypes of Cavnic, of a special historical importance is the flotation of non-ferrous metals, dated around 1810-1820, together with the housing complex and the administration of the Cavnic mine, erected between the 18th-20th centuries, in the Handal neighborhood. Due to their antiquity and, moreover, the importance they had in the industrial course of the town, all these are also on the list of heritage monuments. We do not yet leave the period when the town was an important mining center and we visit the Born and Papp Museum, a modest institution that pays homage to Ignaz Edler von Born, a renowned metallurgist dedicated to the study of minerals and Papp Simon, an illustrious geologist, whose name is linked to crude oil extraction technology. Here tourists will discover documents, photos, scientific papers, as well as a collection of minerals that belonged to the two personalities. The museum also houses a number of mining tools and objects. Although the mining industry brought undeniable economic benefits, hard work in the Cavnic mines is a lesser-known side of this story. In addition to the local labor force, political prisoners were also forced to work here, some of them perishing deep underground. A concrete monument was erected in 1993 in memory of the prisoners and leaders of the historical parties who were exploited in the Rainer Gallery between 1951-1955. Last but not least, we must talk about the appreciation for the picturesque landscape, surrounded by the mountains that guard the settlement, like imposing guards, but also by the trees that compete valiantly among each other to become one with the sky. From the resort, wherever one dares to go, one will be able to choose from the many hiking trails, well-trodden by curious nature lovers. All one has to do is come and enjoy an energy dose, by taking a deep breath of the harsh, clean mountain air, and letting yourself be carried away into a complete experience, with a rich history and even more wonderful nature.

The "Council of the Elders" is a statuary group made up of five characters, created by the artist Vida Gheza, in 1973. The work is located in front of the Administrative Palace in Baia Mare, being classified as a historical monument. The first version of the statuary group was made of wood, in 1972, and is currently in the collection of the "Artistic Center" Art County Museum in Baia Mare.  The Council of the Elders was a decision-making body that functioned in Maramureș from the medieval period until the beginning of the 20th century, according to the ancestral tradition.

The historical monument building where the great jurist, historian and academician Dr. Ioan Mihalyi of Apşa lived and created his valuable writings, reveals a double exhibition role. On the  ground floor, an Art Gallery of the Maramureș Museum has been arranged, inside which the works of great artists from Sighetu Marmației are exhibited, as well as works belonging to famous schools, from the country or abroad. An exhibition of local history and culture can be visited on the first floor of the building, as well as the museum-house set up in memory of Dr. Ioan Mihalyi of Apşa, open to the public since 1984. Ioan Mihalyi dedicated himself to researching and collecting medieval documents of Romanians from Maramureș, his efforts being included in the famous work "The History of Maramureș County, volume I, Maramureș Diplomas from the 14th and 15th century". Maintaining an air of antiquity which carries visitors into the past, the memorial house preserves the ambiance of the times when it hosted the meetings of the Association for the Culture of the Romanian People from Maramureş, also serving as headquarters for the "Dragoşiana" Reading Society. Here, one can also visit the library of the Association for the Culture of the Romanian People, as well as impressive collections of memoirs. 

The foundation stone of the settlement was laid in 1995, the church dedicated to the "Birth of the Virgin Mary" being completed three years later. The small cross-shaped place of worship was built of brick, the Byzantine-style interior painting being completed between 2000-2001. Over time, the ensemble was expanded with various other constructions. In 2015 the church was enlarged by adding a narthex and a Brâncovenesc-style porch. This blessed edifice, built by overcoming countless challenges, represents a veritable bridge to divinity.

The ruins of Logolda are reminiscent of the glory days of the mining town, when it is said that the purest gold in the world was extracted in Cavnic. The Logolda foundry was built in 1862 and soon became famous for the cyanide technology it used to extract gold, a method being used for the first time in this region of the world. Although the foundry ceased to function in the early 1900's, the stories created around it have endured.

In the immediate vicinity of Borșa town we find the largest geomorphologic, faunal and floristic nature Reserve in this part of Romania, which covers an area of ​​3,300 hectares. The Reserve includes an alpine meadow and the coniferous forests of the Stony Rodna Massif (Masivul Pietrosu Rodnei), revealing at the same time a glacial relief of a special importance. 

The Limpedea Columns Nature Reserve is located in the Ferneziu neighborhood of the city of Baia Mare. The site is a geological nature reserve, declared a protected area of ​​national interest in 2000. The volcanic rock has a spectacular appearance, being surrounded by beech, hornbeam, pine and birch forests. The reserve covers an area of ​​three hectares, at an average altitude of 300 m. Its small terraces with patches of grassy vegetation are reminiscent of the prehistoric period, when the entire nature was wild and untouched by man. The "stone organ" is highly sought-after by climbers. The climbing routes in the area are highly appreciated by those who come here to test their limits. In the volcanic stone quarry there are organized routes with a high degree of difficulty, so that only those who are prepared can climb it.

The Cave and Blue Spring of Iza Nature Reserve, because of its mixed geology and landscape, is one of the most visited among the protected areas of national interest in Maramureș County. This area is part of the Rodna Mountains National Park and covers ​​about 100 hectares, and includes caves, rocks and canyons. The name comes from one of the tributaries of the Iza River, whose water is a blue-green rarely found in Romania. Although it is located on the administrative territory of Săcel township, the most accessible route starts from Moisei township, crossing an area of valleys and hills of rare beauty.

The road connecting Maramureș to Bucovina, about 50 km long, reveals one of the most beautiful gorges in Romania. Located at an altitude of 1413 m, the Prislop Pass is steeper in the area of ​​Maramureș County, the slope becoming smoother to the south. The picturesque area, but also the famous Prislop Festival („Hora de la Prislop” Festival), which is organized here every year, attract countless tourists.