Biserica de lemn

The road from Baia Mare to Sighetu Marmaţiei crosses the Gutâi Mountains, passing through the township of Deseşti. On these lands stands one of the most important churches of Maramureş, not far from the sources of the Mara River. Erected in 1717 - according to other sources, in 1770, on the site of an older one, this place of worship was dedicated to the Pious Paraschiva and was painted around 1780 by Radu Munteanu and Alexandru Ponehalschi. The architecture of the building is in line with that of the traditional churches of Maramureș, the harmony of its proportions strengthening the impression of simplicity and elegance, specific to these monuments. The upper beams that support the frame are carved in the shape of a ladder, giving the ensemble a special line. The layout of the place of worship comprises a rectangular main body - which, on the outside, resembles the layout of a hall-type church - which consists of a narthex and a nave, continued by the detached altar. The nave has a semi-cylindrical vault and double eaves. Above the ceilinged narthex rises the bell tower with a sharp coif, the entire architectural ensemble being supported on a stone pedestal. Access to the interior of the building is done through a portal inlaid with geometric and vegetal decorative motifs, but also with the element of the twisted rope, a symbol of Christian unity. The exceptionally well-preserved painting has undergone a complete restoration, giving the monument its original appearance. The iconographic themes of Deseşti are common to all churches with post-Byzantine paintings, but here they can be observed much more easily. The narthex develops the theme of the Last Judgment, and here - but also at Poienile Izei - the moralizing valences of this theme can be easily identified. If in the art of Byzantine tradition of previous centuries the main characters painted in Hell were heretics and persecuting emperors, here we can easily see how the theological valences of the scene diminish, carnal sins prevailing over faith sins. Thus, the one who steals land without respecting the border, the one who steals taking advantage of his job as a miller or merchant, or the one who destroys families, become the main characters in scenes that show us a Hell full of torture tools used in the Middle Ages. The value of the monument lies in its technical construction, in the perfect science of execution and assembly of wooden elements. The architectural harmony and the perfect integration of the wooden decorative elements with the iconographic ones created an ensemble of remarkable simplicity and elegance. 

The wooden church "Saint Dumitru" from Larga was erected in 1802, observing a standard layout, composed of narthex, nave and altar. The bell tower, whose coif has pentagonal eaves, rises above the four-sided roof. Inside there are fragments of the painting made by the painter Gheorghe Opriș. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș

Built in the 18th century, the wooden church "Saint Dumitru" from Răzoare stands out thanks to the wood that covers the building on the outside and the wood paneling that can be found inside, covering the bottom half of the walls. The edifice has a nave-type layout, with a closed porch, narthex, nave and detached rectangular altar, a roof covered in shingles and a bell tower with a truncated coif. The interior walls are painted and adorned with traditional icons and traditional towels. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Florin Pop

The wooden church "St. Elijah" in Posta dates from 1675 and is part of the typology of Maramureș churches by its harmonious proportions. Four oak pillars support the porch, while the roof highlights the turret, which is 30 m high. The crosses on top of the turrets are also adorned with the crescent moon symbol, which evokes the Turkish influence. Inside, on the vault, visitors can admire several scenes from the painting made in 1781. The holy doors of the church, adorned with floral motifs, are also of particular beauty.

Although the exact date of its erection is not known, the wooden church "Saint Elijah the Prophet" in Cupșeni dates from the 18th century, observing the classical layout of the churches in this area, with porch, on the western side, narthex, nave and polygonal apsis. As for the interior painting, which is almost completely degraded, the inscription on the altar records the year 1823. The edifice stands out both through the massive bell tower and the staircase that provides access to the tower, whose steps have been carved out of a single tree trunk. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Florin Pop

The wooden church "St. John the Evangelist" dates from 1803 and was built of oak wood, being originally located in the village of Fântânele, and later relocated to the village of Izvoarele, in 1926. Provided with a porch, narthex, nave and altar, the edifice has a roof made of beech shingles and a bell tower whose coif has an iron crescent moon cross on top. The interior walls were painted in 1998. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș

Some sources say about the "Saint Nicholas" wooden church from Bogdan Vodă that it was erected in 1718, on the site of the old church burned by the Tartars, while others mention the year 1754. It is notable for its position, being located in the middle of the village, within the cemetery, and not on the hills, as most of the churches in Maramureș. Another essential feature of the historic monument is its simplicity, the only decorative element of the exterior walls being the carved twisted rope, which surrounds the entire building.  *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Timur Chiș

The wooden church "Saint Nicholas" dates from the 18th century. The monograph of the Lăpuș Archdiocese records the fact that the church was offered as a gift to the faithful people living in Boiereni by those from Suciu de Jos, in 1882. The oak edifice is modest in size, being covered with shingles, and the turret with galvanized sheet metal. Inside, the original painting has been preserved on the vault, in the nave and altar.

Erected in 1760, the wooden church "Saint Nicholas" from Budești Susani is atypical due to its proportions, its narthex being expanded in the 19th century. At the same time, according to the inscriptions on the church doors, the iconostasis is older than the building itself, dating back to 1628. The holy doors preserve paintings in which the influence of Moldovan art can be found. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Karin Lachner

The wooden church "Saint Nicholas" from Cornești dates from 1615, yet dendrochronological research has revealed that the altar was built a century later. It is a classic Maramureș church, first of all because of the two skirts of the roof. The interior is decorated with canvas paintings plastered on wooden walls.

Built in 1870 by the craftsmen Petruț Ioan and Petruț Grigore from Măgoaja, the wooden church "Saint Nicholas" from Costeni has a classical layout, with a porch on the west side, a narthex, a nave and a polygonal altar. The edifice is one of the largest of its kind, with a four-sided roof, a high bell tower with four smaller turrets and a pyramid-shaped coif. On the outside, the walls are decorated at the entrance portal, while inside they are whitewashed in light blue. In 2017, following a powerful storm, the church's spire collapsed. In 2020 the place began to undergo an extensive refurbishment process. 

The wooden church "Saint Nicholas" from Ferești dates from 1798, being built of oak beams. Although its interior is dimly lit, the space surprises with the vivid colors of the paintings that decorate the walls, which went through a restoration process in the first half of the 19th century. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Rada Pavel

The wooden church "Saint Nicholas" in Frâncenii Boiului was built in 1752, the original roof covered with dovetail-shaped double shingles being completely rebuilt in 1830. The exterior walls are decorated with an embossed twist, which accompanies other decorations such as strings of grooves, wolf teeth, semi-alveoli and rosettes. The painting inside is completely degraded, traces of which can only be found in the altar. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș

There are several opinions on the history of the wooden church dedicated to "Saint Nicholas", located in the center of Glod. According to some, it was built around 1700, other opinions placing the building of the church around 1784. The place with Moldavian influences keeps in the altar fragments of the mural painting that is supposed to be the work of the painter Ianoș Opriș. In the patrimony of the church there are extremely valuable icons on wood and glass, crosses, furniture and books. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Timur Chiș

The wooden church "Saint Nicholas" is said to have been rebuilt in 1724, after being destroyed by the Tartar invasion in 1717. It differs from other wooden churches in Maramureș due to the large size of the porch, which is storied and expended, but also due to the positioning of the tower in the middle of the building. The interior of the shrine only has preserved a very small part of the original painting. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Timur Chiș

The wooden church "Saint Nicholas" from Săliștea de Sus, Nistorești, was built of fir wood in 1680 and is currently on the new list of historical monuments. The roof of the building has a double skirt, while the apsis of the altar is rectangular. Inside the church, the mural is partially preserved, and some of the icons can be included in the work of the painter Alexandru Ponehalschi.  *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Timur Chiș

The wooden church "Saint Nicholas" from Sârbi Josani was erected around 1685 from oak on a carved stone foundation. The place belongs to the typology of the Maramureș churches, having a specific partition. The interior of the church still preserves some very old wooden icons, two of them bearing the imprint of the church pilgrim painter, Radu Munteanu. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Rada Pavel

The wooden church "St. Nicholas" in Valea Chioarului dates from the 18th century, being originally erected in Recea locality. From there, the church was moved and rebuilt in Valea Chioarului, during which time it underwent some modifications: the walls were plastered and a brick porch was added. The edifice is an example of Baroque style, having a slender turret with a closed steeple and a tiered coif with a bulb at the base. The original iconostasis has been almost entirely preserved, with only the medallions on the right side missing. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș

Biserica de lemn „Sfinţii Apostoli” din Groape datează din anul 1830 și a fost ridicată inițial în satul Măgureni, fiind strămutată în Groape în jurul anului 1900. Planimetria lăcașului este cea frecventă, având pridvor, pronaos, naos şi altar poligonal decroşat. Atât la exterior cât și la interior pereții sunt tencuiți, fiind pictați doar la nivelul tavanului din pronaos şi a bolţii din naos şi altar. Peste acoperișul din șindrilă a fost pusă tablă de aluminiu, în anul 2009. *Sursă foto: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Florin Pop

Erected between 1809-1819, the wooden church "The Holy Apostles" from Poiana Botizii went through an expansion process in 1920, when a porch was added. The medium-sized shrine, built of oak on a stone foundation, was painted inside in 1906. The roof of the church is covered in shingles, and the tower above the nave consists of a single section covered in planks. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Florin Pop

The wooden church "The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul" in Costeni was built in 1885, having a wooden structure, plastered both on the outside and inside. The coif of the edifice has four turrets and is covered with sheet metal, while the original parietal painting has been replaced in time with a modern one, without preserving the specificity of the time from which the construction dates. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș

Erected in 1820, the wooden church dedicated to the "Holy Archangels" from Săpâia belongs to the category of small places of worship, with a porch, narthex, nave and detached apsis. The walls are made of solid oak beams, while the frame is covered with round shingles, provided with a slender bell tower. From the interior painting only a few fragments have survived. From a chromatic point of view one can see shades of red, black and yellow.

At the foot of the Gutâi Mountains, at the intersection of the roads that connect the towns of Baia Sprie and Cavnic, there is a beautiful hilly area, surrounded by mountains. Here, the splendor of nature's harmonies is matched only by the monumental wooden church that rises in this depression. Raised above space and time, the 54-meter tower of the church in Şurdeşti gives the feeling of complete peace between people and nature. The church was built in the middle of the 18th century by the master carpenter Macarie, whose name is preserved in a visible inscription today verandah above the porch. Initially, the place of worship had three rooms: a narthex, a nave and an altar. In the 19th century, a spectacular porch with two rows of arches was added (on the ground floor and upstairs), thus obtaining a harmonious decoration for the western part of the building. A carved belt in the shape of a rope surrounds the monument, and the entrance to the narthex is made through a portal, decorated with the same motif of the rope, but also with solar symbols. In the nave there is another unique architectural element: two columns carved in stone, which support the balcony for the choir. The monumentality of the building is underlined by the way the tower is built. To achieve the astonishing height, the carpenters build a structure with a very generous base, which rests on the wooden walls of the church.  The iconographic appearance of the Greek-Catholic Church in Şurdeşti is similar, stylistically and thematically, to that of the Orthodox Church in Plopiş. The altar was also painted by the painter Ştefan, who uses here in a unique way the theme of the council of the twenty-four elders from the Apocalypse. The nave, it seems, was painted by a certain painter named Stan. The style remains Baroque, and the theme of the semi-cylinder completes the history of the end of the world in the vision of Saint John the Evangelist, so well captured in Plopiş. In addition to the common themes, here one will find the theme of "Jacob's Ladder"; supported by the cloud surrounding the icon of the Trinity, the ladder allows angels to ascend and descend, thus mediating between God and man. The sister churches from Plopiş and Şurdeşti prove over time that the confessional difference, which appeared at the beginning of the 18th century in Maramureş, did not change the way of being of the inhabitants and did not bring radical changes in the architecture of the places of worship or in their iconography.

The wooden church "The Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel" in Ulmeni dates from 1720, being rebuilt on its current site in 1895. After the relocation, the walls of the church were plastered both inside and outside and, at the same time, the turret steeple was closed. The iconostasis and the holy doors surprise by the beauty of the paintings, which are believed to have been done by an Italian painter. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Gabriel Motica

The wooden church "The Holy Archangels" from Ungureni, a mid-sized place of worship, dates from the 18th century, being built of ash wood, with a specific layout composed of a narthex, a nave and an altar. On the outside, the edge of the roof is decorated with a twisted rope belt. On the southern, western wall and on the entrance door there are traces of the original painting. Inside, the edifice is completely painted, but the painting is very degraded in the area of ​​the narthex. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Florin Pop

Conform tradiției, biserica de lemn „Sfinții Arhangheli” din Vălenii Şomcutei a fost construită în anul 1741. Aceasta respectă tipologia bisericilor de lemn maramureșene, având pronaos, naos și altar poligonal. Când a fost renovată, în anul 1845, biserica a fost modificată prin adăgarea pridvorului și mutarea accesului inițial. Pictura realizată în interior, în a doua jumătate a secolului al XIX-lea a fost degradată în mare măsură. *Sursă foto: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș

The wooden church in Vărai is believed to have been erected in 1571 and, although it is part of the architecture specific to the Chioar area, it also has a unique element, namely a porch with a gallery with its own roof truss, above which there is a turret with closed steeple. Also, the wooden church "The Holy Archangels" from Vărai also surprises by the proportions of the 40 m turret, one of the tallest church turrets in the region. The interior painting, made in neo-Byzantine style, was refurbished in 1991. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș

Dating from the 17th century, the wooden church "The Holy Archangels" from Vima Mică has a layout consisting of a polygonal narthex, nave and polygonal altar, while the bell tower has a truncated coif, with a three-arm cross and a crescent moon at the top. The interior painting was restored in 1902 by the painter Ioan Coste, but fragments of an older painting can also be admired here. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș

The wooden church "The Holy Archangels" in the village of Mănăstirea was erected in the 17th century. The oak building has a closed porch, above which rises a bell tower with a gallery and a conical coif. The interior of the church still has frescoes on wood dated 1783, while among the exterior walls, only the one at the entrance has been painted.  *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Rada Pavel

The village of Plopiş located in the Cavnic Valley is truly amazing in terms of how man's creativity intertwines with the beauty of the nature. Harmony, elegance and suppleness make the whole area a true temple, whose central point is the wooden church dedicated to the "Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel". The church cemetery can be entered through a gate which opens the path crossing through the tombs of the founders of this monument. In 1789, forty-nine families from the Cavnic Valley (in the current township of Şişeşti) began the construction of a new place of worship, which was consecrated in November 1811. The church in Plopiş, 47 meters high, 17 meters long and 7 meters wide, still stands on the plateau of the village cemetery, giving the feeling that, without it, nature would be incomplete. The edifice, erected on a stone foundation, consists of a porch, narthex, nave and altar. Included in the Maramureș style of construction, the church has, however, some characteristic elements: the upper beams of the walls do not extend into the console, the very narrow eaves confer suppleness to the monument. The ornaments of the porch arches, created with great accuracy, are made of several stepped or round-shaped wooden segments, so joining those using wooden nails solves the technical problems, as well as the artistic aspirations. All of this gives us another testimony of the mastery of the craftsmen from the Cavnic Valley. The iconography is impressive due to the theme chosen by the painter Ştefan, the author of this painting, as well as from Şurdeşti church. The Baroque style of the iconographic ensemble offers the painter the opportunity to develop metaphorical images that plastically illustrate complicated events from the Revelations according to St. John. The entire semi-cylindrical vault of the nave depicts the second coming of Christ, announced by the trumpets of angels. Archangel Michael, patron of the church in Plopiş, appears victorious above the balcony. On the western wall of the nave, Jesus Christ appears in the form of the sun, offering John the Evangelist the text of the Revelations. This whole iconographic ensemble, which speaks of the end of the world, is surrounded by the council of the twenty-four elders in John's vision, painted in the lateral lobes of the only three-lobed vault in Maramureş.   Although small in size, the stunning church in Plopiş shows a great sense of proportion, reason why some researchers consider it to be the most unitary and well-balanced wooden church in Maramureş.

Located right in the heart of Lăpuş Country, Rogoz village boasts one of the most beautiful wooden churches in Maramureş. It was erected in 1663, on the site of a church burned by the Tartars during their invasion in 1661 and legend says that it was built from two huge pieces of woods brought from Popii Hill. The church dedicated to the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel is, in general, part of the architecture specific to this region. Unlike other churches, the Rogoz place of worship stands out through its harmonious asymmetry. The roof, on one level, is much lower in the northern part of the building, providing protection for a table designed to commemorate the dead. The monumental table consists of two beams and is delimited by segments, intended for various families, whose names are inscribed on the north wall of the church. These families respect the tradition and, every year, on Holy Thursday, they bring "dishes", leaving them on the table overnight, so that on the Friday of the Crucifixion of Christ be given to the poor. The harmonious architectural lines gracefully blend with the unique decorative elements. In addition to the interesting three-ring coif, located above the steeple’s turret we find in Rogoz a beautiful entrance portal to the narthex and a twisted rope, broken by a solar symbol, which runs along the entire south wall. Unique in Maramureş are, however, the ends of the beams that support the roof, carved in the shape of stylized horses. Those on the southern façade are considered, in the village, to be carriers of the Sun on the celestial vault, and those on the north side are considered carriers of the Sun at night, in the realm of the dead. The altar is provided with a circular window to the east, through which, between  August 1-15, the sun's rays penetrate and illuminate the table of the Holy Altar for 30 minutes. This characteristic individualizes it, placing it next to other monuments in the history of art, which direct the sun's rays towards important symbolic elements. The monument outstands through the painting executed in 1785 by the painters Radu Munteanu and Nicolae Man. The iconographic appearance is close to the one in Deseşti and is very well preserved. It is interesting to follow one element from the Last Judgment, which is painted in the narthex, namely: the road to Heaven, on which the soul travels, accompanied by an angel. The theme is inspired by a folk belief that speaks of the trials that men go through after death in order to reach God. The church and the people of Rogoz village quickly introduce you into a fairytale world, where the natural and the supernatural seem to blend effortlessly.

Erected in the 17th century, the wooden church "The Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel" was relocated to Strâmtura in 1661 from the Rozavlea monastery. The altar, the vault and the iconostasis have been preserved in their original form, while the interior painting dates from 1775. The place houses valuable objects such as "The Homiliary of Varlaam" and glass icons made in the 18th and 19th centuries.  *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Timur Chiș

Erected around 1699 in Gârdani, the wooden church "The Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel" was relocated to Arduzel about 70 years later. Although the edifice has a small turret, it stands out through the base of the coif which is visibly extended over the pavilion. Unfortunately, the painting on the interior walls is almost completely degraded. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Gabriel Motica

The wooden church "The Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel" in Bicaz dates from 1779, having a shingle roof and a bell tower with a sharp spire, sheltering two bells. Inside, there are still fragments of the original painting done around 1780. On the frame of the entrance door and on that located between the narthex and the nave there are decorations with the motif of the rope, rosettes and geometric figures. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Gabriel Motica 

According to the Monograph of the Lăpuș Archdiocese, the wooden church "The Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel" was built between 1735-1738 and moved from Suciu de Jos to the village of Boiereni, in 1810. With medium dimensions, the edifice consists of a narthex, nave and altar, distinguishing itself by the short turret, covered in shingles at the top. The pyramid-shaped spire is covered with sheet metal and supported by eight pillars. The interior of the church is plastered. The painting can only be seen on the royal and deacon doors. *Photo credit: CJCPCT „Liviu Borlan” Maramureș, Florin Pop