Wooden Churches of Maramures
Wooden Churches of Maramures
Wooden Churches of Maramures
4.8
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.8
100 reviews
Excellent
78
Very good
22
Average
0
Poor
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Terrible
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Anthony B
Blandford Forum, UK39 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
Oh wow. These should definitely be on the list of top
10 things to see in Romania. Loved the history. Loved the wood! Loved the icons and paintings on the wooden walls. Loved being able to climb up a rickety ladder to go up the bell tower. Loved the guide who knew so much. Didn’t love google gps that took us along someone’s private road…..but they’re used to that!
10 things to see in Romania. Loved the history. Loved the wood! Loved the icons and paintings on the wooden walls. Loved being able to climb up a rickety ladder to go up the bell tower. Loved the guide who knew so much. Didn’t love google gps that took us along someone’s private road…..but they’re used to that!
Written 2 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tiberiu_Baranyi
Timisoara, Romania19,123 contributions
Sept 2020
For those of you who are into history and love wood and architecture - if you are not into these things then it won't mean anything.
Also what I would like to do in this review is - to dispel some myths about the Wooden Churches of Maramures:
- Myth Nr. 1 - all of the Wooden churches are traditional and old - it Ain't the case! - some of the churches are very recent and for the trained eye it is obvious - based on the decorations what's new and what's old. So some of those bear historical and cultural value and some only religious/cultural.
The majority of the "famous" monasteries have recent churches (Barsana, Rohia, Sapanta - Peri, etc.)
- Myth Nr. 2 - all the Wooden churches are Orthodox Churches - definitely NOT! - there are a lot of Greek Catholic churches in Maramures - but the majority were reconverted to Orthodox faith. (after 1950 orthodox religion was tolerated by the Communist party and the other religions banned and priest/bishops persecuted, etc. - won't enter into a debate on this topic , but this area was always a multicultural place and a "multi-religious" place) ... so yes many churches are Orthodox today - it wasn't always the case.
- Myth Nr. 3 - it is traditional to build Wooden Churches - take it with a pinch of salt- it is indeed however it is linked with the fact that : poor communities built Wooden churches an the richer communities built stone/brick churches. (wood was cheap).
- Myth Nr. 4 - only in Maramures you can find Wooden Churches - FALSE! - indeed it was specific for the region and it started here - but nowadays there are churches inspired by these spread all over in Romania - and not only (you can find these sort of churches from EU countries to the US) - it started here, it has spread to the world!
Now there are 99 (old) Wooden Churches in the region of Maramures - when I say old , those are built before the year 1900. From the 99 there are 8 churches (5 out of the 8 are in the historical region of Maramures) that are designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites!
I hope you had the patience to go through this review and I could give you some information on this "mythical" places.
And YES , when you are in Maramures these are definitely must architectural /historical /cultural /spiritual places that you SHALL see!
To visit all (99) of them you need 1 - 2 weeks - to visit the (8) churches listed by UNESCO you need a few days, to visit the (5) ones that are in the area of Maramures is enough 1 day.
Go and see ! Enjoy the cultural immersion.
Also what I would like to do in this review is - to dispel some myths about the Wooden Churches of Maramures:
- Myth Nr. 1 - all of the Wooden churches are traditional and old - it Ain't the case! - some of the churches are very recent and for the trained eye it is obvious - based on the decorations what's new and what's old. So some of those bear historical and cultural value and some only religious/cultural.
The majority of the "famous" monasteries have recent churches (Barsana, Rohia, Sapanta - Peri, etc.)
- Myth Nr. 2 - all the Wooden churches are Orthodox Churches - definitely NOT! - there are a lot of Greek Catholic churches in Maramures - but the majority were reconverted to Orthodox faith. (after 1950 orthodox religion was tolerated by the Communist party and the other religions banned and priest/bishops persecuted, etc. - won't enter into a debate on this topic , but this area was always a multicultural place and a "multi-religious" place) ... so yes many churches are Orthodox today - it wasn't always the case.
- Myth Nr. 3 - it is traditional to build Wooden Churches - take it with a pinch of salt- it is indeed however it is linked with the fact that : poor communities built Wooden churches an the richer communities built stone/brick churches. (wood was cheap).
- Myth Nr. 4 - only in Maramures you can find Wooden Churches - FALSE! - indeed it was specific for the region and it started here - but nowadays there are churches inspired by these spread all over in Romania - and not only (you can find these sort of churches from EU countries to the US) - it started here, it has spread to the world!
Now there are 99 (old) Wooden Churches in the region of Maramures - when I say old , those are built before the year 1900. From the 99 there are 8 churches (5 out of the 8 are in the historical region of Maramures) that are designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites!
I hope you had the patience to go through this review and I could give you some information on this "mythical" places.
And YES , when you are in Maramures these are definitely must architectural /historical /cultural /spiritual places that you SHALL see!
To visit all (99) of them you need 1 - 2 weeks - to visit the (8) churches listed by UNESCO you need a few days, to visit the (5) ones that are in the area of Maramures is enough 1 day.
Go and see ! Enjoy the cultural immersion.
Written 9 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mia0343
Toronto, Canada12 contributions
Dec 2014 • Family
Grandparents, parents and grandchildren from Delmenhorst (Germany) spent magnificent ten days in Maramures (Romania).
We, the grandparents drove our SUV , and the young ones flew from Bremen to Cluj (with a stopover in Munich: total time 4 hrs).They were picked up by my husband and brought to Surdesti (140 km), at our guesthouse “Amethyst”.
The Christmas Eve was unforgettable. We were for the Holy Service in a small, ancient wooden church, (one of the eight in Maramures in the UNESCO patrimony ).I was happy to see so many young people (half of the present ones were children and adolescents ). The Priests started their Christmas sermon, magically intertwined with the angelic children songs. At the end the priest solemnly announced the Birth of Christ. This Good News was enthusiastically spread in the entire village by groups of people of all ages dressed in their traditional, unique garb. They would go from house to house, singing the old Carols. Back to our guesthouse , we, all the residents, joined in a festive, typical Christmas dinner, and enjoyed the carolers. Actually, we all joined in and sang. Together. The Christmas celebration was the first one in a series of events that went beyond any expectation, in this fairy tale land.
After Christmas we visited the Barsani monastery, with its cloisters, church and ethnological museum, all of wood. We then traveled with Mocanita, an 100 plus years old train, drawn by an almost as old steam locomotive (built in Resita, Romania in 1935), on very narrow lines, along a breathtaking landscape. This pristine nature was ever hardly touched by man; we saw the man’s touch and genius in the masterly built wooden houses with their abundantly carved, majestic gates. As you figured out already, wood is the main building material in this area. In the train we kept warm by a wood burning stove (present in each car); we were served cold and warm drinks, doughnuts. During the two hours ride the train stopped once to “cut its thirst” with water from the stream running by. Our Frederick (5) was invited to visit the locomotive. At the destination, we were welcomed with music and a group of youngsters, in their local outfits, started a hora , an old Romanian dance. We joined them, because we like to dance, and because it helped us get warm. A campfire was started; meat and sausage were grilled and we had them for lunch, with freshly baked bread and coleslaw, plus hot drinks (mulled wine). (Travel, Drink, Food, for the equivalent of 20 euros! Add to this the music, dance and warmth of the people).
We then went in Sighet Marmatiei (on the border with Ukraine) to see a parade where every single village in the area displayied their own original garb, music, and dances. We attended in Cavnic an old celebation, Brondosii, where men and boys in very colorful attire, with large bells sewn on their jackets roam through the village to chase away the evil spirits.
Many a time we loved to hike in the hills nearby. One memorable event was the complimentary trip in a horse-drawn carriage, offered by our hosts. Two good looking, well fed horses, tastefully groomed, crossed the woods, a creek, and stopped at a big rock. There we had a break with campfire, grilled bacon and sausage, homemade bread and onion and drank Horinca (plum brandy)and mulled wine. We laughed a lot and sang a lot. And again : this dream experience was included in the price of our stay at the guest house "Amethyst" in Surdesti.
I did write a lot, but I am not sure if I made you feel how special this space is. What I appreciated the most is how authentic is everything here:nature, traditions, people
We, the grandparents drove our SUV , and the young ones flew from Bremen to Cluj (with a stopover in Munich: total time 4 hrs).They were picked up by my husband and brought to Surdesti (140 km), at our guesthouse “Amethyst”.
The Christmas Eve was unforgettable. We were for the Holy Service in a small, ancient wooden church, (one of the eight in Maramures in the UNESCO patrimony ).I was happy to see so many young people (half of the present ones were children and adolescents ). The Priests started their Christmas sermon, magically intertwined with the angelic children songs. At the end the priest solemnly announced the Birth of Christ. This Good News was enthusiastically spread in the entire village by groups of people of all ages dressed in their traditional, unique garb. They would go from house to house, singing the old Carols. Back to our guesthouse , we, all the residents, joined in a festive, typical Christmas dinner, and enjoyed the carolers. Actually, we all joined in and sang. Together. The Christmas celebration was the first one in a series of events that went beyond any expectation, in this fairy tale land.
After Christmas we visited the Barsani monastery, with its cloisters, church and ethnological museum, all of wood. We then traveled with Mocanita, an 100 plus years old train, drawn by an almost as old steam locomotive (built in Resita, Romania in 1935), on very narrow lines, along a breathtaking landscape. This pristine nature was ever hardly touched by man; we saw the man’s touch and genius in the masterly built wooden houses with their abundantly carved, majestic gates. As you figured out already, wood is the main building material in this area. In the train we kept warm by a wood burning stove (present in each car); we were served cold and warm drinks, doughnuts. During the two hours ride the train stopped once to “cut its thirst” with water from the stream running by. Our Frederick (5) was invited to visit the locomotive. At the destination, we were welcomed with music and a group of youngsters, in their local outfits, started a hora , an old Romanian dance. We joined them, because we like to dance, and because it helped us get warm. A campfire was started; meat and sausage were grilled and we had them for lunch, with freshly baked bread and coleslaw, plus hot drinks (mulled wine). (Travel, Drink, Food, for the equivalent of 20 euros! Add to this the music, dance and warmth of the people).
We then went in Sighet Marmatiei (on the border with Ukraine) to see a parade where every single village in the area displayied their own original garb, music, and dances. We attended in Cavnic an old celebation, Brondosii, where men and boys in very colorful attire, with large bells sewn on their jackets roam through the village to chase away the evil spirits.
Many a time we loved to hike in the hills nearby. One memorable event was the complimentary trip in a horse-drawn carriage, offered by our hosts. Two good looking, well fed horses, tastefully groomed, crossed the woods, a creek, and stopped at a big rock. There we had a break with campfire, grilled bacon and sausage, homemade bread and onion and drank Horinca (plum brandy)and mulled wine. We laughed a lot and sang a lot. And again : this dream experience was included in the price of our stay at the guest house "Amethyst" in Surdesti.
I did write a lot, but I am not sure if I made you feel how special this space is. What I appreciated the most is how authentic is everything here:nature, traditions, people
Written 31 December 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeffrey M
Saint Louis, Missouri3 contributions
Jun 2017 • Couples
My wife and I scheduled a one-day tour with Cornelia and had a wonderful and memorable time. Cornelia is pleasant, sociable, very knowledgeable, and energetic. We spent about 11 hours with her, and visited the Merry Cemetery in Sapanta, the Museum of the Victims of Communism and of the Resistance in Sighet, Elie Wiesel’s childhood home in Sighet, the woodcarving shop of Teodor Barsan in Barsana (he was at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in 1999), the wooden church in Ieud, which is a UNESCO monument, a peasant museum in Ieud, traditional water-powered installations in Sarbi, and the wooden church in Budesti, which is also a UNESCO monument.
We highly recommend Cornelia for your visit to Maramureș.
We highly recommend Cornelia for your visit to Maramureș.
Written 24 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MsLarsen
Modena, Italy319 contributions
The upper church of Ieud, inscribed in UNESCO's World Heritage List, is made of fir tree wood and dates back in 1364 and seems to be the oldest one in whole Maramures.
The interior frescoes were made by Alexandru Ponehalski, one the most active church painters in Maramures.
The painting in the pronaos depict the Last Judgement, where the blaze of hell is about to engulf the sinners. In the attic of the church, an important discovery was made: the Codex of Ieud, a document dating from 1391, which is generally considered to be the oldest example of written Romanian.
The church during the summer is open daily.
In many other wooden churches of the region (Poienile Izei in particular) keys are kept by elderly people who are living in the villages but it's quite hard to find where they are located because sometimes there's no notice on the front door entrance. And this is a bit disappointing.
The interior frescoes were made by Alexandru Ponehalski, one the most active church painters in Maramures.
The painting in the pronaos depict the Last Judgement, where the blaze of hell is about to engulf the sinners. In the attic of the church, an important discovery was made: the Codex of Ieud, a document dating from 1391, which is generally considered to be the oldest example of written Romanian.
The church during the summer is open daily.
In many other wooden churches of the region (Poienile Izei in particular) keys are kept by elderly people who are living in the villages but it's quite hard to find where they are located because sometimes there's no notice on the front door entrance. And this is a bit disappointing.
Written 23 October 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
StevePeggy
Minnesota342 contributions
Apr 2017 • Couples
We visited several of these churches during our week long visit to Romania with the help of our Guide Colin Shaw. Each one was unique and beautiful in their individual way and each took your breathe away. The wonder of the architecture and construction of the church itself all done by hand, the paintings inside the churches each done by different artists were amazingly beautiful and then the story of the paintings as well as learning about the religious Romanian customs. Incredible and so wonderful that these wonders are being preserved. You're witnessing a culture that is slowly slipping into the 21st century.
Written 26 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SteveTrips2013
Salt Lake City, UT78 contributions
Jun 2017 • Couples
We specifically included the wooden churches of Maramures in our week-long trip to Romania. They are absolutely amazing--several hundred years old and very well preserved. We focused on the 8 UNESCO World Heritage sites but were only able to visit 3 (Deserti, Budesti, and Surdesti) during our one-day excursion. The churches are well worth the visit despite the logistical challenges. We were driving a rental car with an excellent GPS and we still had great difficulty finding them. Be prepared to drive on very small roads, often without good road markings. We thought we would be easily able to find them since UNESCO provided GPS coordinates but even with these directions they were difficult to find. We were extremely lucky to find someone to open the door for each of the 3 churches we visited. We saw others who were not as fortunate. You often have to call or try to locate the person with a key. Usually there is a small charge to enter the church. However, these are unique properties with lots of history, including some well preserved paintings such as in Deserti.
Written 12 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joyce
Bucharest, Romania54 contributions
Mar 2017
Visited a lot of monasteries. But this one really made it to the top. Picturesque, peaceful, plus the well defined structures. Everything is perfect. I would definitely come back in Maramures and visit the monastery.
Written 9 March 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cathy44444
Clermont-Ferrand, France92 contributions
Aug 2016 • Couples
The Monastery Barsana conquers you with the amazing views, wooden churches in the transilvanian style and the peaceful atmosphere which flies around.
All is build up with a very good taste, gardens, churches, flowers....
Definitely a peace of heaven on earth which should be seen at least once!
All is build up with a very good taste, gardens, churches, flowers....
Definitely a peace of heaven on earth which should be seen at least once!
Written 10 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Adrian D
Bucharest, Romania43 contributions
Aug 2014 • Family
Maramures is probably one of the last places in Romania and Europe where you can feel that time has stopped.
The wooden churches are beautiful and the roads bringing you there are a pastoral dream.
The churches are 300-400 years old, one of the oldest and most interesting in my opnion is at Poienile Izei, on the Iza Valley. The drawings inside the church are really cruel and very evocative, you shouldn't miss that. If you are in Poienile Izei climb the road in the direction of Glod and you will see one of the most beautiful scenarios in Maramures.
I suggest anyway to spend a few days to see the churches, while strolling around, looking at peolpe working the land like 200 years ago, smelling the fragrances of the fields, talking to peasants that come back home with their hay wagons pulled by horses.
Maramures is beautiful, don't miss it!
The wooden churches are beautiful and the roads bringing you there are a pastoral dream.
The churches are 300-400 years old, one of the oldest and most interesting in my opnion is at Poienile Izei, on the Iza Valley. The drawings inside the church are really cruel and very evocative, you shouldn't miss that. If you are in Poienile Izei climb the road in the direction of Glod and you will see one of the most beautiful scenarios in Maramures.
I suggest anyway to spend a few days to see the churches, while strolling around, looking at peolpe working the land like 200 years ago, smelling the fragrances of the fields, talking to peasants that come back home with their hay wagons pulled by horses.
Maramures is beautiful, don't miss it!
Written 5 March 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
On a one, two or three day visit which churches would you visit?
Written 26 June 2019
Would we have access to the general grounds/property if we arrive after closing time?
Written 17 June 2019
Hi, I need a private guide with car for two days in Maramures area, arriving at Baia Mare airport,
Please contact me. Juan Hernandez
Written 12 July 2017
We used Cornelia Lupsa -- she was absolutely fantastic. You can find her with a Google search under her name. She operates in the Marmures, Cluj Napoca, and Suceava areas.
Written 25 July 2017
It is possible to visit Barsana and Nanesti from Baia mare on 4 and 5 January 2017? Is there any access for train and buses?
It is possible for round trip your also? THANKS
Written 25 December 2016
It is possible but the traffic might be difficult since the snow keeps falling these days !
In winter the landscape it's beautiful but in order for you to really enjoy the whole trip, travel in spring or summer !!!
Have a safe trip ! Happy New Year !!!
ευτυχισμένο το νέο έτος !
Written 28 December 2016
Every day, 9:30 - 13:30 & 14:30 - 18:00. One holidays and sundays is from 13:00 to 18:00.
Written 19 February 2016
What are the hours I can visit the churches?
Written 17 August 2015
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