
Barsana Church	Surdesti Church

The Wooden Church of Maramures

The wooden churches are a distinct feature of Maramures. Here the natives' woodcarving talent shows up in a display of beauty and creativity. These churches are built in the 17th and 18th centuries without the help of any iron nails, yet reach impressive heights. In fact, here you will find the highest wooden building in Europe (some say in the entire world) - the church of Surdesti, reaching 72 m (236 ft).

The most beautiful wooden churches can be seen in a one day tour by car, from the towns of Sighetul Marmatiei or Baia Mare. Every village in Maramures has a cozy church of itself.

The oldest church in Maramures (1638) and one of the most beautiful is from Ieud village

Barsana church’s interior frescoes are similar to those of the painted monasteries of Moldavia.

Surdesti - the highest one of all. Notice the four small towers surrounding the main and highest one. This means that the local authorities, at the old time, had the right to sentence the criminals to death, quite an unusual privilege for such a small settlement.

Calinesti, Sarbi, Budesti and Sugatag, all on a picturesque river valley, show variations in the architecture, to suit the needs of each village. Particularly interesting is Calinesti, which displays a peculiar L shape. The church in Budesti holds an armour of a famous local hero, an outlaw called Pintea "The Brave". The legend says that he always escaped his chasers and could only be killed with a silver bullet.