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Wooden churches of Maramureș

February 12, 2024

The wooden churches of Maramureș in the Maramureș region of northern Transylvania are a group of almost one hundred Orthodox churches, and occasionally Greek-Catholic ones, of different architectural solutions from different periods and areas. The Maramureș churches are high timber constructions with characteristic tall, slim bell towers at the western end of the building. They are a particular vernacular expression of the cultural landscape of this mountainous area of northern Romania.

Wooden churches of Maramureș
UNESCO World Heritage Site
The eight sites inscribed are: (left to right, and top to bottom) Bârsana, Budești Josani, Desești, Ieud Hill, Plopiș, Poienile Izei, Rogoz, Șurdești
LocationMaramureș County, Romania
CriteriaCultural: iv
Reference904
Inscription1999 (23rd Session)
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class=notpageimage|
Wooden churches sites: 1 = Bârsana, 2 = Budești, 3 = Desești, 4 = Ieud, 5 = Plopiș, 6 = Poienile Izei, 7 = Rogoz, 8 = Șurdești

Maramureș is one of the better-known regions of Romania, with autonomous traditions since the Middle Ages. Its well-preserved wooden villages and churches, its traditional lifestyle, and the local colourful dresses still in use make Maramureș as near to a living museum as can be found in Europe.

The wooden churches of the region that still stand were built starting from the 17th century all the way to 19th century. Some were erected on the place of older churches. They were a response to the prohibition against the erection of stone Orthodox churches by the Catholic Austro-Hungarian authorities. The churches are made of thick logs, some are quite small and dark inside but several of them have impressive measures. They are painted with rather "naïve" Biblical scenes, mostly by local painters. The most characteristic features are the tall tower above the entrance and the massive roof that seems to dwarf the main body of the church.

Eight were listed by the UNESCO as World Heritage Sites in 1999, for their religious architecture and timber construction traditions. These are: Bârsana, Budești, Desești, Ieud, Plopiș, Poienile Izei, Rogoz, Șurdești.[1]

Description edit

 
The portal from Sârbi Susani church (1639)

The historical Romanian region of Maramureș, partitioned between Romania and Sub-Carpathian Ruthenia after World War I, is one of the places where traditional log building was not interrupted and where a rich heritage in wood survives. The tradition of building wooden churches in central and southern Maramureș can be traced from the beginning of the 16th century to the turn of[clarification needed] the 18th century. Since the knowledge used to build the local wooden churches circulated throughout Europe, their understanding is of high interest far outside the region.

In Maramureș today almost 100 wooden churches still stand, about one third of their total two centuries ago. Besides the extant wooden churches, a major source of knowledge is still saved by a number of practicing senior carpenters with relevant knowledge and skills in traditional carpentry.

From the Middle Ages until the turn of[clarification needed] the 18th century the skills, knowledge and experience to build ample log structures with plane and well sealed walls, as well as with flush joints, were performances out of the ordinary. The craftsmen from Maramureș who were able to reach such levels were not simple peasants but well specialised church carpenters who inherited and maintained this advanced knowledge to exclusively build houses of worship.

Since the local tradition to erect wooden churches depended on those who built and used them, it is fundamental to identify the local builders and founders. The earlier blurred distinction between them veiled their separate roles in shaping the wooden churches and hindered us from a clear understanding of the results.

 
Bârsana Monastery [ro] Complex

The extant wooden churches from Maramureș reveal the existence during the 17th and 18th centuries of at least two main family schools of church carpenters. There are further distinguishable three main itineraries and numerous smaller ones, indicating the work of some of the most important church carpenters ever active in the region and in some cases even shifts among generations. In general, the church carpenters stood for the technical performances, the high quality of the wood work and the artistic refinement.

In a long perspective, the true creators of the local wooden churches were actually the commissioning founders. Especially the role of the noble founders of Eastern Christian rite was decisive in the formation of a regional character among the local wooden churches. The wooden churches from Maramureș closely mirror the local society of modest country landlords, manifesting themselves along several centuries in their double condition of Eastern Christians and Western nobles.

The wooden churches from Maramureș open necessary connections with similar performances throughout Europe. Seemingly the local distinction made between sacred and profane rooms was characteristic for many other rural regions on the continent. The highest knowledge in log building seems to have had a sacred purpose with wide continental circulation and therefore in many places requires distinction from the more regionally rooted vernacular one.[2]

The publication in a journal from 1866 of several drawings representing a wooden church from Seini, situated in the neighbouring Szatmár County, produced echoes in Europe, being compared with the already famous Norwegian stave churches.[2]: 12 

With the resurgence of church construction after the Romanian Revolution of 1989, there are new churches built in the traditional style.

Wooden churches edit

The list shows extant wooden churches in bold and also includes some known vanished ones. For those now in Ukraine, Romanian and Hungarian names of Ukrainian villages are given in (parentheses). In Romanian, Susani denotes "high-dwellers" and Josani "lower-dwellers". Thus the names distinguish the churches of those large villages which had more than one.

Gallery edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Wooden Churches of Maramureş". UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
  2. ^ a b Baboș, Alexandru (2004). Tracing a Sacred Building Tradition. Wooden Churches, Carpenters and Founders in Maramureș until the Turn of the 18th Century (Thesis). Lund University.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wooden churches in Maramureș County (World Heritage Sites).
  • "World Heritage Site". whc.unesco.org.
  • "Maramureș Wooden Churches". romanianmonasteries.org. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  • Archived at Ghostarchive and the : "Video about the Wooden Churches of Maramureș". YouTube.com. UNESCO.

February 12, 2024
wooden, churches, maramureș, wooden, churches, maramureș, maramureș, region, northern, transylvania, group, almost, hundred, orthodox, churches, occasionally, greek, catholic, ones, different, architectural, solutions, from, different, periods, areas, maramure. The wooden churches of Maramureș in the Maramureș region of northern Transylvania are a group of almost one hundred Orthodox churches and occasionally Greek Catholic ones of different architectural solutions from different periods and areas The Maramureș churches are high timber constructions with characteristic tall slim bell towers at the western end of the building They are a particular vernacular expression of the cultural landscape of this mountainous area of northern Romania Wooden churches of MaramureșUNESCO World Heritage SiteThe eight sites inscribed are left to right and top to bottom Barsana Budești Josani Desești Ieud Hill Plopiș Poienile Izei Rogoz ȘurdeștiLocationMaramureș County RomaniaCriteriaCultural ivReference904Inscription1999 23rd Session 12345678class notpageimage Wooden churches sites 1 Barsana 2 Budești 3 Desești 4 Ieud 5 Plopiș 6 Poienile Izei 7 Rogoz 8 ȘurdeștiMaramureș is one of the better known regions of Romania with autonomous traditions since the Middle Ages Its well preserved wooden villages and churches its traditional lifestyle and the local colourful dresses still in use make Maramureș as near to a living museum as can be found in Europe The wooden churches of the region that still stand were built starting from the 17th century all the way to 19th century Some were erected on the place of older churches They were a response to the prohibition against the erection of stone Orthodox churches by the Catholic Austro Hungarian authorities The churches are made of thick logs some are quite small and dark inside but several of them have impressive measures They are painted with rather naive Biblical scenes mostly by local painters The most characteristic features are the tall tower above the entrance and the massive roof that seems to dwarf the main body of the church Eight were listed by the UNESCO as World Heritage Sites in 1999 for their religious architecture and timber construction traditions These are Barsana Budești Desești Ieud Plopiș Poienile Izei Rogoz Șurdești 1 Contents 1 Description 2 Wooden churches 3 Gallery 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksDescription edit nbsp The portal from Sarbi Susani church 1639 The historical Romanian region of Maramureș partitioned between Romania and Sub Carpathian Ruthenia after World War I is one of the places where traditional log building was not interrupted and where a rich heritage in wood survives The tradition of building wooden churches in central and southern Maramureș can be traced from the beginning of the 16th century to the turn of clarification needed the 18th century Since the knowledge used to build the local wooden churches circulated throughout Europe their understanding is of high interest far outside the region In Maramureș today almost 100 wooden churches still stand about one third of their total two centuries ago Besides the extant wooden churches a major source of knowledge is still saved by a number of practicing senior carpenters with relevant knowledge and skills in traditional carpentry From the Middle Ages until the turn of clarification needed the 18th century the skills knowledge and experience to build ample log structures with plane and well sealed walls as well as with flush joints were performances out of the ordinary The craftsmen from Maramureș who were able to reach such levels were not simple peasants but well specialised church carpenters who inherited and maintained this advanced knowledge to exclusively build houses of worship Since the local tradition to erect wooden churches depended on those who built and used them it is fundamental to identify the local builders and founders The earlier blurred distinction between them veiled their separate roles in shaping the wooden churches and hindered us from a clear understanding of the results nbsp Barsana Monastery ro ComplexThe extant wooden churches from Maramureș reveal the existence during the 17th and 18th centuries of at least two main family schools of church carpenters There are further distinguishable three main itineraries and numerous smaller ones indicating the work of some of the most important church carpenters ever active in the region and in some cases even shifts among generations In general the church carpenters stood for the technical performances the high quality of the wood work and the artistic refinement In a long perspective the true creators of the local wooden churches were actually the commissioning founders Especially the role of the noble founders of Eastern Christian rite was decisive in the formation of a regional character among the local wooden churches The wooden churches from Maramureș closely mirror the local society of modest country landlords manifesting themselves along several centuries in their double condition of Eastern Christians and Western nobles The wooden churches from Maramureș open necessary connections with similar performances throughout Europe Seemingly the local distinction made between sacred and profane rooms was characteristic for many other rural regions on the continent The highest knowledge in log building seems to have had a sacred purpose with wide continental circulation and therefore in many places requires distinction from the more regionally rooted vernacular one 2 The publication in a journal from 1866 of several drawings representing a wooden church from Seini situated in the neighbouring Szatmar County produced echoes in Europe being compared with the already famous Norwegian stave churches 2 12 With the resurgence of church construction after the Romanian Revolution of 1989 there are new churches built in the traditional style Wooden churches editThe list shows extant wooden churches in bold and also includes some known vanished ones For those now in Ukraine Romanian and Hungarian names of Ukrainian villages are given in parentheses In Romanian Susani denotes high dwellers and Josani lower dwellers Thus the names distinguish the churches of those large villages which had more than one Cosău valley Budești Susani ro Budești Josani UNESCO Călinești Căeni ro Călinești Susani Cornești ro Ferești ro Sarbi Susani Sarbi Josani ro Iza valley Mănăstirea Barsana UNESCO Botiza Botiza old Cuhea Bogdan Vodă at present Dragomirești Glod Ieud Deal UNESCO Ieud Șes Nănești Oncești Poienile Izei UNESCO Rozavlea Săliștea de Sus Nistorești ro Săliștea de Sus Buleni ro Șieu ro Slătioara Stramtura Valea Stejarului Lăpuș valley Rogoz UNESCO Mara valley Berbești Breb Desești UNESCO Hărnicești Hoteni Mănăstirea Sat Șugătag Vișeu valley Borșa din Jos ro Crăciunești Moisei Josani Mănăstirea Moisei ro Moisei Susani ro Poienile de sub Munte Repedea Rona de Jos Văleni Ukrainian side Apșița Ukrainian Voditsa Hungarian Felso Apsa Apsicza Apșa de Mijloc Susani Ukrainian Sredneye Vodyanoye Hungarian Kozep Apsa Apșa de Mijloc Josani Apșa din Jos Părău Ukrainian Nyzhnia Apsha Dibrova Hungarian Also Apsa Danylovo Romanian Dănilești Hungarian Sofalva Dulovo Romanian Duleni Hungarian Dulfalva Ganychi Romanian Gănești Hungarian Ganya Poiana Cobalea ro Ukrainian Kobyletska Poliana Hungarian Gyergyanliget Kolodne Darva in Romanian and Hungarian Krainykovo Romanian Crăinicești formerly Steblivka between 1919 1938 and 1945 1946 Hungarian Mihalka Neresnytsia ro Romanian Nereșnița Hungarian Neresznicze Nyzhnie Selyshche ro Romanian Săliștea de Jos Hungarian Szelistye Olexandrivka Romanian Sandreni Hungarian Sandorfalva Ruska Pole I Romanian Domneștii Mari Hungarian Urmezo Ruska Pole II Romanian Domneștii Mici Sokyrnytsia Romanian Săclanța Hungarian Szeklencze Steblivka Romanian Duboșari Hungarian Szaldobos Ternovo Romanian Tarnova Hungarian Kokenyes Gallery edit nbsp Budești Josani church nbsp Călinești Căeni church nbsp Cornești church nbsp Hărnicești church nbsp Ieud Șes church nbsp Botiza church nbsp Rozavlea church nbsp Barsana church nbsp Oncești church nbsp Desești ChurchSee also editList of World Heritage Sites in Romania Vernacular architecture of the Carpathians Carpathian wooden churches Wooden churches of the Slovak Carpathians Wooden churches of Southern Lesser Poland Wooden churches in Ukraine Wooden tserkvas of the Carpathian region in Poland and UkraineReferences edit Wooden Churches of Maramures UNESCO World Heritage Convention Retrieved 2023 09 03 a b Baboș Alexandru 2004 Tracing a Sacred Building Tradition Wooden Churches Carpenters and Founders in Maramureș until the Turn of the 18th Century Thesis Lund University External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wooden churches in Maramureș County World Heritage Sites World Heritage Site whc unesco org Maramureș Wooden Churches romanianmonasteries org Retrieved August 8 2020 Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine Video about the Wooden Churches of Maramureș YouTube com UNESCO Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wooden churches of Maramureș amp oldid 1193128517, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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