The Rute of Wooden Churches of Maramureș
Rută cultural - turistică
About
Wooden churches are a defining reality for the spiritual geography of the Romanian people everywhere. Collective work, often anonymous, the wooden churches of Maramureș are a reflection of socio-economic and historical conditions, a convincing demonstration of the continuity of an ancient spiritual life. They are documents of certain authenticity not only by the elements of their appearance, reflecting the unity of the Romanian people, but also by the role they have fulfilled in the life of Transylvanian Romanians: national tribune, school, settlement of culture and art, realities whose meaning is harmoniously intertwined with their attribute of the history of the public. In other words, wooden churches are a defining reality for the spiritual geography of the Romanian people everywhere. It is necessary and appropriate to value this inestimable heritage.
Therefore, the overall objective of the project is to make sustainable use of the tourist potential of wooden churches recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Values and Cultural Heritage Values of national and universal importance, by creating and improving the related infrastructures respectively by including them in a cultural-religious tourist circuit, which will lead to a qualitative increase in all the conditions for the practice of this form of tourism, with a direct impact both on the increase of tourist attractiveness of Maramureș County and on its consecration as a European tourist destination.
The wooden churches of the Maramureș area are distinguished by planimetry, the technique of wooden joints and the realization of shingle coverings, being a definite proof of the ingenuity of the constructive solutions performed at the highest level of artistic expression. They were raised on heights where verticality imposed specific visible constructive solutions in the making of the serpents and spires provided with a gazebo in which the bell tower was usually covered with a prolonged dome provocatively to the sky, at the top of which is fixed a wrought iron cross of elaborate shape. The architectural ensemble of Maramures has evolved over time according to the skill, experience and fantasy of local builders, they manage to impose a certain style in the plastic rendering of ornamental shapes and motifs.
There are, however, some differences between churches built in the different areas of Maramures:
Therefore, the overall objective of the project is to make sustainable use of the tourist potential of wooden churches recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Values and Cultural Heritage Values of national and universal importance, by creating and improving the related infrastructures respectively by including them in a cultural-religious tourist circuit, which will lead to a qualitative increase in all the conditions for the practice of this form of tourism, with a direct impact both on the increase of tourist attractiveness of Maramureș County and on its consecration as a European tourist destination.
The wooden churches of the Maramureș area are distinguished by planimetry, the technique of wooden joints and the realization of shingle coverings, being a definite proof of the ingenuity of the constructive solutions performed at the highest level of artistic expression. They were raised on heights where verticality imposed specific visible constructive solutions in the making of the serpents and spires provided with a gazebo in which the bell tower was usually covered with a prolonged dome provocatively to the sky, at the top of which is fixed a wrought iron cross of elaborate shape. The architectural ensemble of Maramures has evolved over time according to the skill, experience and fantasy of local builders, they manage to impose a certain style in the plastic rendering of ornamental shapes and motifs.
There are, however, some differences between churches built in the different areas of Maramures:
- wooden churches that impose themselves by monumentality performing in some cases the role of real cathedrals by their dimensions, but also by the boldness of lines and proportions;
- wooden churches that stand out for the spectacular spires and the beauty of the serpents;
- smaller but perfectly proportioned wooden churches with high-accuracy interior and porch ornaments;
- wooden churches that stand out for the beauty of functional porches.
However, these differences, which are only modality ones do not affect the style or the overall architectural line and consist of certain accents and shapes specific to each area.