Maramures: land of unique wooden temples (25 photos + 3 videos)
The Romanian region of Maramures, in the far north of the country, is home to nearly a hundred Orthodox churches built between the 17th and 19th centuries. 
These churches are recognized as outstanding examples of folk wooden architecture, in which Byzantine Orthodox traditions are intricately intertwined with Gothic influences. 
The craftsmen constructed them from sturdy timber, crowning each church with a bell tower over the entrance and a massive shingle roof that visually bends the main body of the building toward the ground. The churches' architectural designs are striking in their diversity, revealing the architects' supreme artistic maturity and impeccable craftsmanship. 
The tradition of building wooden churches in central and southern Maramureș dates back to the early 16th century. This region remains one of the few places where the art of log construction has remained uninterrupted for centuries, and a rich heritage in wood has survived to this day. 
Wood has always been and remains the primary language of local craftsmen. Their skill, knowledge of wood species, and accumulated experience go beyond mere craftsmanship. Today, the oldest carpenters remain the living bearers of this tradition, preserving the secrets of ancient carpentry in their hands and memories. 
Once upon a time, there were more than three hundred wooden churches in Maramureș. About a hundred survive today. Eight of them have been included on UNESCO's World Heritage List as unique monuments of religious architecture and unparalleled examples of carpentry. 
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