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Home › Unique attractions › Surdesti

Surdesti

the highest wooden construction in Europe

Maybe the best known wooden church of Maramures is the one of Surdesti village. This catholic chuch measures 72 m in height and is therefore one of the highest wooden constructions of the world. Build in 1721, after the last big invasion of Tatars which devastated the whole region, the church was dedicated to the Archangels Michael and Gabiel. It comprises all traditional elements of a Maramures wooden church which makes it again representative for this architectural style: the double-roof, windows under each roof, the "twisted belt" around the church as well as a twisted rope of rose-leaves at the entrance. The interior also impresses by the richness of decorations and very good preserved frescoes. Typical for the region, above each icon there is a fabric background (on white or red). The leader to the children's balcony is traditionally made out of one single piece of wood and the benches in the main room are covered in sheep wool. The altar was manufactured in 1787 under Emperor Josef II.

Today the church is used by both the Romanian Orthodox and the Catholic minority as there is only one church in the village.