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Maramures|TheWayofWoodenChurchesDay1

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BaiaMare=>TuiideSus=>BaiaSprie=>Mara=>Deseti
=>Hrniceti=>Satugatag=>Giuleti=>Berbeti=>Vadu
Izei => Sighetu Marmaiei => Iapa => Cmpulung la Tisa =>
Spna
Distance:88.7km
Duration:2hrs,30mindrivingtime
This route focuses on the UNESCO World Heritage wooden
churches in Maramure County, but can be enjoyed simply as
anexcursionthroughoutthecountyinordertobaskinthegreat
outdoors and take in the stunning landscapes of the
countryside. Additional times and distances are provided
betweenUNESCOsitesontheroute.
BaiaMare=>Deseti(42km,1hour)
The route begins with a steep and winding ascent into forest
covered mountains. At the top of the Guti Pass, the
picturesque landscape opens up before you. The road, then
continuesitswindingjourneydownintherollingcountrysideon
thewaytoDeseti.
ThefirstWorldHeritagesiteonthisitineraryisDeseti,where,
in 1717, according to the legend, the wooden church was set
ablaze by a Ttar invasion. Many villagers died trying to save
the church. With only a stone pillar remaining of the original
church, the villagers could not, according to tradition, build a
newchurchinthesamelocation.Thisplacewasnotconsidered
good,becauseofthemanydeathsthatoccurredhere,tryingto
savetheoriginalchurch.Thevillagersselectedanotherlocation
andattemptedfivetimestorollanaltarstoneintoplace.When
thestonefinallyremainederect,thenewchurchfoundationwas
establishandwascalled"PiousParaschiva."

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Deseti => Sighetu Marmaiei (33 km, 45 min), Spna (from

Sighet15km,35min)
The remainder of the day's itinerary does not feature another
World Heritage church, but allows for ample time to explore
some other prime attractions, while on route to the village of
Spna. Vadu Izei it will be the last village that you pass
through,beforereachingSighetuMarmaiei.
AsyouarriveinSighetuMarmaiei,simplycontinuealong,until
youreachthecenteroftown.Beforeenteringthecentralpartof
town,keepaneyeoutfortheSighetVillageMuseumlocatedon
the right hand side of the road. This museum provides visitors
withasnapshotoftraditionallifeinaMaramurevillage.

Sighet, as the locals call it, is small enough for visitors to

explore in a few hours on foot. A few hours can be spent

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18/03/2015

Maramures|TheWayofWoodenChurchesDay1
exploring the sights of Sighet, before travelling the short
distance to Spna or one can see the sight in Sighet in the
morning.BesurenottomisstheSighetPrisonandMuseumof
Arrested Thought, the Elie Wiesel Memorial House, and the
Maramure Ethnographical Museum among other sites. Click
here for more information about tourist activities and objectives
inSighet.
Following a pleasant morning in Sighet, the route continues on
toSpna,locatedveryclosetotheUkrainianborder.

Spna is a pleasant village, which is wellknown throughout

Romania for its "Merry Cemetary" or Cimitirul Vesel in
Romanian. The cemetery and its iconic grave markers are the
result of a local wood carver named Ioan Stan Ptra, who
carvedthefirstwoodenmarkerin1935.Themarkersareunique
in that, each one is inscribed with a witty epitaph and picture
describingsomethingrelevanttothedeceasedlifeand/ordeath.
Eachmarkerisdifferentandreflectsthelifetowhomthecross
belongs. Ptra died in 1977 and is buried in the cemetery,
directlyoppositetothemainentrancetothechurch.Hislegacy
canbeseeninthelargecross,whichhecarvedandpaintedfor
himselfpriortohisdeath.Thecreationofthemarkerscontinues
to this day and is carried on by Ptra's apprentice, Dumitu
Pop, who lives and works in Ptra's former home and
workshop which is also a museum. The number of new
markersannuallyaveragesaround10,butdependsonthedeath
rateinthevillage.

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