Church of the Nativity of the Virgin and Church of the Holy Archangels

Scenic road chapters

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Church of the Nativity of the Virgin

   Ieud is a long village strung along a side valley of the Iza river in Maramureș, in Romania's far north, and it has not one but two wooden churches. The one on the hill, the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, is one of the eight Wooden Churches of Maramureș listed by UNESCO, and it is one of the oldest, with a tall, slender bell tower and a double roof of wooden shingles that reaches almost to the ground. Inside, the walls are covered with eighteenth-century paintings on wood and cloth, with scenes from the Last Judgement in which the damned are dressed in the clothes of the local enemies of the time. The church is also known for the Ieud Codex, a manuscript found here, one of the oldest texts written in the Romanian language.

   Read the complete Church of the Nativity of the Virgin write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Church of the Nativity of the Virgin is where the day begins. Next is Church of Saint Nicholas.

2. 2. Church of Saint Nicholas

   Budești is one of the old villages of the Cosău valley in Maramureș, the far northern corner of Romania, where traditional life has survived longer than almost anywhere else in Europe. Its wooden church of St Nicholas, built in the seventeenth century, is a masterpiece of the local carpentry tradition: a dark timber body with a tall, steep shingled roof and a slender spire that seems to pierce the sky. Inside, the walls are covered with painted scenes from the Bible, and among the church's treasures is a coat of chain mail said to have belonged to Pintea the Brave, a legendary outlaw hero of the region. The church is one of eight in the UNESCO listing of the Wooden Churches of Maramureș.

   Read the complete Church of Saint Nicholas write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Church of Saint Nicholas comes up about 43 km into the recorded legs. Next is Church of the Holy Archangels.

3. 3. Church of the Holy Archangels

   Șurdești is a small village in the hills of Maramureș, in the north of Romania, and its wooden church of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel is famous for its spire. Built in the eighteenth century from oak logs, the church has a steep double roof covered in shingles and a slender tower that rises far above the trees, among the tallest wooden church towers in the region. It is one of eight wooden churches of Maramureș listed by UNESCO in 1999, each a masterpiece of local carpentry, built by village craftsmen using traditional techniques.

   Read the complete Church of the Holy Archangels write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   about 73 km into the recorded legs you reach Church of the Holy Archangels. Next is Church of the Holy Archangels.

4. 4. Church of the Holy Archangels

   The wooden church at Rogoz stands in the Lăpuș country, a quieter, lesser-known corner of Maramureș, south of the mountains and away from the main tourist circuits. Built in the seventeenth century and dedicated to the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, it is unusual in shape: the roof is asymmetric and overhangs deeply on one side, and the eaves are supported by carved wooden brackets shaped like horse heads, a detail that seems to come straight out of folk tradition. Inside, the walls are painted with scenes from the Bible, including a vivid Last Judgement. It is one of the eight churches in the UNESCO listing of the Wooden Churches of Maramureș.

   Read the complete Church of the Holy Archangels write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Church of the Holy Archangels, about halfway. Next is back through Church of the Holy Archangels.

5. 5. back through Church of the Holy Archangels

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Church of the Holy Archangels write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Church of the Holy Archangels sits at 110 km, about halfway. Next is back through Church of Saint Nicholas.

6. 6. back through Church of Saint Nicholas

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Church of Saint Nicholas write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Church of Saint Nicholas comes up about 180 km into the recorded legs. Next is Church of the Nativity of the Virgin.

7. 7. Church of the Nativity of the Virgin

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Church of the Nativity of the Virgin write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Church of the Nativity of the Virgin closes the day.