Maramureș - A place where architecture is still one with nature

Whenever we think about what we are going to share with the community of Maramureș lovers, the ideas flow incessantly, and that's because, between ourselves, our county is an inexhaustible source of resources and attractions, worthy of promotion. Today we talk about the folk architecture of Maramureș, an interesting subject on creation, craft, spirituality and the very essence of the people of Maramureș.

By  the generosity of nature and divine love, the people of Maramureș were blessed with dense forests of fir, oak and beech, a resource that contributed decisively to the specificity of the architectural style of Maramureș. As is natural, the starting point in our story mounted around the civilization of wood, is the church, the most important construction for the communities of Maramureș. Over 100 wooden churches enrich the architectural treasure of the county and reflect the importance that the people of the place give to the holy settlements, but also the immeasurable care through which these constructions have defeated in the struggle with time. The wooden churches of Maramureș are distinguished by the streamlined towers, which confer them a Gothic air and whose height places them in the top of wooden constructions around the world. By this feature, the places here seem to reduce the distance between earth and heaven, similar to a  bridge that facilitates access to Divinity. These "houses of the Lord" are built mainly of oak and fir beams, a material with a rich religious symbolism, reminiscent of Noah's ark, of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, of the cross on which the Savior was crucified or of the creation of the world. Regarding the planimetry, the wooden churches of Maramureș respect the traditional division of the rooms in the Orthodox cult, composed of the narthex, the nave and the altar, to which is added, in some cases, an open porch. The vaulted nave and the hipped roof, with two steps and shingle covering, are other elements characteristic of the old places of worship on these realms. By unity, harmonious proportions and the mastery  of skilled craftsmen, the wooden churches of Maramureș watch not only over the communities they serve, but also over the survival of an architectural typology based on the sacred connection between man and nature.

We pass from the sacred space to the mundane one, and in order to reach the traditional houses, we cross the monumental Maramureș gates that, according to the folk belief, have the role of keeping the evil outside the households, and  securing the privacy of the family space, at the same time. As a rule, the gates of Maramureș are high, being supported by three vertical pillars and a grind, above which the roof is placed.

Although it has evolved over time, the symbolism of the ornamentation of these beautiful gates has remained a generous one. On these works of art we find the twisted rope as a symbol of infinity and the intertwining between good and evil or life and death, solar symbols that represent perfection and regeneration, the tree of life that evokes fruitfulness and immortality, the coil as a symbol of abundance, the snake as the protector of the household, the wolf tooth as protection against charms, but also the cross as a faith symbol. To these are added motifs such as the fir, rooster, pigeon or fish, all describing the image of the  fair, hardworking and pure at heart man.

Closely related to the architecture of the churches we find the traditional houses of Maramureș, also built of oak or fir long beams. They are distinguished by the hipped-roof roof, initially covered with straw, and afterwards with shingle. As for the planimetry, the space of the peasant houses includes two or three rooms, namely the porch, the pantry and the living room. To these, some masters of folk art creation added the porch, stretched on one or two sides of the house. This transitional space is supported by strong wooden pillars, which used to be trimmed with folk symbols. In the popular mind, the interior of the house is associated with the woman, who takes care of everything uniting the family and the outside area is connected to the man, the one who raised the household through the effort of his own hands. The constructions of the traditional space of Maramureș are not limited only to the gate and the house, but also include the household annex and the outbuildings, all together transforming the household into a true architectural complex. The barn with the stable, the carpentry, the barn or the animal coop harmoniously completes the universe of the man from the countryside, who found to the wood uses that encompass all spheres of life.

As in any story, there is also an imminent evil, currently represented by the trend of modernization that, little by little, shadows  the authenticity of traditional architecture. Therefore, it is our duty to defend the architectural symbols that contributed to the fame of Maramureș throughout the world and to preserve the stylistic specificity born from the soul, imagination and skill of our forefathers. If you respect, like us,  the past and those who redefined the symbiosis between man, nature and architecture, we are waiting for you in Maramureș, the place where traditional constructions attesting that wood has unconditionally served man, and man, as a sign of gratitude, ennobled wood through his creations.