It is the oldest of the three UNESCO churches near Baia Mare, a World Heritage site since 1999 and a listed monument of national value.
About the place
The church is in the village of Rogoz, in the Lăpuș valley, about 50 km from Baia Mare by road, some one hour by car. By tradition it was built in 1663 on the site of an older one; the inscription at the entrance recalls the Tatar invasion of 1661, 'since the time of the slavery in Transylvania'. Its plan is rare: a polygonal narthex, an entrance on the south side and a seven-sided altar.
The roof is asymmetric, brought down on the north side to shelter the 'table of the ancestors', a long table at which families fed the poor on feast days in memory of the dead; the families' names are carved into it. The eave brackets end in horses' heads. The 1785 paintings are by Radu Munteanu and Nicolae Man, and the gallery at the back of the nave was added in 1834.
Good to know
- For a visit, the county council's guide to the UNESCO circuit names the parish priest as the contact, on +40 262 387 218.
- You can combine it with Plopiș and Șurdești in a one-day loop via Târgu Lăpuș and Copalnic-Mănăștur, as the same guide suggests.
- On the north side, under the eaves, look for the families' names carved into the table of the ancestors.
Opening hours
Opening hours are not confirmed. Check the venue's website before you go.