It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999 and is a listed historic monument, LMI code MM-II-m-A-04566.
About the place
The church is in the village of Desești, in the Mara Valley, and dates from around 1770. Paintings cover every wall of its three rooms and are well preserved. Inscriptions date them to 1780 and name the painters Radu Munteanu, from the Land of Lăpuș, and Gheorghe, from Desești, while the iconostasis is attributed to Alexandru Ponehalschi. Between 1996 and 1998 both the building and the paintings were restored.
The narthex shows the Last Judgement, with the sinners told apart by their dress: Turks and Tatars in baggy trousers, Germans in long coats and small hats. In the churchyard, among the old crosses, grows an oak that the county's tourist guide puts at about 400 years old. The church is one of the eight Maramureș wooden churches on the UNESCO list.
Good to know
- The church is usually locked; the Maramureș County Council's tourist guide names the parish priest as the contact for visits.
- In the narthex, look at the Last Judgement: the sinners can be recognised by their clothes.
- Hărnicești, about 3 km away, has another listed wooden church from around 1700.
Opening hours
Opening hours are not confirmed. Check the venue's website before you go.