It is a listed monument of national value (LMI code MM-II-m-A-04812), entered as the Ukrainian wooden church of the Transfiguration.
About the place
The church was built towards the end of the 18th century: the list of historic monuments gives 1788, while other sources give 1777 or 1774-1786. It was raised by a team of craftsmen from Moldavia, and an inscription on the entrance portal names its founder as “the nobleman Ioan Dan of Cuhea”. It is 18.4 m long, 7.2 m wide and 20.3 m high.
The tall shingle roof breaks outwards near the bottom and widens the eaves, as on the churches of Moldavia. The bell tower stands over the narthex and has a closed gallery with one window on each side. The walls are of hewn fir beams joined with dovetail joints, and the murals inside were covered with blue paint. The church has been repaired several times, most recently in 2011.
Good to know
- We found no published visiting hours, so the door may be locked; the roof and the tower are easy to see from the churchyard.
- The road from Vișeu de Sus is about 30 km long and passes through Vișeu de Jos and Ruscova.
- In Ruscova, on the same road, the wooden church in the hamlet of Oblaz has a carved portal bearing an inscription from 1779.
Opening hours
Opening hours are not confirmed. Check the venue's website before you go.