Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains # 30 - Hărnicești, Romania

This Orthodox church stands on a small forest-covered hill in the village of Hărnicești in the Maramures region of northwestern Romania. It was built in 1770 on the site of an older monastery, and was dedicated to the Birth of the Virgin Mary. It is close to several other wooden churches in the Mara valley such as the one in the neighbouring village of Desești.

The church has a very irregular design when compared to other nearby churches in the region, and this is the result of a series of restorations and additions which have occurred through the centuries. In the original design the tower of the church was considerably taller than it is today and the length of the nave was several metres shorter. The first major changes were made in 1893 when a newly enlarged narthex (entrance room) was added on to the end of the nave, and when the old interior wall between the nave and the original narthex was removed the nave was also enlarged in size.

In 1911 a porch was added on the southern side of the nave with an extension made to the roof line with wooden pillars added to support the weight. The original decorated entrance portal on the western side was moved to the southern side to form part of the new entrance area. In 1942 the original iconostasis was replaced with a larger modern one, and in 1972 the tower was moved from its position above the end of the nave to a new position above the extended narthex.

The interior contains several valuable icons, the finest of which are 'Ascension to Heaven', 'The Annunciation' and 'Entry into Jerusalem'. These icons have been displayed internationally as part of touring exhibitions of Romanian folk art. The rest of the interior is not particularly memorable, so the local villagers have compensated for this by decorating the church both inside and out with white scarves and colourful flower arrangements attached to the eaves.

The addition of the bright scarves and wildflowers adds much to the overall impression given by the church, since these decorations are not seen in such abundance on other churches in the region. Around the exterior walls of the church below the eaves are the framed pictures of the Stations of the Cross which are used by worshippers during religious services. On the southern exterior wall of the nave there is a 'clapper', a wooden board which is struck to create a high-pitched sound which traditionally would have called the villagers to masses. A decorative wooden cross with a shingled roof covering it can be seen beside the pathway on the way up to the church from the entrance gate by the road.

The village of Hărnicești is directly on the main road between Sighetu Marmației and Baia Mare, so a number of buses pass through daily. Sighet is a good place to use as a base for exploring the region of Maramures and it has good onward transport connections by train and bus to other parts of the country. There is also a border crossing to Ukraine just north of the city if you would like to see some of the wooden churches in the neighbouring Zakarpattya region.

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains # 28 - Sat Șugatag, Romania

This beautiful church stands in the centre of the village of Sat Șugatag, located in the Mara river valley in Romania's north-eastern Maramures region. Nearly every village in this part of Maramures has a historic church, but the one in Sat Șugatag is among the most impressive structures to have been built by the skilled Maramures craftsmen. The date of the construction of the church is thought to be 1642, and it is dedicated to Saint Parasceva.

The interior contains fragments of the original mural paintings from 1753, but most of the painted decorations are more recent. The narthex (entrance area) has a higher ceiling than is typically seen in Maramures churches, and on its western side there is an impressive image of the Last Judgement. The well-proportioned nave is shaped like a barrel vault and is decorated with 19th century paintings. The sanctuary also has biblical scenes which are painted directly onto the wooden walls.

The frame for the front door is lavishly decorated with braided rope designs and a series of interlocking triangles, which is a common folk design in the Maramures region. Braided ropes start on both sides of the door and continue right around the full length of the church, about one and a half metres above the ground (see the fifth picture from the top).

The double set of eaves and the huge mass of wooden shingles on the roof surface draw the viewer's eye to the end of the roof lines, where there are two small metal crosses affixed. The height of the tower and the steeple is considerably less than that of some other churches in the region, but the overall proportions of the building create a pleasantly balanced effect. Around the exterior walls under the lower set of eaves there are a series of framed pictures attached which are used as the Stations of the Cross during religious services (see the picture below).

A cemetery surrounds the church on three sides, with grave markers from many different eras and in a variety of styles. Most are made of carved wood (see below) and some are shaped like crosses while others are closer in appearance to those in the famous Merry Cemetery in Sapanta with a painted picture of the person going about their daily activities and a short poem describing them.

A typical wooden Maramures entrance gate stands in front of the church, with two side doorways for visitors. The designs carved into the beams of the gate include crosses and other traditional Romanian folk patterns. Such monumental gates are also built in front of people's homes in the region, and the larger and more impressive the gate the greater the status of the family who lives there.

Visiting Sat Șugatag and other Maramures villages with wooden churches can be difficult without your own transport, so hiring a car in Cluj-Napoca or Sighetu Marmetiei is advisable if you want to visit several of them quickly. Sat Șugatag is on the main road between Baia Mare and Sighetu Marmetiei, so there are a few buses per day which pass through in each direction. Sighetu Marmatiei is connected by train with Cluj-Napoca and the rest of the country and also makes a good base for exploring the region of Maramures. It is also a border crossing point into Ukraine, where many more wooden churches can be seen in the villages of the Zakarpattya region.

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains # 19 - Hradec Králové, Czech Republic

This church is found among the trees in Jirásek park in the centre of the city of Hradec Králové, though it has only been located there for a short part of its eventful history. Originally constructed around 1510 in the small village of Habura in north-eastern Slovakia, the structure was first dedicated to Saint Michael the Archanagel as an Orthodox church. In the year 1740 it was dismantled and moved to the neighbouring village of Malá Poľana where it was rebuilt and dedicated to Saint Nicholas the Miracle-worker.

The village was predominantly Greek-Catholic, and the church served the local parish until the early 20th century. During the First World War the region surrounding Malá Poľana was heavily fought over and the church was severely damaged in the fighting. It was fully reconstructed by 1920, but by 1930 the church had been abandoned and was again in poor condition since it had been replaced by a new church in the village which was built of stone.

In 1934 the villagers were preparing to knock the church down and use its timber for other purposes, but an unexpected offer was made to save the structure. The Czech city of Hradec Králové offered to buy the church for 12000 Czechoslovak crowns, an enormous sum for the villagers at that time. During the summer of 1935 the church was again dismantled and packed onto railway cars for its journey to Hradec Králové. Following reconstruction and extensive renovations in its new location in Jirásek park, the church was inaugurated in the autumn of 1935 as a memorial to Czechoslovak soldiers who had died fighting in World War One. The temple has remained in the park ever since, and today it serves the local Orthodox parish with occasional masses still being held there.

The design of the church is in the typical Greek-Catholic Lemko style, with the tallest of the three onion-dome towers rising above the entrance area. The interior decorations have been carefully preserved, and the original iconostasis can still be seen. The church is also surrounded by a small wooden fence as it was in its former location in Malá Poľana.

Jirásek park is just a few hundred metres from the old town square in Hradec Králové, and the city is well-connected by fast train and bus links to Prague and all other cities of the Czech Republic.

Beautiful Towns # 8 - Mtskheta, Georgia

The small town of Mtskheta, located just a short distance north of the Georgian capital Tbilisi, holds a far greater historical and religious significance in the hearts of all Georgians than its small size would suggest. Mtskheta was the capital of the ancient Georgian kingdom of Iberia from the 3rd century BC to the early 6th century AD, and served as the cradle of Christianity in the Georgian nation at the beginning of the 4th century.

As a result, it contains a proud assortment of historical monuments which have earned it a place on UNESCO's world heritage list. The 11th-century Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and the 6th-century Jvari monastery are some of the most important religious buildings in the country, and the town remains the spiritual centre of the Georgian Orthodox Church.

Both churches contain priceless inscriptions written in the ancient Georgian alphabet, as well as icons and frescoes of stunning beauty and artistic creativity. When passing Mtskheta on the highway, passengers seated in cars, buses and marshrutkas will instinctively turn towards these churches and cross themselves.

Other significant sites to visit include the impressive bulk of the 14th-century Bebris Tsikhe fortress which sits on a small hill at the edge of the town, providing a great vantage point for views out over Mtskheta and the Mtkvari river. The 11th-century Samtavro monastery situated in the nearby hills is another important place of religious pilgrimage.

The climb to the summit far above the river where the Jvari Monastery sits is one of the most rewarding experiences Mtskheta can offer to foreign visitors, the views and atmosphere provide an experience that is distinctly Georgian.

Getting to Mtskheta from Tbilisi is easy for visitors since marshrutkas and buses travel the 20-kilometre distance frequently. It is easier to stay in Tbilisi with its greater selection of accommodation and restaurants, though Mtskheta does have a number of guesthouses for those looking to stay outside of the capital. Buses and marshrutkas continue westwards from Mtskheta to Gori, making it just about possible to visit both of these cities from Tbilisi as a long daytrip (though both really warrant a full day each to see them thoroughly).

Amazing Architecture # 2 - Sucevita Monastery, Romania

The monastery of Sucevita is one of the largest of the eastern Orthodox painted monasteries in the Bucovina region of north-east Romania. A set of tall stone fortifications protect the buildings inside, foremost among them the main church which was built between 1582 and 1601. The exterior of the church is almost completely covered in a fabulous series of colourful frescoes which are astoundingly well-preserved after centuries of exposure to wind, rain, and winter snow.

In the 16th century the Ottoman Turks were a constant threat to the region, and large armies were readied to defend the territory. The heavily fortified monasteries served as a safe place for the soldiers and local citizens to take refuge in during attacks, and it was decided that biblical paintings should be placed on the exterior church walls in order to teach the bible to the illiterate soldiers camped there, with the added incentive of increasing their fighting zeal against the Muslim enemy.

The frescoes can be read much like a comic strip is today, though scenes such as the Ottoman siege of Constantinople were intended as a stark warning of what lay in store for the people of the region if they didn't organize adequate resistance. Upon entering the monastery through the main gate, the north wall of the church is visible straight ahead. It is almost completely covered by the 'Virtuous Ladder' fresco which shows the 30 steps which must be climbed to get from hell to paradise. Groups of angels encourage the faithful and lead them upwards, while devils grab at their legs from below the rungs, ready to pull them downwards if they should succumb to temptation. The southern wall features a 'Tree of Jesse' which is meant to symbolize the unity of the New and Old Testaments. Surprisingly, the western wall was left unpainted, and legends claim that an artist working on the frescoes fell from the scaffolding and died, which other artists took as a sign that they should leave the job unfinished.

Sucevita is one of the most remote of the Bukovina monasteries, though there are two buses daily from the small town of Radauti which has regular connections to Suceava. There is also a hiking trail which connects the monastery to Putna monastery further to the north.

Beautiful Towns # 7 - Cetinje, Montenegro

Cetinje is a pretty town with a proud history in the mountainous interior of Montenegro. A former capital of the Montenegrin kingdom, it is considered to be the spiritual and religious heart of this small Mediterranean nation. Cetinje was somewhat surprised to find itself declared a capital city when Montenegro's independence was declared in 1878. At the time it had a population of just 6,000, which made it the world's smallest capital.

Many grandly designed embassies and government buildings were erected during this period which still grace the streets of the town today. During the communist period the capital of the Montenegrin socialist republic of Yugoslavia was moved to Titograd (now Podgorica), and Cetinje was left to become a peaceful small town once more. Today the population is about 15,000, but the town continues to have an expanded national importance in the modern Montenegrin state due to its status as the former royal capital.

The stone Cetinje Monastery is the seat of the Orthodox church in Montenegro. It was first built in 1701 and was destroyed repeatedly in a series of Turkish invasions, but was always faithfully rebuilt by the local inhabitants. The monastery houses the relics of Saint Peter of Cetinje, an important figure in Montenegrin history. Another church of historical interest is the Vlach church, built in 1450. It is encircled by a symbolic fence made from the barrels of enemy rifles captured during the fight for independence from the Ottoman Turks. Another noteworthy building in Cetinje is the Palace of King Nicholas I, which today provides a home for The National Museum of Montenegro. The museum features extensive exhibits (with some English-language labelling) on the history of the struggle for national independence.

The town is an essential stop on a tour of Montenegro in order to get a full impression of this pint-sized country's sense of self. Cetinje can be reached by bus from most parts of Montenegro, with many daily connections from Podgorica and Budva. It makes an excellent day-trip from Kotor or Budva on the coast.

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains # 6 - Ulucz, Poland

This formerly Greek Orthodox church located in Poland's far south-eastern corner sits on a steep wooded hillside above the small village of Ulucz. Thought to be one of the oldest Eastern Rite churches in the country, the tserkva was constructed in 1659 as part of a monastery complex with surrounding fortifications. The monks closed the monastery and left the region in 1744, but the church continued to serve the local Orthodox population until the 20th century.

At the end of the Second World War, the Boyko ethnic group who lived in the village were forcibly resettled to other parts of Poland, and Catholic Poles were encouraged to settle in the region. As a result, the Greek Orthodox church was converted for use as a Roman Catholic church for the second half of the 20th century. It has recently been taken over by the Museum of Folk Architecture in the nearby town of Sanok and is now used only as a museum. A mass is held in the church just once each year, on Ascension Day (40 days after Easter).

The church interior is nearly empty, as the Greek Orthodox iconostasis and icons are now on permanent display in the Sanok museum. A few badly faded painted frescoes can be seen on the wooden walls, including one depicting the crucifixion of Christ. The key to the church is kept by the family who live in house number 16 at the opposite end of the village. They are happy to come and open the church for visitors who come by car, as the distance to the church is about two kilometres along the road.

The village of Ulucz is best reached with your own transport, though there are infrequent buses which run to the village from the town of Sanok. Another excellent option is renting a bicycle in Sanok in order to travel to Ulucz and to have the opportunity to visit other villages in the region as well.

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains #3 - Plopis, Romania

This Romanian Orthodox church is found in Plopis, a village in the Cavnic river valley in the Maramures region of Romania. A superb example of vernacular wooden architecture, the church sits on a small hill above the rest of the village. It was constructed in 1796 by local village builders and consecrated as the Church of the Archangels. The interior wall murals were painted in 1811 by the local artist Stefan of Sisesti.

The murals include an evocative image of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, with the snake coiled around a tree. The layout of the church is rectangular, with a pentagonal chancel apse. There is a porch in front of the main door featuring six pillars supporting the beams that carry the weight of the roof.

The tall pyramid-shaped steeple on the tower is surrounded by four smaller pinnacles in each corner. These pinnacles indicate that the church once served as an official court of law for the surrounding region. The three-lobed ceiling vault of the nave is considered to be a unique feature among the Maramures wooden churches. The structure has been listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, one of eight wooden churches in Maramures region to receive this honour.