Săpânța-Peri Monastery: a 78-metre wooden church

Heir to the Peri monastery

Săpânța-Peri Monastery (Mănăstirea Săpânța-Peri) is an Orthodox convent on the northern edge of Săpânța, between the village and the Tisza, a few kilometres from the Ukrainian border. It was founded out of the wish to continue the tradition of the medieval Peri monastery, whose ruins lie on the other bank of the Tisza, near the present-day village of Hrushovo in Transcarpathia. According to the commune hall, in 1391 descendants of Voivode Dragoș endowed that monastery with lands and a stone church was built there; in 1404 local nobles confirmed its possessions again. The old monastery was destroyed in the 18th century — sources give different dates, most often 1783. Tradition also links the Peri monastery with some of the first translations of church books into Romanian.

The present monastery was founded in 1997 on the initiative of the parish priest Grigore Lutai, to a design by the architect Dorel Cordoș; it was built in 1998–2003. More than 400 cubic metres of timber went into it, mostly oak from the surrounding forest, with some fir. A community of nuns has lived here since 2005.

The history of Peri is shared by both banks of the Tisza. Until 1920 historical Maramureș was a single land; then the border was drawn along the river: the northern part now belongs to Ukraine, the southern to Romania. At the end of the 14th century the Maramureș voivodes Balc and Drag obtained for the Peri monastery the status of a patriarchal stauropegion, directly subject to the Patriarch of Constantinople, and it became an important church centre for the whole region.

Why go

The main reason is the church itself. It reaches 78 metres, so it is considered one of the tallest wooden churches in the world, and its spire can be seen from several kilometres away, including from the Ukrainian bank of the Tisza. The building recreates classic Maramureș forms with a double «skirt» roof and a sharp tower, but on an unusual scale. The monastery is 2 km from the Merry Cemetery, so the two are easy to combine in one trip.

What to see

• The 78-metre church with its tall shingle spire and a seven-metre cross which, according to the commune hall, was covered with 4 kg of gold.
• The avenue from the gate — the best view of the church in its full height.
• The summer altar — an open wooden pavilion with a tiered roof for outdoor services.
• The wooden monastery buildings with galleries and flower beds.
• The oak forest around it and the Tisza plain.

Practical information

From the centre of Săpânța, by the Merry Cemetery, drive about 2 km north towards the Tisza; there is parking at the monastery. The Solotvyno — Sighetu Marmației border crossing is about 20 km away. The monastery publishes no official visiting timetable: the grounds are usually open in daytime, but check before you go. This is a working convent, so dress modestly, speak quietly, do not enter the living quarters and ask permission before photographing people or the church interior. During services behave so as not to disturb prayer. A visit takes 30–60 minutes. The grounds are level and the paths paved, so the monastery is easy for older visitors and families with children.

Nearby

• The Merry Cemetery in the centre of Săpânța — about 2 km.
• The Memorial of the Victims of Communism and of the Resistance in Sighetu Marmației.
• The Maramureș Village Museum on Dobăieș Hill.
• The Elie Wiesel Memorial House in Sighetu Marmației.

Official website: primariacomuneisapanta.ro

Photos: Rastavi, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; DimiTalen, CC0, Wikimedia Commons; Josep Renalias Lohen11, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Victor Sasu, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Utilizator:Țetcu Mircea Rareș at ro.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Adam Jones Adam63, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Strainu, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons.