A tourist-cultural route of wooden churches in Romania was officially launched on October 27 at an event dedicated to the protection and cultural valorization of the historical monument of the wooden church in Valea Crișului, Bihor County. The event was attended by representatives of the local public administrations registered in the cultural route and the the Orthodox Dioceses of Oradea and of Maramureș and Satu Mare, which were officially recognized by the Ministry of Economy, Energy, and Business Environment at the event, reports the Basilica News Agency.

More than 160 wooden churches and monasteries are included in the route: 10 in Bihor County, 13 in Cluj County, more than 100 in Maramureș County, 10 in Satu Mare County, 16 in Suceava County, 16 in Neamț County, and 2 in Mehedinți County. The route is open to other counties that want to include their wooden monuments as well. Ministry officials described the route as “a journey through time, over hundreds of years of history.”

The sights included in the route highlight the essence of the Romanian community spirit and its artistic creativity, found in the decorative, pictorial, and conceptual style. During the trip along the route, tourists will have the opportunity to get to know ancient traditions that tell the story of the Romanian folk genius and the unity of the nation. According to the Ministry, the sights within the cultural route “will offer those who visit them the opportunity to learn, live and take part in a meaningful, engaging and memorable experience that can be customized according to the interests of each one.” (Quelle: www.orthochristian.com, 28. Oktober 2020)