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World's tallest wooden church: Sapanta - Peri Monastery

Jun 14, 2019

"The Sapanta-Peri Monastery was included in UNESCO's patrimony and is a symbol of God's dedication and faith to the inhabitants of this ancient land. This place of worship is a monastery of nuns and is a destination that should not be missed by tourists arriving in Maramures."

 Located in the heart of the Livada Dendrological Park, the Sapanta Peri Monastery was built in 1997, using 400 cubic meters of oak wood;  built by Father Parish Grigore Lutai according to the plans of architect Dorel Cordos, it has  a maximum height of 78 m, thus setting the world record for being the  World's tallest wooden church, according to the World Record Academy. Photo: Nicu Farcaș

SAPANTA, Maramures County, Romania -- Located in the heart of the Livada Dendrological Park, the Sapanta Peri Monastery was built in 1997, using 400 cubic meters of oak wood; built by Father Parish Grigore Lutai according to the plans of architect Dorel Cordos , it hasa maximum height of 78 m, thus setting the world record for being the World's tallest wooden church , according to the World Record Academy.

The church was built in the style of Maramures, being initially coated with 8.5 kilograms of gold, and the cross is seven meters tall, and it is wrapped with 4 kilograms of gold.

The church stands out through its impressive height, which measures 78 meters. Thanks to this huge tour, the monastery is visible just 5 km away, being a tourist attraction that triggers the interest of tourists.


"A church wall is close, say, from a cubic tree of 8-10 cubic meters, which we do not meet at any church in the country, we have extraordinary interior beams, so all men, at that time, "With the rope, 20-30 people, so we lifted the walls, (...) with very heavy weights," said the priest Grigore Luţai , the founder of Săpanţa Peri Monastery.

"The top is made of solid wood, there is no such massive church in Europe or the world through its construction, the ladder, the chapel, the height it has - over 400 cubic meters of oak and fir wood - at 78 m height, " the parish priest said, pointing to the use of fir wood for the roof, the Adevarul reports.

Impressive is also the 4-foot scale, sculpted from a single piece of wood, the Digi 24reports.

"This is the staircase that goes up to the church's chapel, the age of the wood is 300. The masters have worked with Tesla, with the bard, and, behold, it is a beauty," says FatherLuţai.

In addition to the Church of Saint Archangel Michael, Sapanta also boasts a 77-meter high church, built of stone and brick, inside the Merry Cemetery.

"The Sapanta-Peri Monastery was included in UNESCO's patrimony and is a symbol of God's dedication and faith to the inhabitants of this ancient land. This place of worship is a monastery of nuns and is a destination that should not be missed by tourists arriving in Maramures," the Financiarul reports.

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