Monasteries

Transylvanian religious life bears testimony to the many different cultures and civilisations that have settled in this legendary land. Legend says that the old Romanian rulers used to build a church each time they won a battle against their enemies.
Transylvania has many medieval churches with fortified towers, built in Baroque, Gothic or Renaissance style, usually on quiet hillsides surrounded by fairy-tale landscapes.

The wooden churches found especially in Maramures are believed to be amongst the highest wooden structures in the world, constructed without one single metal nail.

The Ramet Monastery, built in the 14th century, is at present a nunnery with its altar deep in the earth, forming a fresh water spring suitable for drinking.
Sambata de Sus Monastery is famous for its workshop, where painting on art is the favoured art form. its architecture is based on the Romanian Byzantine style.
Gothic churches, of which there are many to be seen, illustrate how a community can be accommodated in a very restricted area. Sometimes, the fortified church makes up the entire village.