# Ascension of the Lord Wooden Church in Arieșeni [Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Transylvania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/transilvania) › [Alba County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/alba) › [Arieșeni](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/locality/arieseni) > A wooden church of 1791, plastered and roofed in sheet metal, with rare peasant stucco decoration on its façades, a west bell tower and old painting in the nave. **At a glance:** Churches in Arieșeni, Alba County. The visit takes 30 min. Information verified on 14 October 2026. ## Key facts - **Opening hours:** No official visiting schedule was found. This is a parish church; to see the interior, ask at the Arieșeni parish. - **Visit duration:** 30 min — churchyard, interior if open - **With kids:** Yes — open churchyard, with a cemetery - **Parking:** Yes, free — by the roadside - **Best season:** All year round — all year, for the exterior - **Address:** în centrul comunei Arieșeni, lângă DN75, Arieșeni, Alba County - **Coordinates:** 46.47719, 22.75638 - **Wikipedia:** https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biserica_de_lemn_din_Arie%C8%99eni - **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12722049 - **Categories:** [Churches](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/churches) ## About Ascension of the Lord Wooden Church in Arieșeni The wooden church in Arieșeni, dedicated to the Ascension of the Lord, was built in 1791 in the Apuseni Mountains, in the Arieșul Mare valley. Tradition holds that an older place of worship stood on the same spot, and a church is also shown here on the map from the Josephine survey (1764–1785). It is a historic monument (LMI code AB-II-a-A-00177). After 1863 the logs were plastered over and the roof was covered in sheet metal, so the timber is no longer visible. The slender silhouette survives, however: a steep roof, lower over the polygonal sanctuary, and a bell tower with a gallery and a broken spire rising on the west front. The pairs of brackets under the eaves recall the wings of an eagle. ### What you can see The façades keep a rare decoration modelled in stucco by peasant craftsmen: rosettes and flowers, a sun with a human face, crosses and dates from 1871, 1873 and 1878. Beside the south wall stand the remains of a carved wayside cross. Inside, a semicylindrical wooden vault carries old painting in the nave (scenes of the Passion, a frieze of martyrs, saints in medallions), and the iconostasis keeps a register of old icons on wood. In the grounds, among cemetery crosses, the village's new masonry church also stands. ### Good to know No official visiting schedule was found, and the local press of recent years reports no restoration works or closures. This is a parish church; the interior can usually be seen through the parish, while the exterior can be admired from the churchyard at any time. ## Don't miss - The bell tower with a gallery and broken spire on the west front. - The peasant stucco decoration on the façades: rosettes, the sun with a human face and dated crosses. - The old painting in the nave vault and the icons of the iconostasis. - The carved wayside-cross fragment beside the south wall. ## Good to know before you go ### Getting there **By car:** Arieșeni lies on the DN75 in the Apuseni Mountains, about 40 km from Câmpeni (around 50 minutes) and ~120 km from Oradea, via the DN76 through Beiuș and Ștei, then the DN75 over the Vârtop pass. The church is in the centre of the commune. **Public transport:** minibuses in the Arieș valley run between Câmpeni and Arieșeni; check the timetable beforehand. ### Rules This is a working parish church: dress modestly and keep quiet during services. Before photographing inside, ask the person who opens it for permission. ## Details - **Construction period:** 1791 - **Dedication:** Ascension of the Lord - **Denomination:** Orthodox ## Frequently asked questions about Ascension of the Lord Wooden Church in Arieșeni **How long does a visit to Ascension of the Lord Wooden Church in Arieșeni take?** A visit to Ascension of the Lord Wooden Church in Arieșeni takes about 30 min (churchyard, interior if open). **Can you visit Ascension of the Lord Wooden Church in Arieșeni with kids?** Yes, Ascension of the Lord Wooden Church in Arieșeni is suitable for children (open churchyard, with a cemetery). **Where can I park at Ascension of the Lord Wooden Church in Arieșeni?** There is free parking at Ascension of the Lord Wooden Church in Arieșeni (by the roadside). **How do I get to Ascension of the Lord Wooden Church in Arieșeni?** Ascension of the Lord Wooden Church in Arieșeni is located at în centrul comunei Arieșeni, lângă DN75, Arieșeni, Alba County. More under “Getting there”. **When is the best time to visit Ascension of the Lord Wooden Church in Arieșeni?** The best season for Ascension of the Lord Wooden Church in Arieșeni: All year round (all year, for the exterior). ## Nearby attractions - [Scărișoara Ice Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/scarisoara-ice-cave) — Caves · Ghețari, AB · 45 min · Top 100 · 6 km A cave in the Apuseni Mountains with the Scărișoara Glacier (Ghețarul Scărișoara), one of the largest underground glaciers in the world: a block of ice over 10,000 years old, reached by stairs down a 60 m wide shaft. - [Vârciorog Waterfall](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/varciorog-waterfall) — Waterfalls · Arieșeni, AB · Free · 2 – 2½ hours · 7 km A waterfall of about 15 m on the Vârciorog stream, tucked into a spruce forest below Piatra Grăitoare, near Arieșeni; reached up a wooded valley on foot or by horse cart. - [Poarta lui Ionele Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/poarta-lui-ionele-cave) — Caves · Gârda de Sus, AB · 45 min · 8 km A show cave in the Ordâncușa Valley near Gârda de Sus, with a 22 m high entrance portal, a stream that runs through it all year and small tufa cascades right at the entrance. - [Coiba Mare Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/coiba-mare-cave) — Caves · Casa de Piatră, AB · Free · 9 km An undeveloped cave in the Bihor Mountains near Casa de Piatră: a huge portal, 54 × 45 m, through which the Gârdișoara stream vanishes underground. - [Vârtop Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/vartop-cave) — Caves · Casa de Piatră, AB · 15 lei · 10 km An undeveloped cave in the Bihor Mountains, with ice at the entrance and white formations, where a Neanderthal footprint at least 62,000 years old was found in 1974. - [Vârtop Pass](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/vartop-pass) — Scenic roads · Bihor County · Free · 10 km The pass where the DN75 crosses the Bihor Mountains at 1,160 m, between Nucet and Arieșeni: the Vârtop holiday village, ski slopes and trails to Groapa Ruginoasă and Piatra Grăitoare. --- Full page: https://peplaiuri.ro/en/ascension-of-the-lord-wooden-church-in-arieseni Other languages: Română: https://peplaiuri.ro/biserica-de-lemn-arieseni.md · Deutsch: https://peplaiuri.ro/de/holzkirche-christi-himmelfahrt-in-arieseni.md · Italiano: https://peplaiuri.ro/it/chiesa-di-legno-dell-ascensione-a-arieseni.md · Français: https://peplaiuri.ro/fr/eglise-en-bois-de-l-ascension-d-arieseni.md · Español: https://peplaiuri.ro/es/iglesia-de-madera-de-la-ascension-de-arieseni.md · Magyar: https://peplaiuri.ro/hu/lepusi-mennybemenetel-fatemplom.md Last updated: 14 October 2026 Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania