# 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:** Monasteries and 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:** [Monasteries and churches](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/manastiri-si-biserici)

## 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. 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.

**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/pestera-ghetarul-de-la-scarisoara) — Caves · Ghețari, AB · 45 min · Top 100 · 6 km
  A cave in the Apuseni Mountains that holds one of the largest underground glaciers in the world: a block of ice over 10,000 years old, reached by stairs down a shaft 60 m across.
- [Vârciorog Waterfall](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cascada-varciorog) — 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.
- [Coiba Mare Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pestera-coiba-mare) — Caves · Casa de Piatră, AB · Free · 9 km
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- [Vârtop Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pestera-ghetarul-de-la-vartop) — Caves · Casa de Piatră, AB · 15 lei · 10 km
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- [Vârtop Pass](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pasul-vartop) — 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.
- [Cetățile Ponorului](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cetatile-ponorului) — Caves · Bihor County · Free · 3½ – 4 hours · Top 100 · 14 km
  A karst complex on the Padiș Plateau: three huge sinkholes with walls over 200 m high and a portal over 70 m tall where the Cetăților stream vanishes into the mountain. Seen from a marked hiking loop, not a show cave.

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Last updated: 14 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania