# Cuvioasa Paraschiva Wooden Church in Marița-Funduri

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Oltenia](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/oltenia) › [Vâlcea County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/valcea) › [Marița](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/locality/marita)

> One of the oldest wooden churches south of the Carpathians, dated by inscription to 1556–1557, very small and unpainted, with an iconostasis decorated with designs scratched into the wood.

**At a glance:** Monasteries and churches in Marița, Vâlcea County. The visit takes 20 min. Information verified on 20 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** No visiting schedule is published. This is a parish church; for the interior, ask at the Vaideeni parish.
- **Visit duration:** 20 min — exterior, plus interior
- **With kids:** Yes — open ground, cemetery around
- **Parking:** Yes, free — by the roadside
- **Best season:** May – October — summer, for the access road
- **Address:** Strada Funduri, cătunul Funduri, Marița, Vâlcea County
- **Coordinates:** 45.17615, 23.86557
- **Wikipedia:** https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biserica_de_lemn_din_Mari%C8%9Ba-Funduri
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12722368
- **Categories:** [Monasteries and churches](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/manastiri-si-biserici)

## About Cuvioasa Paraschiva Wooden Church in Marița-Funduri

The wooden church of Marița stands in the Funduri hamlet, in Vaideeni commune in northern Vâlcea county, in an area of hills and forests south of the Căpățânii Mountains. It is dedicated to Saint Paraskeva (Cuvioasa Paraschiva); in the village it is also known as the “church of three patron saints”: Saint Paraskeva, Saint Nicholas and the Holy Apostles. A beam on the south wall is carved with Cyrillic letters giving the date “leatul 7065”, that is 1556–1557. Some specialists note, however, that the beam may come from an older building, so the exact age of the church remains debated; what is certain is that it existed before 1745, when a document of the period mentions it.

It is a very small building of oak, with logs joined by dovetails and tenons, on a river-stone foundation. The plan is rectangular, with a narthex, a nave and a polygonal sanctuary, and the wide shingle roof reaches down over the walls. It has no porch, a sign of construction before the 18th century, and it was not plastered in the 19th century, so the bare wood is still visible. It holds only about 20 people. It is a category A historic monument (LMI code VL-II-m-A-09805) and was restored in 2008.

### What you can see

The dark wood of the walls, the shingle roof and the miniature proportions make the exterior the main reason to visit. Inside, the walls are unpainted, and the only paintings are those on the wooden iconostasis: designs cut directly into the wood with a gouge and coloured in bright hues, dated by specialists to the early 19th century. The half-barrel vaulting of the nave and the exposed beams complete the picture of a medieval peasant church.

### Good to know

No visiting schedule is published in the sources consulted: this is a parish church and may be locked. An article from 2020 describes the road to the monument as unpaved, with boulders and stones; its current state is not confirmed.

## Don't miss

- The Cyrillic inscription “leatul 7065” (1556–1557) on the beam of the south wall.
- The miniature proportions of the church, which holds only about 20 people.
- The unplastered oak walls and the wide shingle roof.
- The iconostasis with designs scratched into the wood with a gouge and coloured in bright hues.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** the village of Marița belongs to Vaideeni commune and lies about 56 km from Râmnicu Vâlcea, in the area between Horezu and Novaci; the church is in the Funduri hamlet, on Strada Funduri. An article from 2020 describes the last stretch as unpaved, so a car with suitable ground clearance is the more prudent choice.

**Public transport:** no regular connection to the Funduri hamlet is confirmed; a car is the safest option.

### Rules

This is a parish church: dress modestly and keep quiet during services. Before photographing inside, ask the person who opens it for permission.

## Details

- **Construction period:** 1556–1557
- **Dedication:** Saint Paraskeva
- **Denomination:** Orthodox
- **Architectural style:** Wallachian vernacular

## Frequently asked questions about Cuvioasa Paraschiva Wooden Church in Marița-Funduri

**How long does a visit to Cuvioasa Paraschiva Wooden Church in Marița-Funduri take?**

A visit to Cuvioasa Paraschiva Wooden Church in Marița-Funduri takes about 20 min (exterior, plus interior).

**Can you visit Cuvioasa Paraschiva Wooden Church in Marița-Funduri with kids?**

Yes, Cuvioasa Paraschiva Wooden Church in Marița-Funduri is suitable for children (open ground, cemetery around).

**Where can I park at Cuvioasa Paraschiva Wooden Church in Marița-Funduri?**

There is free parking at Cuvioasa Paraschiva Wooden Church in Marița-Funduri (by the roadside).

**How do I get to Cuvioasa Paraschiva Wooden Church in Marița-Funduri?**

Cuvioasa Paraschiva Wooden Church in Marița-Funduri is located at Strada Funduri, cătunul Funduri, Marița, Vâlcea County. By car: the village of Marița belongs to Vaideeni commune and lies about 56 km from Râmnicu Vâlcea, in the area between Horezu and Novaci; the church is in the Funduri hamlet, on Strada Funduri. An article from 2020 describes the last stretch as unpaved, so a car with suitable ground clearance is the more prudent choice. Public transport: no regular connection to the Funduri hamlet is confirmed; a car is the safest option.

**When is the best time to visit Cuvioasa Paraschiva Wooden Church in Marița-Funduri?**

The best season for Cuvioasa Paraschiva Wooden Church in Marița-Funduri: May – October (summer, for the access road).

## Nearby attractions

- [Polovragi Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pestera-polovragi) — Caves · Polovragi, GJ · 20 lei · 45 min · 9 km
  A cave more than 10 km long, carved by the Olteț river into the limestone of the Olteț Gorge, with 800 m of gallery open to visitors and legends about Zalmoxis, a kilometre from Polovragi Monastery.
- [Women's Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/pestera-muierilor) — Caves · Baia de Fier, GJ · 20 lei · 40 min · Top 100 · 12 km
  A four-level cave in the Galbenul Gorge at the foot of the Parâng Mountains, with 860 m of lit galleries, cave bear bones and some of the oldest modern human remains in Europe.
- [Horezu Monastery](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/manastirea-horezu) — Monasteries and churches · Horezu, VL · 1 – 1½ hours · UNESCO World Heritage · 14 km
  Constantin Brâncoveanu's largest foundation, officially Hurezi Monastery: the model ensemble of the Brâncovenesc style, built in 1690–1693 and a UNESCO site since 1993.
- [Cula Duca](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cula-duca-maldaresti) — Fortresses and fortifications · Măldărești, VL · 45 min · 16 km
  An Oltenian fortified tower-house from 1812–1827, with a massive ground floor and a decorated veranda, built by the Măldărescu family and bought in 1910 by I.G. Duca; now part of the Măldărești Museum Complex near Horezu.
- [Greceanu Kula](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cula-greceanu-maldaresti) — Fortresses and fortifications · Măldărești, VL · 30 min · 16 km
  The oldest kula of the Măldărești museum complex, a boyar tower from the 16th century completed in the 18th, with arcaded porches and an upper floor laid out as an Oltenian minor boyar's court.
- [Wooden Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God in Grămești](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/biserica-de-lemn-gramesti) — Monasteries and churches · Pietreni, VL · 30 min · 20 km
  A wooden church of 1664, founded by Metropolitan Stephen I, standing on a high limestone plinth with Cyrillic inscriptions on its outer walls, at the edge of a fir forest.

---

Full page: https://peplaiuri.ro/en/biserica-de-lemn-marita-funduri
Other languages: Română: https://peplaiuri.ro/biserica-de-lemn-marita-funduri.md · Deutsch: https://peplaiuri.ro/de/biserica-de-lemn-marita-funduri.md · Italiano: https://peplaiuri.ro/it/biserica-de-lemn-marita-funduri.md · Français: https://peplaiuri.ro/fr/biserica-de-lemn-marita-funduri.md
Last updated: 20 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania