About Rogoz Wooden Church
At a glance: Monasteries and churches in Rogoz, Maramureș County. Information verified on 7 October 2026.
In the village of Rogoz, in the Lăpuș valley, stands one of the oldest and most richly decorated wooden churches in Maramureș. The Church of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel was built by the village community, by tradition in 1663, on the site of an older church. An inscription by the entrance recalls the Tatar raid of 1661, and the building's features point to the same period. Since 1999 it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage site "Wooden Churches of Maramureș", together with seven other churches in the county.
Its plan is unusual: a polygonal narthex entered from the south, a rectangular nave and a seven-sided sanctuary. The shingle roof comes down further on the north side, by about 1.20 m, to cover the "table of the ancestors" (masa moșilor), the long wooden bench along the wall where alms are shared out in memory of the dead. The bell tower has an open gallery and a tall spire with four corner pinnacles.
The interior was painted in 1785 by Radu Munteanu of Ungureni and Nicolae Man of Poiana Porcului, with bold lines and bright colours. In 1834 a gallery was added at the west end of the nave, and the narthex ceiling and the nave vault were repainted.
What you can see
Outside, take your time walking round the church: the eaves brackets end in horse heads, the south facade is girded by a carved twisted-rope band with rosettes, and the entrance door has an ogee-arched frame with a carved cross beside it. On the north side you can see the table of the ancestors under the extended eaves. Inside, the paintings cover the walls and the vault, with biblical scenes, the Evangelists and floral motifs, as well as Cyrillic inscriptions naming the painters and recalling the Tatar invasion of 1717.
Good to know
A few dozen metres away, also in the village centre, stands a second wooden church, St Paraskeva, brought here in 1883 from Suciu de Sus. It is also a listed monument, but it is not part of the UNESCO site. The church is usually locked outside services.
- The 'table of the ancestors', the long bench on the north side, sheltered by the asymmetric roof.
- The eaves brackets carved as horse heads.
- The carved twisted-rope band with rosettes on the south facade.
- The 1785 paintings by Radu Munteanu and Nicolae Man, with the painters' Cyrillic inscriptions.
- The village's second wooden church, St Paraskeva, a few dozen metres away, brought from Suciu de Sus in 1883.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: Rogoz is ~6 km east of Târgu Lăpuș, in the Lăpuș valley. Baia Mare is ~50 km away (~1 hour) and Cluj-Napoca ~105 km (~2 hours), via Dej and Târgu Lăpuș.
Public transport: Târgu Lăpuș can be reached by bus and minibus from Baia Mare; from there, continue to Rogoz by taxi.
- Rules
Modest dress, with shoulders and knees covered. Visitors are asked not to walk around the church during services.
Frequently asked questions about Rogoz Wooden Church
- How do I get to Rogoz Wooden Church?
- Rogoz Wooden Church is located at nr. 282, Rogoz, Maramureș County. By car: Rogoz is ~6 km east of Târgu Lăpuș, in the Lăpuș valley. Baia Mare is ~50 km away (~1 hour) and Cluj-Napoca ~105 km (~2 hours), via Dej and Târgu Lăpuș. Public transport: Târgu Lăpuș can be reached by bus and minibus from Baia Mare; from there, continue to Rogoz by taxi.
- When is the best time to visit Rogoz Wooden Church?
- The best season for Rogoz Wooden Church: April – October (spring to autumn).
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