Bârsana Monastery
About Bârsana Monastery
The Monastery of the Synaxis of the Twelve Holy Apostles in Bârsana is an Orthodox convent of the Diocese of Maramureș and Sătmar, at the edge of the village of Bârsana on the road to Strâmtura, where the Iza Valley narrows. The ensemble is new: the foundation stone of the church was consecrated in 1993 by Bishop Justinian, and from 1994 the work was directed by Abbess Filofteia Oltean, who came from Râmeț Monastery. All the buildings were put up by craftsmen from the village, in oak and river stone, to a design by the architect Dorel Cordoș.
The site, however, has a long history. Bârsana's old monastery stood on these terraces; it is documented from the 14th century and, according to tradition, was founded by the Maramureș voivodes Balcu and Drag. Between 1735 and 1740 it was the seat of the Orthodox bishopric of Maramureș, and in 1791 it was dissolved; its church was moved into the village by the faithful and is today the UNESCO-listed wooden church of Bârsana, a separate sight ~4 km from here.
What you can see
You enter through a Maramureș gateway on the DJ186 and walk up the path to the bell tower, beneath which is the entrance to the precinct. Just beyond it rises the church, with a pointed spire of ~57 m, long regarded as the tallest wooden church in the world; inside, paintings cover the walls and the vault, and the iconostasis is of carved wood. From the church, a stone path lined with flowers leads to the abbess's house, a building of several storeys with wooden galleries. On the lawns stand the summer altar and the holy-water shrine, on a knoll the Voivode's House, and further on the Artist's House. Next to the bell tower is the "Gavril de Bârsana" Museum of Icons and Old Books, opened in 2005, with manuscripts and books from the 16th to the 19th century, old icons and folk-art objects.
Good to know
It is a working convent: services begin daily at 7:00 and 19:00 (on Sundays and feast days at 9:30 and 17:00). Thousands of pilgrims come for the patronal feast on 30 June, and the precinct is very crowded.
Information verified on 20 October 2026.
- The church spire, ~57 m high, seen from the path that climbs from the Maramureș gateway.
- The carved wooden iconostasis and the paintings that cover the inside of the church.
- The abbess's house, with its storeys of wooden galleries and its tall shingle roof.
- The "Gavril de Bârsana" Museum of Icons and Old Books, with manuscripts and books from the 16th to the 19th century.
- The summer altar and the holy-water shrine, on the flowery lawns between the church and the abbess's house.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: the monastery is at km 17 of the DJ186, in the Iza Valley, ~22 km south-east of Sighetu Marmației (~25 minutes), at the edge of Bârsana on the road to Strâmtura. From Baia Mare it is ~80 km over the Gutâi Pass (~1 hour 45 minutes). The UNESCO wooden church in the centre of the village is ~4 km away, and the wooden churches of Rogoz, Ieud and Poienile Izei lie further along the same valley.
Public transport: the nearest railway and bus stations are in Sighetu Marmației, from where minibuses run along the Iza Valley through Bârsana; check the timetable beforehand.
- Where to park
The monastery has its own car park next to the county road, at the entrance gateway; from there you walk up the path to the precinct. It fills up quickly at the patronal feast and on summer weekends.
- Fees & discounts
The monastery's website does not publish prices for visiting, for the museum or for photography; ask at the entrance.
- Rules
Modest dress: shoulders and knees covered, women with their heads covered in the church. Keep quiet within the precinct and switch phones off during services. Do not take photos in the church or the museum without the nuns' permission; drones are not appropriate at a working convent.
- Facilities
museum of icons and old books · nuns' workshops (weaving, icon painting) · canteen and accommodation at the monastery's Vila Bârsana · the paths are stone-paved and sloping
Frequently asked questions about Bârsana Monastery
- How long does a visit to Bârsana Monastery take?
- A visit to Bârsana Monastery takes about ½ – 1 hours (precinct, church and museum).
- Can you visit Bârsana Monastery with kids?
- Yes, Bârsana Monastery is suitable for children (stone paths, modest dress).
- How do I get to Bârsana Monastery?
- Bârsana Monastery is located at DJ186, km 17, at the edge of the village on the road to Strâmtura, Bârsana, Maramureș County. By car: the monastery is at km 17 of the DJ186, in the Iza Valley, ~22 km south-east of Sighetu Marmației (~25 minutes), at the edge of Bârsana on the road to Strâmtura. From Baia Mare it is ~80 km over the Gutâi Pass (~1 hour 45 minutes). The UNESCO wooden church in the centre of the village is ~4 km away, and the wooden churches of Rogoz, Ieud and Poienile Izei lie further along the same valley. Public transport: the nearest railway and bus stations are in Sighetu Marmației, from where minibuses run along the Iza Valley through Bârsana; check the timetable beforehand.
- When is the best time to visit Bârsana Monastery?
- The best season for Bârsana Monastery: May – October (the gardens are in bloom in summer).
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