Northern Romania: US Embassy in Romania funds restoration of wooden church in Maramureș

The wooden church from the village of Oncești, one of the oldest monuments in the heritage of the Maramureș Village Museum “Mihai Dăncuș” in Sighetu Marmației, has been restored. The church has now returned to the tourist circuit through the support provided by the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, in a project coordinated by the US Embassy in Romania.

The completion of the cultural project was announced on Wednesday, December 3, during an event attended by the museum administration, the mayor of Sighetu Marmației, Vasile Moldovan, and the public affairs officer from the US Embassy, Alys Spensley.

The restoration was supported by a grant of USD 95,000. The project funded the repair work and preserved the church’s historic structure, but also improved the museum’s exhibitions.

“The church is among the most important heritage assets. It was brought into the museum in 1974, and since then, no conservation intervention has taken place. The church was built at the beginning of the 17th century, and it has withstood time well, and the recently completed works will restore its value. We intend to reintroduce it into the county’s tourist circuit and also to allow religious services to be held inside,” said director of the Maramureș Village Museum, Mirela Ana Barz, cited by Agerpres.

“Today’s event is not just about a beautifully restored monument, it is about reaffirming the values that guide the United States and inspire our public diplomacy work around the world and here in Romania: protecting cultural heritage and promoting the fundamental American belief in freedom of religion, an essential expression of freedom of speech,” Spensley said.

The US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation was established in 2000 and is administered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State. Through this program, the United States has supported the preservation of historic sites, museum collections, and traditional forms of cultural expression in over 130 countries.

Since 2002, the fund has supported 15 projects in Romania, offering grants for the restoration of historic buildings, the conservation of museum collections and synagogues, the protection of fortified churches, the documentation of traditional crafts, and the safeguarding of archaeological artifacts.

(Photo source: U.S. Embassy Bucharest on Facebook, Varga Mark)