Călinești: Wooden Churches, Homesteads and Circular Routes

In Călinești Susani stands the wooden church “Adormirea Maicii Domnului”. Its trefoil-shaped floor plan and construction details are characteristic of Moldavian wooden church architecture. The entrance portal bears the date 1784. Fragments of wall paintings from 1788 are still preserved inside. The forms suggest Moldavian influences rather than others.

Culture

In Călinești Căieni, the wooden church “Nașterea Maicii Domnului” was built from oak in 1663. The blacksmith’s workshop homestead in Călinești is part of the craft heritage. It comprises a dwelling house, a barn with a stable, a workshop and a horseshoe anvil; the homestead is dated to the mid-19th century, 1840–1860. A structure built from wood that had been brought to Călinești was installed in the parish courtyard in 2005. The construction period, material and function provide different points of comparison for examining these heritage sites.

Traditional houses and homesteads also shape the local character. In Călinești there are large gates richly decorated with carvings in solid oak. Traditional Maramureș houses, characteristic of Călinești, can be viewed on site. Thus, the local built heritage brings together different materials, uses and chronological classifications, from the wooden churches and the craft homestead to the residential houses and their gates.

Landscape

Călinești is one of the places between the Mara and Cosău rivers. The area is regarded as a mosaic of natural and near-natural habitats. Landscape and built tradition stand side by side here in different forms: river environments, houses, homesteads and churches each provide their own points of reference for engaging with the locality.

Routes

The “În Maramureșul Istoric” route is a car, agrotourism, ethno-cultural and historic circular route. As a round trip, it passes through Baia Mare, Cavnic, Botiza, Ieud, Bârsana, Călinești, Ocna Șugatag and Mara and is approximately 200 km long. Another route runs through the Valea-Cosăului Valley via Budești, Sârbi and Călinești; it is classified as an agrotourism, ethnocultural and ecumenical circular route. The thematic profiles and approximate length of the first circular route provide two factual benchmarks for comparing the two itineraries.

Several specific features are therefore available for comparing the routes: the places named in each case, the thematic classification and, for the historic circular route, the approximate total length.

Other Places

Medium-sized town, Vișeu De Sus, Vadu Izei, Firiza, Lăpușel, Vișeu De Jos, Poienile Izei, Ruscova

Practical Information

The local tourist information centre of Comuna Călinești can be reached at 0262 373 084.

For a trip to Călinești, a hotel booking can be considered in terms of travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions as separate details. This keeps the practical conditions of accommodation distinct from the cultural stops and the thematically different circular routes. The local information on churches, homesteads, landscape and routes provides its own points of reference for planning.

For the overarching travel overview: Maramureş.