Maramures
Where Habsburg prohibition created 100 wooden Orthodox churches including Romania's tallest timber spires and Europe's nearest living museum.
Maramures County exists because the Habsburgs forbade stone Orthodox churches and local craftsmen built in wood instead. When the empire banned durable materials for Orthodox worship, Maramures responded with nearly 100 wooden churches using oak, wooden nails, and Gothic spires that reach to 72 meters at Surdesti (Romania's tallest until Sapanta-Peri's 78m). UNESCO inscribed eight churches in 1999 as "outstanding examples" of timber construction with "characteristic tall, slim clock towers." These structures, built between the 14th-18th centuries, survived the last Tatar invasions (1717) and created what architects call "Gothic Style of Maramures." The Ieud Deal church's attic yielded the Ieud Codex (c. 1391-1392) - the first document in Romanian using Cyrillic letters. The region maintains traditions since medieval autonomy: colorful folk costumes worn during Christmas celebrations, living villages as near to a museum as exists in Europe. Pintea the Brave's coat of mail hangs in Budesti's church - a local Robin Hood who stole from the rich. The craftsmen who built these churches inherited specialized knowledge across generations. By 2026, cultural tourism around wooden churches and traditional life will define Maramures' economy while preserving living heritage.