ENGLISH PAPER

SEMESTER 2

If someone would ask me what place in Romania worths visiting most, I would say
Maramures.
Tucked away in the northernmost corner of Romania, Maramures seems miles away from
the real world. Maramures is a blend of a variety of topographical features that creates a
unique landscape. High mountains, green rolling hills, wide and narrow river valleys,
forests, pastures, rivers and lakes all form the most aesthetically stunning region of
Romania. Situated in the north of Romania, the region occupies an area of 6304 sq kms,
borders Ukraine and also the counties of Suceava, Bistria Nasaud, Cluj, Salaj and Satu
Mare.
Almost 50% of the region is considered mountainous and the region hosts the highest
peak of the Eastern Carpathian range; Pietrosu (2303m). Four distinct mountain ranges
carve up the region separating Moldavia (not to be confused with Moldova, the country)
and Transylvania.
The first written documentation of Maramures dates back to the year 1199, but
archaeological evidence points to habitation of these lands since the Neolithic age. After
Dacia (the old name corresponding to lands south of the Carpathians and north of the
Danube) had been conquered by the Romans, Maramures remained outside the Roman
province, as an independent territory. In the Middle Ages, the Dacia-Roman society was
influenced by the migratory tribes. Feudal settlements were established between the 4th
and 10th centuries and were largely institutionalized and sanctioned by the church The
Habsburg Dynasty ended in 1848 with a revolution. In 1918, Transylvania, including
Maramure, united with the Kingdom of Romania.
I might be biased, but Maramures, with its time-capsule villages, magical surroundings
and ancient customs that have been kept alive like nowhere else, is perhaps the best-kept
secret of Europe for the seekers of authentic experiences. Its a place where people still
grow animals for food and use horse-drawn carts to get around, where household items
and tools are still handcrafted by local artisans, and where working the land is and has
always been the main occupation.
For a completely unique experience in Maramures, choose to stay in a private home. This
will offer you the opportunity to get a valuable insight into the inhabitants daily life, indulge
in their heavenly homemade food and discover traditions that have elsewhere vanished.

Among the main attractions in Maramures are the Merry Cemetery in Sapanta, the
Wooden Churches of Maramures, and the cities of Sighetu Marmatiei and Baia Mare,
where numerous museums can be found. The region plays host to countless natural
protected areas, including the stunning Pietrosul Rodnei Wildlife Reserve, the Creasta
Cocosului Geological Reserve and the Chiuzbaia Fossil Reserve, making this place a
wonderful destination for trekking, rock climbing, skiing, snowboarding and other outdoor
activities.
Visitors to Maramures have a unique opportunity to step back in time and bear witness to
simpler times and simpler lives.
Maramures is a small and unique location in the geographical heartland of Europe that
has carefully and distinctively preserved the culture, traditions and lifestyle of a mediaeval
peasant past. The region stands as a testament to traditional; to a romantic era of
simplicity, pride and moral values that many of us can only now read about or hear from
our grandparents.
Little has changed in the centuries gone by. Families remain in the same villages as their
ancestors. Traditional skills and crafts are passed down from generation to generation.
Traditional hand-woven clothing continues to be practical. The church continues to be the
soul of the village. Neighbours know one another and continue to lend a helping hand.
Life in Maramures is like a mystery. Visitors to Maramures drive through mountain
passes and descend into the valleys of life where the mystery of rural traditions unfolds
before the visitor as a living museum that is at once within reach yet simultaneously
beyond the grasp of the whimsical traveller.