The Merry Cemetery
The famous cemetery from Săpânța is located in the heart of the village, at the parochial church, and it has over eight hundred folk art monuments, which are a real and complex open-air museum. Here, the monuments have a very special appearance and signification.
Baia Mare
Baia Mare appeared on the map of urban settlements as a result of the exploitation activity of non-ferrous metals; the first reliable information on mining originate from the 14th century, although early medieval activities like this are much earlier, at least from the second half of the thirteenth century.
Rohia Monastery
Among the valuable ecclesiastic and religious art monuments, which attract the attention and appreciation of visitors from the country and abroad, a leading place is occupied by “Sfânta Anna” Monastery – Rohia, from “Țara Lăpușului”, Maramureș County. Placed in a picturesque frame, on top of a hill, in the middle of a breech and oak forest, Rohia Monastery is the privileged place for peace and spiritual comfort seekers, art and nature lovers.
Bogdan Vodă
About 70 km away from Săpânța going through Sighet to Valea Izei, you reach Bogdan Vodă. In the past, the village was known as Cuhea, being mentioned for the first time under this name in 1352 (Kohnya).
Botiza
The Botiza village lies at a distance of almost 70 km from Săpânța.
It was mentioned in documents in 1353 by the name of Batizhaza, meaning Batiz’s house, probably from the founder of the village. Over the time, the name of the village changed a few times, from Batiz in 1411, Batizhaz in 1418, Batizfalva in 1487 to the current name of Botiza used after the Great Union in 1918.
Moisei
When going from Săpânța to Borșa, and after going on a trip by “mocănița” (steam train) do not forget to stop at Moisei. There you will discover an old village first mentioned in documents in 1213, with the name of Moyzun. This is the text of the first documentary mentioning of Moisei village (February the 2nd 1365): “King Ludovic gives to Balc, the son of Sas, and to his brothers Drag, Dragomir and Ștefan, as a reward for their services the Cuhnea property and its surroundings: Jeud, both Vișeus, MOYSENI, Borșa and both Seliște, confiscated from Bogdan Vodă, who left for Moldavia and was caught being unfaithful.”
UNESCO’s wooden churches
If you wish to visit some other wood marvels than those found in Săpânța, you can start with the wooden churches.
True architectural monuments, wooden churches are the best example of the wood craftsmanship and artistic sense of Maramureș. They reflect the important role that religion played for Maramureș people, being the living proof of customs and traditions of hundreds of years ago which are still preserved to this day.
Borsa
Going from Săpânța to Iacobeni on DN 18 and once you’ve covered about 85 km, you will reach the feet of the famous Rodnei Mountains at an altitude of over 800 m and there you’ll find Borșa, a town full of tradition and history. It was first mentioned in 1365, when it was noted as part of Cuhea domain, which belonged to Bogdănești. After two years, the King of Hungary, Ludovic I, confiscated this land, including Borșa, being known as Borș back then, and gave it to the Drăgoșești.
MOCĂNIȚA-VALEA VASERULUI
At about 78 km away from Săpânța on DN 18, Valea Vaserului (The Valley of the Vaser), which extends on 50 km from Vișeu de Sus to Comanu’s final station, cannot be compared to any other valley from the Carpathians. It comprises a huge forest area, uninhabited up to the workers’ camps, there, and the only way it can be accessed is by railway. Being part of the Natural Park of “Maramureș Mountains”, the Valley of the Vaser is under European protection, its silvan use is still permitted, but the environmental obligations ensure the fact that the forest will be preserved at its actual capacity.
Bârsana Monastery
40 km away from Săpânța and 22 km away from Sighetu Marmației you can find the Bârsana Monastery. This Holy Monastery, full of mystery of the Cross and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, synthesis between devoutness and art, where the prayer building a beautiful soul unifies with the impressive artwork, which builds the light of the carved wood and stone. Bârsana is the painting of the beautiful Maramureș orthodox soul at the crossroads between millenniums, a hope for a blessed future, a holy place where nature and church come together in a cosmic liturgy. The Valley of Iza is a legendary road of the Romanian soul.
Sighetul Marmației
18 km east of Săpânța you can find Sighetul- Marmației (being known as Sighetul Maramureşului in the past), first attested in 1326 and as a city in 1352.
Being the capital of Maramureş for over six centuries, the city of Sighet has traces of human inhabitation from the upper Paleolithic (10,000 B.C.), Neolithic, the bronze and iron age; the settlement on the Slovan hill from the Dacic period gives us the right to say that the city’s territory has been permanently inhabited by human communities ever since the most ancient times to present. Located at the confluence of waters and valleys, the town of Sighet biased the Maramureș area economically and politically.