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.
Over the hills and forests, there is a deeper geography – the one of feelings. At the base of these – hills, forests, feelings – there is faith, love and trust. Here, people and nature are at peace, in conclusion, the Holy ground of the Bârsana Monastery brings once again God and Izei Valley together. Being a nun monastery, this is the place for rebuilding what once was; it is a hearth of orthodoxy in an authentic heavenly place. Here, as well as in other places in the country, we can understand better the place of the Romanian people, between God and the world.
Belonging to the Romanian Orthodox episcopacy of Maramureș and Sătmar, the “Soborul Sfinților 12 Apostoli” Monastery from Bârsana is situated 22 km South-East from Sighetul Marmației, at the exit from Bârsana to the Slătioara bridge, where the large groves of Iza are becoming narrower, to Strâmtura village, which is the narrowest ford of Iza.
From the 17 kilometer of the DJ 186, passing through a beautiful Maramureș gate, the alley leading up to the monastery winds up; the entrance to the premises is under the Tower – the bell-tower, beyond which, on the right side, the church rises to heaven.
