The church at Săpânța-Peri Monastery claims to be the tallest wooden church in the world, with a spire reaching 78 metres — built entirely of oak, with no metal reinforcement in the tower. It was constructed between 1993 and 2003 as a deliberate revival of the Maramureș wooden church tradition, on the site of a medieval monastery destroyed in the 17th century.
The scale is startling. From a distance the spire dominates the entire valley. Up close the joinery is remarkable: massive oak beams slotted together in the traditional Maramureș style, decorated with the rope-twist and sun motifs found throughout the region's older churches. The interior is painted with vivid frescoes.
The older wooden churches of Maramureș — eight of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites — are smaller and older, but this one makes a different argument: that the tradition is still alive and capable of monumental ambition.
Located about 2km south of the village centre. Free to enter; donations appreciated.