The wooden church in Cioara

Arriving in the land at the foot of the Șureanu Mountains, near Cugir, you can stop at Tărtăria, a locality that has enriched the history of humanity with the clay tablets written thousands of years before Christ.

Up the mountain, in the village called Cioara until the communist regime changed its name to Săliștea, on the shoulder of a hill, you can see a wooden church that seems to have stood the test of time.

It was built in 1798, exactly in the village from where monk Sofronie stirred up an uprising for the preservation of the ancestral faith of the Romanians. Following this, the Orthodox gained recognition from the Vienna Court for the legal existence of their Church. 

Today, the ancient place, as well as the crucifix in the narthex, carved with rosettes on the shoulders, bear witness to the art of wood carving in Transylvania.

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Brief historical insight

The ecclesiastical building consists of elements from two other churches, namely that of the "Afteia" skete in Plaiorul Cioarei, which was destroyed twice, first in 1757, then in 1788, as well as the church of the former village Archișul Românesc. 

A centre of the Romanian resistance, the building in Plăișorul Cioarei attracted the hatred of political rule, consequently suffering repeated destructions. The first time, it was damaged around 1757, but it was immediately restored as evidenced by the bell given to the monastery in 1763.

In 1788, the monastery was again destroyed and its materials were used to erect the current wooden church in the old cemetery at the end of the 18th century. 

The inscription under the patron's icon tells us that the frontal piece was painted in the time of Emperor Franciscus. 

On the royal doors, there is a representation of the Annunciation, made by Simion the Painter from Laz, in June 1830. Along with the books, painted pieces such as the frieze of the apostles and the royal icons of 1770 were also brought here from Plăișor. In addition, also from the Laz school, there are also icons from the 1860s, 1870s signed by Toma and Sima the Painter. 

A crucifix carved with rosettes and rope-shaped ribs was also brought in the narthex of the church. It bears witness to the art of wood carving, with which the place of worship in Plăișor had also been adorned.

Stop for a while in the ancestral hearth of Săliștea, because it is a place full of history, worth discovering. Here, Dacian remains were discovered that prove the land was inhabited two centuries before Christ. The discovery was made in 1820, when a hoard consisting of a plate, a chain and two necklaces was brought to light, all made of silver, and today housed in the Art Museum in Vienna.

Next to the church, there is the Barcsay House, a historical monument dating from the middle of the 18th century, now the headquarters of the Săliștea Commune Hall. 

And, while you're in the area, we recommend to also make a stop at the Tărtăria archaeological site, where inscribed clay tablets were discovered, attesting the area has been inhabited since 5500 BC.