Vernacular Heritage of Bogdan Vodă Commune

Bogdan Vodă, like all traditional Maramureș villages, can be characterized by the "civilization of wood." All household constructions were exclusively made of wood - starting from the entrance gate, various fencing systems, household annexes, and the house itself, sheltering peasant industries, religious buildings - the church, boundary crosses, grave markers - social-cultural and administrative buildings until the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century.

Being situated in the middle area, until recently a zone of coniferous forests, with oak groves below, justifies the dominant building material, resinous wood (spruce and fir).

In general, the house and all its annexes had a four-sloped roof, made on a wooden frame on which fir shingles were nailed in two rows. The silhouette of the house was given by its roof (about 2/3 of the width of the walls), very tall and pointed, to facilitate the drainage of the abundant snow characteristic of the Maramureș winter. The walls of older constructions are made of round logs arranged in a blockbau system joined at the corners in Romanian notch. Starting from the 19th century, the system of joining the logs in German notch appears.

The locality of Bogdan Vodă, previously known as Cuhea, is a place with a fascinating history, its roots stretching deep into the past. Archaeological excavations in this area have revealed evidence of settlement dating back to the Bronze Age and later to the Iron Age (Hallstatt). These historical testimonies offer a glimpse into the rich and complex past of the locality.

In 1365, the locality of Cuhea and neighboring villages, such as Ieud, Bocicoel, Vișeele, Moisei, Borșa, Săliștea de Sus, and Săcel, were gifted by the King of Hungary, Louis I of Anjou, to Balc and Drag, the grandsons of Dragoș Vodă, who had been expelled from Moldova by Bogdan. This act represented a reward for their sufferings.

Bogdan I, the founder of Moldavia, was proclaimed voivode of the entire Maramureș region for a short period during the reign of the Hungarian king Charles Robert of Anjou (1308-1342), having his voivodal "capital" in Cuhea. He gained notoriety in battles against the Tatars, through raids to the east, through the Prislop Pass and into the lands of Moldavia. Bogdan I established his residence in Baia where, during his 4 years of reign - according to the Putna Chronicle - he continued the fight to defend the independence of the newly created state, Moldavia, until his death in 1367.

Within the commune, we encounter tourist and agrotourism guesthouses that offer visitors a unique experience. Many thematic tourist routes start from the area, exploring the natural and cultural potential of the region. Visitors to the commune have the opportunity to purchase handicrafts with multicultural influences made by local artisans.