The wooden church from Maramureș whose name is linked to a famous local outlaw

The church of Saint Nicholas is located in Budești Josani Village in Maramureș, northern Romania, 20 miles north of Sighetu Marmației city.

The wooden church at Budești Josani was dated by an inscription on the portal from 1643. Unfortunately the inscription was lost during the enlargement of the entrance in 1923. The inscription was verified later on and the log structure was firmly dated from the winter of 1642/1643. This church appears to have been built by the same master carpenter who built the wooden churches at Slătioara and Sârbi Susani, around 1639.

Laid out in the foothills around the Cosau Valley, the beautiful church in Budesti Josani  (1643) houses a valuable collection of icons painted on glass depicting folkloric scenes; the church is also home to a unique collection of 15th century wooden icons painted on both sides. The outstanding Last Judgment fresco, painted by Alexandru Ponehalski in the 1760s, has been totally preserved. The influence of the Western Gothic style can be seen in the arrangement of the main belfry, which is surrounded by four smaller turrets.

The painting of the imperial doors is also special, with the painter being inspired from some Moldovan manuscripts dating back in the 15^th -16^th centuries. The imperial doors from Budești are special due to the inscription from 1628.

The wooden church witnessed the uprising started by Transylvanian Prince Francisc Rakoczi against the House of Austria. The prince was supported by the famous local outlaw Pintea the Brave (1670-1703). The uprising was defeated and Pintea was killed during the siege of Baia Mare, but his name remained forever linked to Budești Josani church, as part of his chain armours (coat of mail and helmet) are kept here.

Considered to be the largest wooden church in historical Maramureș, the church from Budești was included on UNESCO World Heritage list in 1999.