The Maramures region, lying in the north of the country, in the depression bearing the same name, being surrounded by impressive mountains, is an area standing out by its unaltered folklore (folk costumes, customs, songs and dances) and exquisite wood carving. Quite famous are the old wooden churches with high steeples, an expression of an exceptional architectural techinique, such as those in the villages of Surdesti (with a 53 m high steeple), Rozavlea, Bogdan Voda etc. The yards of peasant houses in Maramures impress visitors by their monumental wooden gatees, with the symbols of life carved on them, forming a real wooden lace.
