Sighetu Marmatiei town. Things to do.

Sighetu Marmatiei (also spelled Sighet), with its 41.000 inhabitants, is the main town of the Maramures region (northern Transylvania, Romania). Inhabited since the Stone Age, the settlement was first mentioned in 1334, and as town, in 1352. Today, Sighet is the gate of Maramures, and one of its most important tourist attractions. The most important atractions are:

1.The Memorial of the Victims of Communism and of the Resistance (the former prison of the Maramures County, built in 1897, today a museum of European significance, under the aegis of the Council of Europe).

2. The Village Museum of Maramures (an open air museum, with over 30 wooden houses dated back to XVII-XIX centuries and a XVI century wooden church).

3. The Elie Wiesel House (today "The Jewish Culture and Civilization Museum", the place where was born Elie Wiesel, laureate of the 1986's Nobel Prize for Peace).

4. The Ethnographic Museum of Maramures (rich displays of XV-XIX icons, carpets, furniture and other ethnographical stuff).

5. The Archaeological, History and Natural Sciences Museum (the former Piarist Monastery, built in 1730).

6. The Calvin Church (the oldest building which survived-dated in XIV century, mixture of Gothic and New Gothic styles).

7. The Roman-Catholic Church "Saint Carol Boromeu" (built between 1730-1806, Barocco style, sun clock above the entrance, an Armenian altar, paintings and statues).

8. The Ukraininian Orthodox Church "Elevation of the Holy Cross" (built between 1791-1807, many saints relics).

9. The Sephardic Synagogue (built in 1900-1904, Mauric-Renascentist style).

10. The Jewish Cemetery and the Soap Monument (4.000 graves, like those of the founders of Chasidic movement-Teitelbaum dynasty. The Soap Monument contains two boxes filled with soap made by Jews gassed at Auschwitz death camp).

11. The Cemetery of the Poor (where are buried in anonymous graves about 50 former Romanian dignitaries, ministers, bishops, academicians, journalists, who were killed in Sighet jail during 1950's).

12. The Steam engine (built in 1943, model Henschel&Sohn).

13. The Livestock Market (very colourful, takes place every first Monday of each month).

14. The Central Market (daily, where the merchants sell vegetables, fruits, dairy produces, handcrafts).

15. The Cultural Palace (built in 1912-1913, looking like a medieval castle, Eccletic-Romantic style).

If you have any questions about Sighet, its atractions or accomodation there, please contact amizadil@yahoo.com