Leordina – Nature, Culture and Tradition

Nature

Leordina is located in the “Munții Maramureșului” Natura 2000 site. The municipality of Leordina has natural meadows and beech vegetation at elevations ranging from 500 to 600 m. The Bistra River runs through the municipality of Leordina. There are traditional fishing areas along its course. In Leordina, the Drumul Maramureșului is laid out as a route of more than 700 km through nature and culture. This route can be explored on foot or by bicycle. The descriptions of the natural environment thus mention both the protected-area status and the meadows, beech vegetation and elevation range of the municipality. The course of the Bistra and the fishing areas mentioned there provide a further landscape reference.

Geographical location

The municipality of Leordina is traversed by the DN 18 road. This route is 236 km long. It runs via Baia Mare, Sighetu Maramureșului, Borșa, Cârlibaba and Iacobeni. Leordina is therefore integrated into a road route connecting several places between Baia Mare and Iacobeni. The road information includes both the length of the DN 18 and the sequence of places mentioned. Leordina appears here as a municipality through which this connection runs.

Culture

The “În memoria camarazilor căzuți” monument is located in the military cemetery of the municipality of Leordina. The military cemetery is 1 km from the Orthodox church. It contains twelve crosses for German soldiers. These soldiers were buried there in 1917. The “Monumentul Eroilor din Primul și al Doilea Război Mondial” in the municipality of Leordina is shaped like a wall. It is made of cubic andesite stones. The monument is 443 cm high in total.

The “Sfinții Arhangheli Mihail și Gavril” church was built of stone between 1864 and 1871. Local craftsmen carried out the construction. The residents supported the work. The construction was supervised by the priest Paul Orosz.

The Orthodox church “Sfântul Proroc Ilie Tesviteanul” bears the name Leordina-Râu. It was founded in 2002. Its structure is in the shape of a cross. Two slender flanking towers are part of its design. A central tower completes the building. There is also a spacious outdoor balcony.

Other places

Other places: Satu Nou de Jos, Săcel, Suciu de Sus, Seini, Hoteni, Vișeu De Jos, Târgu Lăpuș and Desești.

Traditions

“Ruptul sterpelor” is considered the oldest pastoral festival in the area and recalls ancient Dacian traditions; in the municipality of Leordina, it is a traditional custom associated with a rural festival for villagers who keep sheep and mountain dwellers.

The community festival “Fii satului” was an event held annually on the third Sunday in August. It served to preserve and pass on local traditions. During the winter celebrations in the municipality of Leordina, young people perform the folk play “Viflaimul”. Christmas carols are also sung. The customs mentioned thus include both a pastoral festival and the community festival, as well as the winter performances. For “Fii satului”, the third Sunday in August is recorded as the annual date, while “Viflaimul” and the Christmas carols belong to the winter celebrations.

For the higher-level travel overview: Maramureş.