Pianu De Sus: Churches, Remembrance and Village History

For planning your trip, Pianu de Sus offers several cultural points of interest: church architecture, local remembrance and an annual celebration around the national holiday. The sites are located in the upper and lower parts of the village, as well as in the center. If you are looking for a hotel in Pianu de Sus, you can first decide whether churches, memorial sites or the holiday should be the focus of your stay.

Churches and Architectural History

The wooden church of Cuvioasa Paraschiva is located in the upper part of the cemetery of Parish I in Pianu de Sus. It was built from fir wood on a stone foundation. Its paintings are directly on the beams’ wood—a striking detail in the design of this building.

The Buna Vestire Church is also located in the upper part of Pianu de Sus. It is nearly 200 years old and surrounded by arcades whose paintings date from 1929. Cyrillic inscriptions have been preserved in the church to this day; some date from the time it was built. The church’s approximate age and the year the arcades were painted are two distinct reference points for establishing the timeline.

In the lower part of the village stands the Nașterea Sf. Ioan Botezătorul Church, built around 1837. Local tradition links its construction to a wealthy family from the village: the family is said to have donated a cauldron of gold coins. The approximate year of construction and the local story offer two different points of reference for learning about the church and its traditionally recounted origins.

Grave Pillars and Remembrance

In the cemetery surrounding the wooden church of Cuvioasa Paraschiva, decorated wooden grave pillars bearing the symbol “XIII” can still be found. The grave pillars recorded in Pianu de Sus have a square cross-section and are carved from top to bottom with geometric motifs. The surveyed group of grave pillars is reported to range from 1.20 to 2.00 meters in height.

In the center of Pianu de Sus stands a monument to the heroes who fell in the First World War. It lists the names of 72 fallen soldiers. Another reminder of 1918 is the tricolor flag carried at the time by a group of horsemen from Pianu de Sus. It is kept in the Orthodox Parish Church No. 1 of Pianu de Sus.

Celebrations and Travel Information

Every year around December 1, residents gather in front of the town hall. They listen to the Hora Unirii and Christmas carols sung by the church choir, drink mulled wine and celebrate the national holiday. If you would like to time your stay to coincide with this celebration, check the specific event dates in advance.

Two distance measurements with different reference points are relevant for finding your way around: the center of Pianu de Sus is 7.8 kilometers from the DN7. The distance from kilometer 24+110 on the motorway to the center of Pianu commune is 7 kilometers. Keep the respective starting and ending points in mind when planning your trip.

The churches, grave pillars, central monument and annual celebration offer different focuses for a stay.

Discover more destinations: Mesentea, Gârbova, Straja, Gârda De Sus, Arieşeni, Ponor, Vințu de Jos, Jidvei

For the broader travel overview: Alba.