Monuments of folk architecture from Botoşani county. The Church of the Transfiguration
Author: Petronela-Raluca PODOVEI
Keywords: historical monument; religious monument; folk architecture; wooden church; The Church of the Transfiguration (Botoşani).
The folk architecture illustrated by religious and civilian monuments is of great significance for the national cultural heritage, being considered a fundamental accomplishment of the artistic realm of folk craftsmanship. We direct our attention towards religious buildings, constructions that accommodate some of the characteristics of the Romanian traditional style or of the peasant house. The wooden religious monuments of Botoşani county are small, with shingle or framework ridged roofs, without a tower, with only two crosses at both ends, being confused, from afar, with the nearby houses. To support the construction and protect the wood from the base, the locals added a stone foundation, worked under the shape of river stones. For the roof hay and reed were used, with shingle and furring later on, leading, towards the end of the 19th century, to the use of zinc-plated sheet. Another feature of folk architecture monuments is the presence of decorative elements. The wooden Church of the Transfiguration observes the above-described features, being one of the few churches from the area that benefited from a complex restoration, the parish priest being able to exhibit the pieces of heritage in a museum.