Worker Bee has done it again.
On Wednesday, by e-mail, he took a shot and hit a similar church 6 hours drive away—and then came back with the right town, the right church, the same link Gumbo found to the Bollywood video—and the website of a company specializing in building wooden churches in this style! Triple play!
The church is in Poiana Brasov, a popular ski resort in the Carpathian mountains of Romania’s Transylvania region. While few Americans know it, it’s popular with Europeans.
The Bollywood reference in the original puzzle was based on this Indian music video (screenshot above). But it’s not the only movie connection: Most of the movie Cold Mountain with Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Renee Zellweger was shot nearby.
Gumbo doesn’t have definite information on when the Church of St. John the Baptist was built, It’s in a rustic style called Maramures, named after the county in Romania where the style originaled. As Worker Bee found, there are quite a few similar ones to be found. Perhaps one of our members will be able to give more details about the church’s history. Here‘s a link to a company that specializes in building wooden churches, including one that was set up temporarily inside the Vatican!
The Black Church in Brasov, Romania (Wikimedia commons/Kjetil Ree)
Poiana Brasov sits on a mountaintop above the city of Brasov, itself a significant tourist center, and known in particular for another church. The “Black Church,” so-called because of the darkening of its walls in a 1689 fire, was started in the 14th century and finished over a hundred years later. It is the best-known and largest Gothic-style church in Romania.
The original puzzle may be viewed here
See the Next Puzzle # 10 here.
This area brings back fond memories I remember falling a lot too because I was unable to buy good boots in an era when Romania rationed just about everything.
The hike from Brasov to Poiana is a nice one and there is a bus as well if you don’t have a car. Besides skiing, there is also a good tourist restaurant in Poiana that serves hunters food. Not sure if the outdoor ice skating rink is still there?