Strei Church - details and images

Strei Church is in the eponymous village, a distance of 14 kilometers Simeria on national road 66, near the famous stone church and the city Densus Calan, Hunedoara county. Stream village located on the left bank of the river Strei old church was built in the middle of the village cemetery.

Country Hategului keep the oldest churches in Romania. Such a religious monuments were built, starting from the ninth century, the feudal lord, who enjoyed hereditary privileges.

Church Stream is one of the oldest and most representative monuments of the architecture of Transylvania, thus becoming a national monument and a testament to the local art with western architectural influences

Stream Orthodox Church founded by Ambrose Roman nobleman. Strei Church was built in the late thirteenth century or the beginning of the fourteenth century, in a style alien to the Orthodox Romanian land, in this church, the Roman-Gothic style is combined with local elements, resulting in a and a unique architectural ensemble from Transylvania old monument.

Strei, known archaeological site was investigated in two seasons, between 1969-1970, during the restoration of the historic monument, by Radu Gheorghe Popa and Lazin, the results of excavations was published in part. During the excavations carried out around the church, 48 graves were discovered. Archaeological research carried out here showed that overlap Strei Church cemetery and a "villa rustica" from Romanian bill.

Church building is built of stone, the ruins of a Roman settlement of "villa rustica", whose annexes are visible today. The interior is paved with Roman brick, the bell tower is located at the west end of the nave, the vessel is covered with a short plank ceiling and the Holy Shrine, rectangular shape, is covered with a dome-shaped cross.

Initially, the entrance of the church is the tower bell, crowned by a broken arch door, now enter through a side door in the south of the ship. Arch entrance doors of the former still retains some of vestmantul fresco outside the church.

Church paintings are one of the oldest and most precious medieval painting kits designed to adorn a monument Romanian. It is believed that the work is due Strei painting an entire group of painters and not a single one, but the main master that decorated the monument was enclosed inscription under the portrait:
"Groza master Ioanis son, painted the church." Groza, who had painted one portrait, painted altar apse and eastern wall of the nave, the upper register of the south wall and west wall.

Interior mural still exist but not all and not in very good state of preservation. The Holy Shrine of Christ is distinguished stage and cortege Priest Apostles, and the vessel appears in the Annunciation, St. Nicholas and other saints.

Strei Church originally wore a robe and outdoor mural, but it is still preserved in only a few fragments, most well-preserved as the bell above the entrance of the tower, on the southern facade is still three scenes, but unidentifiable.

Church steeple, built on three levels, yet retains the old roof, composed of four triangular facade, this ending inside a dome. The top floor of the tower is great, he himself wearing a pattern consists of bricks, roof placed interwoven with corners, similar to the Church met Densus. The bell tower incorporates an external fragment of Roman sarcophagus.

Strei church was restored between 1969-1970, by the Department of National Historic Monuments. After work, the church has been restored and strengthened set of valuable mural, which is preserved in the altar apse on the east and south walls of the nave, and fragments of the western ground floor bell tower. Outside, there are fragments of paintings on the facades of the east, south and rear of the bell tower portal.

The church no longer commit Strei holy services, nor the ceaseless prayers of the faithful, the only day the church still enjoy being the Liturgy of 8 September, when the festival is celebrated - Assumption. To enter the church needed a key, usually located in the village priestess or a nearby neighbor.

Information source