H I S T O R I C A L M O N U M E N T S

HISTORICAL MONUMENTS FROM VILLAGE GALDA DE SUS

'St. Archangels' Orthodox Church from Galda de Sus, 1750-1800

Church 'St. Archangels' is an Orthodox church located in the village Galda de Sus, commune Galda de Jos, Alba County. The church was built in the eighteenth century and is a historical monument. Built on the site of an old wooden church, place of worship build in wall, consists of nave and narthex covered with vaults, apse and tower-belfry. Items originals are the old stone crosses in the church wall on which one can read the names of the deceased in the eighteenth century.

In the village Galda de Sus, attested since 1565, there were two old churches, as we learn from a document kept from 1760, one Orthodox, build of wood, and other united. The orthodox church, built in 1645, had 147 families, and the united church had some dozens of families. Documents attesting that the wooden church was protected even by the King Matei Basarab.

In the middle of the eighteenth century was imposed build a complex church, in the wall. From that time were preserved the stone crosses embedded in the church wall - original element of architecture - in which one can read the names of local personalities from the second half of the eighteenth century. Interior painting is from 1802 and the iconostasis, whose carved décor is both baroque and neoclassical, was painted in 1804.

The current ortodox church in Galda de Sus, built on the place of wooden church, inherited a great treasure, namely, a silver cross donated by waivode Matei Basarab in 1645, adorned with a special inscription in Latin, several icons painted wood in the century seventeenth and the eighteenth, authors those of the eighteenth century was Oprea Zugravul and Simion Zugravul from Balgrad (Alba-Iulia) and Stan Zugravul of Rasinari, many old books and a bell casting in 1742 by Iovan G.

Orthodox Church 'St. Archangels'from Galda de Sus

The hoard contains a unusual icon showing a scene of the Holy Trinity in a body. Architecture of the church is tributary to the Gothic style. Inside, four brick vaults beautifies the nave. The iconostasis is also specific of western styles. It was carved poplar wood in 1804, and is mentioned in an inscription placed on the icon dedicated to 'Saint Archangels Michael and Gabriel'. The iconostasis, which combines elements of Baroque and neoclassical, is painted by an anonymous author. The original painting, made in 1802, is preserved in the St. Altar apse, but sometimes. Saints Hierarchs and scenes from the Old Testament can still see some.

Orthodox Church of Galda de Sus is quite difficult accessible to reach, is situated on the hill of village, at the end of several steps. The church is built of stone and brick, with very thick walls, over a meter thick. So far, the church has undergone repair and restoration modest in 1902, 1920, 1926, 1973 and 1991. The shingle roof was replaced with tile, then one splinter (1973) and finally, with steel sheet.