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DENSUS |
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DENSUS is a little village south of Deva, just a few kilometers west of the town of Hateg. Here can be found one of the most unique and bizarre monumets in Europe, The Saint Nicholas (Sfântul Nicolae) Orthodox Church. The origins of this church are shrouded in mystery, the date of building and the builders remain unknown. Some specialists claim that it dates back to the 13th century and others claim that it was a roman temple dedicated to Mars or a mausoleum for the roman general Longinus Maximus killed by the Dacians (Thracians). However, one thing is certain, the architectural ensemble suffered major transformation in the 13th century. The church was built with river bed rocks but also by recycling stone blocks with latin inscriptions, tiles, bricks and even columns and statues brought here from the nearby roman ancient site of Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa. If you look closely you will notice many roman artifacts including the roman statue representing two lions on the roof of the church. The frescoes inside the church, a mixture of Northern Italian and Byzantine styles, were painted in 1443 and signed by an artist by the name of Stefan.
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"Un mic stâlp, din cei patru care sustin ingusta turlă, e in realitate o stelă romană purtând numele unui Longinus. E vorba de o marmură cu o inscriptie elegantă. Ascunsă in umbră, abea luminat&atide; de câteva raze de soare venind pe niste ferestruici, face impresia unei opere divine furată de genii nocturne" (citat după George Călinescu)
"A little pillar, of the four that support the narrow tower, is in reality a roman stella carrying the name of Longinus. It is a marble block with an elegant inscription. Hidden in the shadow, barely lit by a few rays coming from a few tiny windows, gives the impression of a divine masterpiece stolen by nocturnal geniuses" (passage by George Călinescu)
The church in Densus, a national treasure, is depicted on the 1992 issue of the 5000 Lei banknote.
