The church of Ursi was built around 1757-1784. It was founded by a wealthy villager (Ion Danciu) and built by craftsmen, with ancient construction techniques. The structure, the cladding and the roofing are exclusively built in wood.
After a damaging fire on 1838, the church was repaired and painted “al fresco” interior and exterior, by the craftsmen Gherghe, Nicolae and Ioan in 1843. Since 1913 the village has a new church – on masonry – and the old wooden church remain for the graveyard. Last repairing was made in 1943.
In 12th June 2010 the vault of the altar collapse and till the 30th July, with the help of a construction company (Cella Cosimex), it was built a protection structure to cover the church. The students of the art University, leader by proof. dr. Dan Mohanu, consolidated the exterior painting. The roof and the vault of the altar was disassembled and stored in a temporary building made near the church. In 2011 the National Chamber of Architects and Pro Patrimonio Foundation organized several events for fundraising to start the restoration works for the church. In the same time the team of the architects how draw the project has continue the procedures to obtain the permit for the restoration. The final approval was obtain in the 9th of October 2012. With the fund raised in 2011 and help from the Headley Trust UK, in 2012 is finalized the painting consolidation, disassembled the main vault and transported in Bucharest at the Art University to be restored.
In 2013 the church was lifted and it was built new foundations and replace the damaged wooden beams (especially the bottom part). On 19th July 2013, 9 oak trees with 9 m length and a diameter of 60 cm were delivered at Ursi.
On 13th August 2013 a team of 8 carpenters – specialized to work on old buildings, collaborators of the ASTRA Museum of Traditional Folk Civilization, Sibiu – started the works for: shaping the new beams, lifting the church, making the foundation and replacing the damaged beams. At the present is in progress the restoration of the painting from the vault.
Beside the 8 carpenters, 16 volunteers (restorer, architects, anthropoligist, etc.) were involved in the restoration in the summer, 2013
On the 16th August 2013, Mr. Alexandru Tomescu play the violin in the church for the locals and to be recorded and help to raised funds for the restoration.
To remember a dead relative or friend, in the area is the custom to put wooden painted crosses in the most important public spaces (at the fountain, in road intersections, etc.)
Coordonator proiect—Șerban Sturdza, arhitect
