The Maramures region of northern Romania is home to the most traditional rural life in Europe. In the idyllic valleys along the Ukraine border, cone shaped haystacks made with wooden pitchforks dot rolling hills and houses are without running water. Nowhere else in Europe do folk costumes persist so strongly with elaborate traditions and Romanian Orthodox ceremonies dominating village life.

For decades, Romania's closed border policy under the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceausescu as well as a natural fortress of mountains kept Maramures isolated from the rest of Europe. Even after the fall of Communism, change was slow to enter the region.

But Romania joined the European Union in 2007 and Maramures is at last changing. Youth from the villages now spend most of their time working abroad and send back thousands of euros to their families. Modern cement with satellite television stand where wooden peasant homes did and strict EU agricultural regulations threaten the beautiful way of life.

THE GALERY IS IN PROGRESS