Máramaros

Máramaros, or Máramaros in Hungarian, is the name of a historic county of the Kingdom of Hungary that occupied the northern part of Transylvania along the upper Tisa (Tisza) valley. Its administrative center was Máramarossziget, today Sighetu Marmației in Romania. The name Máramaros is the Hungarian designation for the region, which in Romanian is known as Maramureș.

Geographically, the county covered portions of the northern Carpathians and the surrounding valleys, corresponding largely to the present-day Romanian Maramureș County, with parts extending toward the upper Tisza basin. The area is characterized by mountainous terrain, extensive forests, and river systems such as the Tisza, Iza, and Vișeu.

Historically part of the Kingdom of Hungary from medieval times, Máramaros remained an administrative unit within Transylvania until the end of World War I. The 1920 Treaty of Trianon assigned most of the county to Romania, where it formed the core of the modern Maramureș County. During World War II, parts of the region were temporarily occupied by Hungary (1940–1944) before border arrangements after the war solidified Romanian administration in the area. The historic name Máramaros is still used in Hungarian contexts and often to refer to the broader Maramureș region.

Culture and notable features of the region include a well-preserved rural heritage, distinctive wooden architecture, and traditional crafts. The area is famous for the Wooden Churches of Maramureș, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The historic population was diverse, including Romanians, Hungarians, Rusyns, and Jews, contributing to a rich intercultural legacy that characterizes the region today.