Trifter

In 1993, seven gloriously painted Romanian monasteries were honoured with a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List.  It was a well-deserved accolade as these centuries-old works of art have survived in all their dramatic splendour for over 500 years and are considered “masterpieces of Byzantine art” by UNESCO.

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The monasteries were the vision of Stefan Cel Mare (Stephen the Great) and his illegitimate son, Petru Rareş, and were built between 1487 and 1532. 

Many churches and monasteries were built on the orders of Stefan Cel Mare to commemorate victories in war, and to give thanks. It was Rareş who commissioned artists to paint the interior and exterior walls with the colourful and dramatic frescoes.  The painting below depicts Rareş himself.

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The themes of the paintings are mainly Biblical.  Powerful scenes are rendered in splashes of bright, primary colour on a larger-than-life backdrop.  Apostles, evangelists, prophets and saints stand tall around the plastered walls, and below, hell is filled with black-tailed devils, eels and writhing creatures.

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Some of the monasteries also feature scenes depicting contemporary events, such as the graphic images showing the siege of Constantinople on the walls of the monastery at Moldoviţa.

All seven of the World Heritage Monasteries are found in the northern Moldavian region of Romania:

Arbore

Dedicated to St John the Baptist, this church was built in 1503 and painted some 40 years later.

Moldoviţa

One of the better known of the painted monasteries.  The frescoes here are predominantly yellow and blue and were painted in the 1530s.

Humor

This beautiful little building is located among wooded hills, surrounded by the village that bears its name.

Voroneţ

Located near the pretty town of Gura Humorului, this monastery was built to commemorate the battle of Vaslui.  The vibrant shade of cerulean blue used on these frescoes has become known to art historians and critics as ‘Voroneţ Blue’.

Suceava

The monastery here is dedicated to St John the New, a Moldavian monk.  Today it serves as the seat of the Archbishop of Suceava and Radauti.

Pătrăuţi

Situated near Suceava, this little church was built in 1487.  Sadly, its frescoes are unrestored and are very dark, but patches of bright colours and vibrant designs can still be seen.

Probota

Extensively renovated in conjunction with UNESCO, the monastery at Probota features an impressive double-domed ceiling, lavishly painted.

The close proximity of these monasteries to each other makes them a must-see for tourists to Romania, especially as the towns of Suceava and Gura Humorului, among others, offer a range of hotels, hostels, restaurants and other amenities for travellers.

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A visit to northern Romania would not be complete without a tour of the famous painted monasteries, but they are not the only tourist attractions in the country.  Have you heard about about Romania’s famous Merry Cemetery?

Romanian cuisine is hearty, tasty and well-worth getting to know.  Get a brief introduction in these articles: Eat Romanian, and Eat Romanian Again.