We stepped through the gate of a large stone wall and were stunned by what was inside. Standing in the middle of the courtyard, was a church with the most colourful walls we’d ever seen. This was our first painted monastery and it was one of the prettiest buildings imaginable. What makes them unique are the exquisite paintings that decorate their exterior walls. You can find painted monasteries scattered throughout Bucovina in the northeastern part of the country.
Most of the monasteries were built in the 15th and 16th centuries and are decorated in paintings that illustrate scenes from the Bible as well as portraits of saints and prophets. Some churches have imaginative depictions of heaven and hell. These frescoes were used by priests to teach villagers Bible stories and about Orthodox saints.
We visited eight painted monasteries in the historical district of Bucovina. It’s the maroon coloured section in the map below. As we drove between these eight, we passed dozens of road signs pointing to others. In total there are over 400 painted monasteries in Romania. Eight have been deemed worthy of UNESCO World Heritage status. Some of the ones we saw had this designation while others did not.
Suceivita Monastery
Suceivita Monastery (1581) is fortified by an imposing stone wall. Once inside the gate, our jaws dropped. A very friendly nun greeted us with a wide smile when she saw our reaction. In front of us was a large church decorated in colourful and elaborate murals dating to the 1600s. It’s almost impossible not be mesmerized by this building. It was quite clear how this building achieved its UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
Overhanging eaves protect three sides of the church, but the paintings have almost worn away on the fourth side which gets most of the sun. Surrounding the fortified church are stone buildings that provide residence for the nuns. Between the residence and the church is a perfectly manicured lawn.
Inside, the large church is separated into three successive rooms. A centre aisle takes you from one to the next. As with most of these churches, the interior walls are also adorned with frescoes of Bible stories and saints. Even the thick window sills are colourfully painted. At the front, golden and green picture frames surround the portraits.
Moldovița Monastery
Founded by the Prince of Moldova in 1532, Moldovița Monastery is also a fortified monastery. It is surrounded by a tall, stone wall with vines growing up the sides. A small rose garden and plantar boxes complete the peaceful setting. The nuns and priests in this monastery were very friendly. When we were paying our entry fee, the priest tried to give us his recently purchased plate of French Fries.
Similar in appearance to Suceivita, the large church in the centre is decorated in colourful frescoes. The sunny side of many of these monasteries are faded, but the shaded sides still have restored, not repainted, paintings in vivid colours. We could make out images of saints reading scrolls and carrying crosses. These frescoes were so perfect that we could understand how it received UNESCO World Heritage status.
With almost no windows, it was very dark inside the sanctuary. On top of that, we were there on a very cloudy day which added to the lack of light.
Voroneţ Monastery
As we were admiring the frescoes that adorn the outer walls of Voroneţ Monastery, we saw a nun walking around the church carrying a large wooden plank called a semantron. You can see her in the lower left corner in the first picture below.
Then she circumambulated again, this time banging on a clacker. It was the most unusual call to prayer we had ever seen. Then we heard voices coming from inside the sanctuary. Some of the nuns were reciting prayers while others sang in response. At the end of prayers, the church bells rang.
The most dramatic paintings at this monastery were on the end wall of the church. There were paintings of heaven and hell and what actions would lead you to either destination. It is a fascinating method of teaching people to be good. This UNESCO World Heritage Site really earned its designation.
Humor Monastery
Located a few kilometers from the town Gura Humorului, it is one of the original painted monasteries. The building looks its age, but in a good way. The weathered exterior walls only have a few of the retouched original reliefs remaining. Some are of beggars and horses in a series of stories. It is not in as good condition as the other UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but is worth a visit nonetheless.
The monastery was originally fortified, but the walls of the fortress are now in ruins and only a tower remains. Humor is no longer used as a monastery and beside it is the new white church and monastery.
As we drove around Bucovina we enjoyed the fall colours that blanketed the countryside. We stopped often to take pictures of the stunning scenery. The landscape pictured below is not far from Gura Humorului.
Văratec Monastery
The tall, white Văratec church stands in the middle of a rose garden. Only one wall of the church still has painted murals on its exterior. Around the edge of the complex are less elaborate white buildings that serve as nuns’ residences.
While there weren’t many paintings on the outside, inside is a different story. Every square inch of the church’s interior is adorned with beautifully restored paintings.
We drove through many small towns and villages in Bucovina and saw a large number of stork nests. Platforms were erected on the tops of electrical poles so that storks had a spot to build their nests. Unfortunately we were there in the autumn and the nests were empty. It would be a great area for birdwatchers to visit in the spring.
Suceava Monastery
Unfortunately, the main church in St. John the New Monastery was covered in scaffolding so we couldn’t see its exterior. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site so we really wanted to see its walls. We were able to go inside however and found a richly decorated church and plenty of light to see all of the details.
On the grounds around the church is a cute old chapel, a bell tower and monks residence. The monastery is dedicated to St. John The New of Suceava, who was a monk during Ottoman occupation.
The town of Suceava wasn’t on our side though, as the old fortress in town was also closed for restoration. Maybe it will be open when you visit.
Pătrăuți Monastery
In the small village of Pătrăuți we found the cute Holy Cross Church and a small black wooden bell tower. Built in 1487, only the church and bell tower remain from the original monastery. It has remains of aged paintings on its front wall, but this ruined state makes it more endearing. The colouring of the paint matched the fall colours on the trees behind making it even cuter.
It was shocking to walk inside the small building. While the outside walls are white, the walls and arched doorways inside are covered in very dark frescoes. The condition of the church’s interior made us understand why it is a UNESCO Heritage Site.
Arbore Monastery
Similar in shape to Pătrăuți, Arbore Monastery has not been restored. The original frescoes on three of its sides hint to its 500-year age. There is an old stone gate but, because it was not founded by a prince, it does not have a belfry tower. To us though, the entry gate looks like a belltower anyway. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is not in as great condition as some of the others, but is still worth seeing.
How to visit the painted monasteries of Bucovina
The monasteries are located in the northeast region of Romania called Bucovina. Most of them are in small, rural towns. We drove over 200 km to visit all of these monasteries so reaching them by public transportation would be very difficult. The easiest way to see the monasteries is either by taking a tour or renting a car. We rented a car in Bucharest so that we could tour these and more places in the country. Other options are to fly or even take a train to Suceava where you could then rent a car or join a tour.
Tip – Car rental agencies in Romania require a physical copy of your international driver’s permit. Only a few, smaller companies will rent to you without one.
Most of the monasteries are open daily from 9am to 6pm. Some have a small entry fee, but others are free.
Where to stay in Bucovina
Which monasteries you want to see and the order will dictate where you stay. You would have a good choice of hotels and guest houses as well as restaurants in Suceava and Gura Humorului, but Sucevita, Voroneţ or Vama would also be good choices.
Tip – Make sure you have a written receipt from your hotel. Since this area is close to the Ukrainian border, officials may stop your car to see your passport and hotel receipt.
If you liked the Painted Monasteries, you may also like reading about Romania’s Wooden Churches.
Thanks to our friend Florin at Născut Pe Lista Neagră (Born on the Blacklist) for his help in planning our trip to Romania.
Thanks also to Romania Tourism for allowing us to use their map.
Click on the link to read our Travel Tips For Romania.
To read more of our adventures in Romania, click here.
Coming Next – Wooden Churches of Romania
For pictures from other blogs go to Gallery at monkeystale.ca
To read about more of our adventures go to Destinations.
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