The magnetic beauty of painted monasteries
Masterpieces of mural painting, the painted monasteries of Bucovina are enchanting. Nestled in gentle green hills, surrounded by thick forests, they are enveloped in a mystical atmosphere, perfect for contemplation. The colorful frescoes covering the exterior walls of these churches are unique in Romania, and indeed in Europe. Surprisingly well-preserved, they are the result of a singular artistic phenomenon that flourished in the region for a few decades in the 16th century. These monasteries and their churches were erected, for the most part, during the exceptionally long reign of Ștefan cel Mare (1457-1504). Legend has it that the voivode had some forty of them built, for each of the victories he won over the Turks. Historians attribute more like twenty to him. Others were founded by wealthy boyars and other personalities of the time, who would use them as family necropolises. Ștefan cel Mare's son, the scholarly prince Petru Rareș (1527-1538 and 1541-1546), continued his father's work, building several religious edifices in his turn and initiating the fresco cycle. Remnants of this Moldavian golden age, eight of these monasteries are listed by Unesco: Arbore, Humor, Moldovița, Pătrăuți, Probota, Voroneț, Sucevița and Saint-Jean-le-Nouveau in Suceava. Their architecture blends Byzantine heritage (tri-lobed plan) with Gothic influences (buttresses). In addition to their artistic ambition, the frescoes, which also cover the interior walls, were intended to teach the Bible to illiterate peasants and nurture their faith, at a time when the Ottomans were threatening Moldavia and the Protestant Reformation was making headway. True religious comic strips, they depict biblical scenes: the Last Judgment, the Tree of Jesse, the Ladder to Paradise, etc. Executed in a Byzantine style, they also include many popular local references: for example, the coming of Christ is announced with a bucium, the instrument used by local shepherds to gather their sheep. Some of the exterior paintings have suffered the ravages of time. But most have been remarkably well preserved. The colors are surprisingly vivid: the intense blue of Voronet, the red and gold of Humor, the green of Arbore... Moreover, the technique used to produce them has not yet been fully elucidated. Painted monasteries are generally open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., every day. Admission costs around €1. They are best visited by car. Many local agencies also offer day tours. Some are accessible by public transport from Suceava, Vama or Gura Humorului. Hiking trails link some of them, notably between Sucevița and Moldovița.
Wooden churches, peasant masterpieces
They are the emblem of Maramureș, for which they are famous. The wooden churches(biserici din lemn) astonish and impress with their humble beauty, slender silhouette and resistance to time. These monuments to traditional architecture are the expression of peasant spirituality and the genius of popular craftsmanship. A civilization of wood, Maramureș has cultivated a know-how handed down from generation to generation, of which wooden churches are the most spectacular manifestation. Every village has at least one, old or new. Eight of these buildings, considered particularly exceptional and representative, have been inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage list. They are located in Poienile Izei, Rogoz, Plopiș, Ieud, Budești, Desești, Bârsana and Șurdești. Many others are well worth a visit, including the wooden churches of Botiza, Breb and Călinești, and the modern monasteries of Bârsana and Săpânța.
Erected in the 17th and 18th centuries, often replacing older churches destroyed during the last great Tatar invasion of 1717, their harmoniously proportioned architecture combines styles: their plan follows the Byzantine tradition, while the tall tower-cochers bear witness to a Gothic influence. The most impressive is that of Șurdești, which reaches 54 meters. These spires, standing on a narrow base, contribute greatly to the characteristic silhouette of these "wooden cathedrals", as they are nicknamed. Their monumental appearance is accentuated by their location, as they are often planted atop a hill and surrounded by beautiful cemeteries. Built using traditional methods, on the principle of stacked beams, they sometimes feature an exterior gallery (called a privdor). The roofs, single or double, are made of wooden shingles. On the outside, walls, opening frames and balustrades are carved with ornaments such as braided ropes and plant motifs. The interior, on the other hand, is covered with murals painted in the second half of the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century, a period of artistic effervescence when local masters from peasant backgrounds travelled the region to paint walls, iconostases and icons. The two most famous were Alexandru Ponehalschi and Radu Munteanu. Their style follows the post-Byzantine tradition, reinterpreted in a naive genre. In the 19th century, Baroque and Rococo influences from Western Europe also made themselves felt (in Bârsana and Șurdești, for example). The themes are those of the Orthodox tradition, foremost among them the Last Judgment, but popular references are numerous: here and there we recognize costumes, folk motifs, Maramureș landscapes, scenes from village life of the time... Among the best-preserved paintings are those from the church in Desești, where both Ponehalschi and Munteanu officiated. Some of these have become too narrow for the village community, and have been replaced for worship by new buildings, sometimes also made of wood. Others still welcome parishioners, dressed in their traditional costumes, on Sundays and feast days.
