"More religious frescoes?" Yes and no.
Frescoes, surely, and unquestionably religious, but
in northeastern Romania's Bucovina region, the "big
five" painted monasteries greatest treasures aren't
hidden behind closed doors. Instead, they cover the
exterior walls, eaves to ground, ready to overwhelm
viewers at first glimpse. They've been doing just
that for some 500 years.
Easily accessible from bases in Campulung Moldovenesc
or Suceava, these UNESCO World Heritage Monuments
can be viewed in one frustratingly rushed day, but
are better savored in two or three. Most packaged
tours of Romania include at least three of the monasteries.
Joining a locally based tour or hiring a taxi for
the day are other options. Those not intimidated by
narrow, winding, often pot-holed mountain roads will
find a rental car the best way to explore both scenery
and sights.
A sample circuit could begin from Campulung Moldovenesc's
comfortable Hotel Zimbrul. The hotel is right on the
main street, as is the turn-off for the first monastery
and the return from the last. A 30-minute drive through
mountains thick with fir trees leads to Moldovita,
founded in 1532. Hundreds of tableaux bring childhood
Sunday school lessons to life, but there is also the
chance to learn a little history. One of Moldovita's
most valuable compositions recreates, in vibrant reds
and blues, the siege of Constantinople. For centuries,
Romania suffered Turkish invasions and many of the
country's 2,000-plus monasteries were built in gratitude
for various victories.
Although the monasteries builders could hardly have
anticipated 20th Century driving times, the fact remains
that a 30-minute drive separates one from another.
A wooded stretch brings travelers to Sucevita whose
powerful stone fortification walls and towers seem
more likely to enclose a bleak medieval castle than
wall after wall of glorious paintings. Dating to the
late 16th Century, Sucevita boasts the greatest number
of images — thousands — painted against
a green background often compared to the color of
a lawn just after the rain.
At the town of Marginea, noted for black pottery,
drivers should turn south to Solca where a short detour
leads to the monastery of Arbore. If time demands
skipping something, Arbore would be the choice as
its exterior frescoes have faded considerably. However,
the interior offers a chance to observe the Romanian
Orthodox custom of hanging embroidered scarves around
icons and from chandeliers. In all the monasteries,
interior paintings have not fared too well, proving
that incense and candle smoke can be more destructive
than wind and rain.
To reach the next monastery, return to Solca, continue
south to the town of Gura Humorului, then follow signs
for Humor monastery. You'll know you've arrived when
a roadside display of painted eggs, hand-embroidered
vests and cloth comes into view. Prices are low, the
quality of workmanship high. In the 15th Century,
calligraphers and painters of miniatures practiced
their craft at Humor, whose walls have been described
as "pages of a manuscript covered with miniatures,
left lying on a lawn." Here, the devil is portrayed
as a woman, humorous to today's viewers, but true
to ancient peasant belief, while a "hora" (traditional
dance) danced in celebration of the Biblical prodigal
son's return could have been modeled after a 20th
century Moldavian village gathering.
Doing the circuit in reverse, starting rather than
ending at Voronet monastery, would detract from the
sense of perfection and completion that strikes almost
all who view this gem. Chronicles state that Stephen
the Great, Romania's most renowned ruler, erected
the monastery in only three months, back in 1488,
to fulfill a pledge after defeating the Turks. Its
gentle, yet vivid, blues (popularly known as "Voronet
blue") plus the quality of the frescoes have led to
Voronet's billing as the "Sistine Chapel of the East."
A magnificent Last Judgment covers an entire wall.
Animals, including elephants and whales, join people
in procession toward the open gates of heaven. First,
though, they must pass the seat of judgment. Here,
Byzantine-style figures have the soft faces of Moldavian
women while angels blow the traditional shepherd's
long horn, the "bucium," and the paradise-bound are
covered with embroidered cloths.
These monasteries remain active, so visitors might
chance on a service where the high voices of nuns
sing in response to the chanting of the priest. If
a clacking sound is heard, it signals a nun circling
the church repeatedly striking a long wooden board,
or "toaca," with small mallets to announce the start
of services.
