The Painted Monasteries
BUCOVINA
The region of Bucovina is famous for its beautiful painted monasteries – collectively designated World Heritage Monuments by UNESCO in 1993!
They are all located in serene and peaceful places, surrounded by inspiring landscape, in the northeastern part of the province called Moldavia, across the mountains to the east from our equestrian centre.
Most of the monasteries of Bucovina are painted on the inside, but some of them have the distinction of being painted on the outside as well! (to provide a visual understanding of the Bible for those who couldn’t read at that time).
Although rain and wind have damaged the lively colours of the frescoes during the centuries, some facades have been very well preserved, from the greens of Sucevita, to the blue of Voronet and the red of Humor…
All Orthodox monasteries face East, following the traditional local belief that the light of God shines in the image of the rising sun. Each monastery is dedicated to a saint whose patron day is among the most important feast days for the locals.
The Habsburgs closed most of the monasteries during their occupation between 1775 – 1918, but the inhabitants continued to be persecuted during the Communism as well. It was only after the Revolution in 1989, that the activity of these holy sanctuaries has returned to normal and they now open their gates to every interested visitor.
07.05.2008. 14:32
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