Private Tour : Bucovina From Brasov 2 days

Humor Monastery is one of the religious masterpieces of Bucovina, a region best-known for its many churches and monasteries. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, alongside the painted churches from Voronet, Sucevita or Moldovita, Humor Monastery is almost 500 years old. Its Byzantine frescoes remain, nonetheless, rare and precious until today.Built in 1530 on the premises of an older church, the monastery of Humor has several particularities that differentiate it from other painted churches, including its smaller size and the absence of a steeple from its cross-shaped roof. These distinctive elements indicate the position of its founder who was a rich first rank court official, but was not a prince.Still, the name of Prince Petru Rares appears alongside the name of the founder, Toader Bubuiog, on the inscription placed above the church entry. This proves the princely support for local aristocracy initiatives of building new churches. In a time when political power was also closely tied to a strong religious position, being a protector of churches and monasteries appeared as a key necessity of a successful reign.Humor Monastery kept its religious function until Bucovina became part of the Habsburg Empire at the end of the 18th century. The Austrian authorities put an end to the monachal life from Humor, and only the church was allowed to continue with its religious functions. The monastery was only restored more than 200 years later, in 1991.Built as a triconch church, the architecture of the edifice combines Gothic elements, visible in the shape of doors and windows, with local elements already used before in the painted churches from Bucovina.Besides its dimensions and roof shape, the church has another particular element, an open porch with arcades that marks the entrance to the narthex. Inspired by local architecture and potentially by the Italian Renaissance loggia, the open porch from Humor Monastery is a first in the region. Another new element is a secret space hidden above the burial area inside the church were precious objects were stored in case of attacks.

You don’t have to be very religious to enjoy a visit to Voronet Monastery where you’ll see the most famous of the painted churches of Bucovina. Included today on the UNESCO World Heritage List together with six more churches from the region, this religious monument is a unique symbol of how local medieval princes emphasized their great support for the Orthodox faith in a time when its existence was threatened by the expansion of the Ottoman Empire.Voronet Monastery is included in our Active Tour in Cultural Bucovina and Painted Monasteries of Bucovina Tour.You don’t have to be very religious to enjoy a visit to Voronet Monastery where you’ll see the most famous of the painted churches of Bucovina. Included today on the UNESCO World Heritage List together with six more churches from the region, this religious monument is a unique symbol of how local medieval princes emphasized their great support for the Orthodox faith in a time when its existence was threatened by the expansion of the Ottoman Empire.Voronet MonasteryThe church of Voronet MonasteryThe Sistine Chapel of the EastAlso known as the ‘the Sistine Chapel of the East’ due to its splendid frescoes, the church of the Monastery of Voronet was built in just a couple of months, in 1488, by Stephen the Great, the most popular prince of Moldavia, after one of his victories against the Ottoman armies. This was a common practice of the prince who promoted an architecture known as the Moldavian style. Many of the churches built this way are still preserved until today in the regions of Moldavia and Bucovina.Of small, but well-balanced proportions, the church of Voronet Monastery is representative for the Moldavian style, having also Gothic and Byzantine-inspired elements. It was from the very beginning more than a religious edifice. Its frescoes highlighted the moral stories of the Bible for the illiterate villagers of the time, persuading them to act according to the Christian norms.Exquisite testimonies of their painters’ talent, the frescoes of Voronet conserve a centuries-old secret. The distinct ‘Voronet blue’ color is unique in the world, and its composition is almost impossible to replicate today.The 15th and 16th-century frescoes are the main attraction of the church, a masterpiece of Byzantine art. The interior paintings date from the time of the founder, Prince Stephen the Great, portrayed in the nave together with his family. Major Biblical scenes, focused on the life of Virgin Mary and Jesus, occupy the nave, while the narthex presents the story of Saint George and the Orthodox calendar in the small and very vivid scenes of Byzantine inspiration.Still, the exterior frescoes added in 1547 remain the most impressive. The largest of all is on the western wall, the scene of the ‘Last Judgment’, in a singular representation for the Eastern Christianity. An ample story of the last day and its tragic or happy ending, the scene should be read from the lower part where the image of heaven appears in opposition to the river of fire and a very happy Satan that greets the sinners. Coincidence or not, among the sinners are also the non-Christians of the time, the Jews and the Turks.The angels Michael and Peter have key roles, one opening the gates of heaven while the other pushes sinners to hell. A rare image is the ‘Ressurection of the Dead’ painted across from Moses leading the non-Christians to judgment. In the upper scene, next to the Throne of Judgement, groups of saints who already made it to heaven sit close to Jesus portrayed as Great Judge. A rare representation of God and the angels that fold a scroll with the zodiacal signs, a symbol for the end of time as we know it, occupy the last two registers.To make it more representative for the local community, the painters added some symbols of local culture including musical instruments, traditional clothing and nearby landscapes. Many more symbolic characters, including Adam and Eve or Greek philosophers, are painted on other exterior walls of the monastery.The monastic life at Voronet was interrupted at the end of the 18th century after Bucovina was conquered by the Habsburg Empire, and it started again only in 1991. Today, Voronet Monastery is one of the must-see attractions of Romania, and during summers is one the most popular destinations in the scenic land of Bucovina

Moldovita Monastery is one of the eight painted churches included on UNESCO World Heritage Sites, all masterpieces inspired by the Byzantine art of the 15th and 16th centuries. Their distinctive element – the external walls covered with frescoes representing complete religious cycles – makes them unique in the myriad of churches built anywhere in the world in that time.Continuing the work of his father, Petru Rares founded Moldovita Monastery in 1532, very close to where his great-grandfather had built a church more than a century before. Surrounded by fortification walls with four corner towers and a solid gate tower, the monastery combined the religious and defensive elements, a common practice of a time when enemy attacks often took place.Built on the typical triconch plan, using the Moldavian vaulting system, the church from Moldovita also has a burial room between the narthex and the nave and a small hidden niche used for storage in case of an attack, elements that appeared before at Humor Monastery.The paintings from Moldovita Monastery are among the most impressive from the eight UNESCO churches. The dominant colors are red, yellow and green, while the background is mainly white and dark blue. The multitude of religious characters is precisely and skillfully painted, conveying both their emotion and importance, the main purpose being moral and religious education. Its external and interior walls are covered with frescoes that represent ample cycles like the ‘Tree of Jesse’, the ‘Akathystos Hymn’, the ‘Last Judgment’ and the ‘Great Prayer of All Saints’.Several elements make the paintings from Moldovita stand out. Above the altar, Virgin Mary with Baby Jesus is surrounded by her parents in a scene that otherwise is dominated by archangels while in the Cycle of Passions from the nave, Jesus and Pontius Pilate appear discussing in a casual manner. Plus, the scene of the Siege of Constantinople, a central theme for all the painted churches, is best-preserved here.

Few religious monuments are as inspirational and mesmerizing as Sucevita Monastery, one of the eight painted churches from Bucovina included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. A masterpiece and ‘a testament of Moldavian art’, Sucevita Monastery marks the end of an era, a time in which medieval religious art reached new levels of innovation and creativity in this part of Romania.The history of the monastery starts with the story of the Movila brothers, the great-grandsons of Moldavia’s most beloved prince: Stephen the Great. One of them, Gheorghe, converted to monastic life and eventually became the Metropolitan of Moldavia while the other two, Simeon and Ieremia, became princes of the same historical region.Built and painted with the financial and cultural support of the three brothers in the last two decades of the 16th century, this is the last church with painted exterior walls from the region.At a first look, the monastery has the appearance of a medieval stronghold. In a time when the Ottoman Empire ordered the Moldavian state to destroy its fortresses, local princes fortified monasteries to use them as a safe retreat in the darkest times.Similar to the nearby Moldovita, Sucevita Monastery also preserves its original strong precincts, a massive square rectangle of walls six meters tall and three meters thick and five towers equipped with firing holes. Even a princely palace that hosts today the monastery’s museum was included in the original fortification walls, marking the potential defensive role of the religious monument.ike all the major churches from Moldavia from the 15th and 16th centuries, the painted church from Sucevita Monastery has a triconch layout, one special novelty being the two open porches inspired by the architecture of churches from Southern Romania. Particular elements, also present at Moldovita and Humor Churches, are the burial room with the marble carved tombs of Ieremia and Simion Movila and a secret space above them where the most valuable goods of the church were hidden.Sucevita Monastery is included in our Active Tour in Cultural Bucovina and Painted Monasteries of Bucovina Tour.Few religious monuments are as inspirational and mesmerizing as Sucevita Monastery, one of the eight painted churches from Bucovina included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. A masterpiece and ‘a testament of Moldavian art’, Sucevita Monastery marks the end of an era, a time in which medieval religious art reached new levels of innovation and creativity in this part of Romania.Sucevita MonasteryExternal frescoes, the church of Sucevita MonasteryOne of the must-see cultural attractions from Romania, the colorful image of Sucevita Monastery will stay with you for many years to come after you’ve seen it.Medieval historyThe history of the monastery starts with the story of the Movila brothers, the great-grandsons of Moldavia’s most beloved prince: Stephen the Great. One of them, Gheorghe, converted to monastic life and eventually became the Metropolitan of Moldavia while the other two, Simeon and Ieremia, became princes of the same historical region.Built and painted with the financial and cultural support of the three brothers in the last two decades of the 16th century, this is the last church with painted exterior walls from the region.Sucevita MonasteryThe church of Sucevita MonasteryAt a first look, the monastery has the appearance of a medieval stronghold. In a time when the Ottoman Empire ordered the Moldavian state to destroy its fortresses, local princes fortified monasteries to use them as a safe retreat in the darkest times.Similar to the nearby Moldovita, Sucevita Monastery also preserves its original strong precincts, a massive square rectangle of walls six meters tall and three meters thick and five towers equipped with firing holes. Even a princely palace that hosts today the monastery’s museum was included in the original fortification walls, marking the potential defensive role of the religious monument.Architecture and unique paintingsLike all the major churches from Moldavia from the 15th and 16th centuries, the painted church from Sucevita Monastery has a triconch layout, one special novelty being the two open porches inspired by the architecture of churches from Southern Romania. Particular elements, also present at Moldovita and Humor Churches, are the burial room with the marble carved tombs of Ieremia and Simion Movila and a secret space above them where the most valuable goods of the church were hidden.Sucevita MonasteryExternal frescoes, the church of Sucevita MonasteryTruly unique is the way in which its paintings surpass all the highlights of the remarkable religious paintings done in the region in the previous one hundred years. Its rich and monumental external murals are the best conserved and the most impressive of all the painted churches in Bucovina. Even its northern façade murals, usually the most damaged by weather conditions, is almost intact.Done by a local team of artists in the last years of the 16th century, the paintings illustrate traditional themes, but also present new ones, including 40 detailed scenes from Moses’ life, seen above the burial room.The largest of all Moldavian wall paintings is also found here, the Prayer of all Saints, covering seven registers equivalent to the entire height of the Eastern façade with detailed religious hierarchies done with vivid colors, almost perfectly preserved over time.The Northern wall has its own masterpiece, one of the most important in the entire Romanian medieval art: The Ladder of John Climax or The Ladder of Virtues, a theme inspired by Mount Athos traditions. This dazzling composition offers two perspectives of the monastic afterlife, heaven for the most dedicated monks and hell with all its devils for those who disobeyed the rules. It was a practical lesson and warning for the monks serving the monastery.On the same wall, you’ll see the classical theme of Genesis with Adam, Eve, Abel and Cain and their well-known series of Biblical mistakes. The interior paintings are equally rich detailed, alternating traditional and innovative themes, using the same dominant emerald green color.A priceless monument of art, Sucevita Monastery is inspirational for the contemporary traveler in search of authenticity. One of the most beautiful and remarkable attractions in Bucovina, this UNESCO World Heritage monument is a must-see no matter if you believe in God or not.

We will vist Black Ceramics of Marginea .We will visit the workshops where ceramic objects are produced. You will admire the craftsmanship of the local craftsmen and you will be able to try this craft .

Arbore Monastery was built between the 2nd of April and the 29th of August 1503, by Luca Arbore, in the village of Soloca, that he owned. He was one of the important boyars of Stefan cel Mare, being since 1486 the gatekeeper of Suceava. He had defended bravely the Suceava Fortress in 1497 against Polish attacks. Five month later, he erected the monastery, next to his private residence, meant as a family chapel and cemetery. Luca never saw the paintings of his monastery completed because he was beheaded along with two of his sons, having been falsely accused of treachery. The monument was dedicated to Saint John the Baptist.The monastery, with it’s rectangular shape,was built of brick and stone extracted from the quarries in the region. It is smaller than other painted churches and, probably , less spectacular. There is no steeple, as it was built by a landowner, and not by a ruling prince. A semicircular arcade which doubles the outside west wall of the pronaos was designed to house the bells. These now have a separate bell tower above the entrance to the church-yard.It has remarkable fresco paintings against a predominant green background, unlike Voronet, where blue is the predominant color. The green is in five shadows and 47 hues combined with red, blue, yellow, pink and ochre. Unfortunately the secret of combining colors held by the painters of Arbore is now lost. However, scientists were able to identify thirty substances, including animal size, vinegar, egg, gall and honey. Restorers can now only stabilize what has been left of the frescoes. The interior paintings were seriously damaged in the 17th-18th centuries when the church remained without its roof.he paintings were made by a team led by Dragos Coman from Iasi. The artist proves to be a genius: a widely-traveled man, he innovates, has a new vision different from the one of his predecessors, he succeeds in making a bold synthesis of oriental and western elements, well integrated in tradition though. Most of the paintings represent scenes taken from the Genesis and the Saints’ lives. They are delicate and vivid, whereas houses are drawn in perspective. The best preserved frescoes are found on the relatively sheltered south and west walls. Among the most valuable scenes one may see are The Hymn of the Prayers to the Virgin, The Siege of Constantinople, The Last Judgment, The Prodigal Son and many others. The Siege of Constantinople is a syncretic representation of the attacks of Persians, Avars and Slaves upon Constantinople in 617. The Journey of the Magi, the Holy Virgin and other scenes show the painter’s disposition to rocky landscape against a predominantly green background, like in the Last Judgment where he finds his own solutions to render the characters’ movement fluid. In the Prayer of All Saints on the apse, Christopher, the defender against death, with Baby Jesus on his shoulder is also among the martyr saints, it is a unique and unusual image for Moldavia, influenced by the mural painting in Catholic countries.On the west wall, in the niche beside which services for the dead are usually celebrated, Dragos painted a series of vivid “miniatures” like a large version of an illuminated manuscript. The top register shows The Holly Family on the flight into Egypt and the Massacre of the Innocents. Below these, there are scenes from the Life of the Virgin, followed lower down by episodes from Moses’s story. The lowest bands contain the Siege of Constantinopole, updated to reflect the contemporary fears about the Turks, rather than the Persians who were the original aggressors.The south wall contains eight registers devoted to scenes from Genesis and the Lives of the Saints. The Last Judgment is badly damaged, but it must have been a strong and imaginative composition: what remains is of excellent quality and, in the raking light, you can see some of the incised underdrawings that were made before the paint was applied. Worth noticing are the parcels containing souls which are being weighed in the balance, and the lush vegetation in the Paradise Garden .Inside the monastery, an ethnographic museum with a rich display of the region’s most valuable assets is worth visiting. The monastery was restored between 1909-1914 and 1936-1937, and appears on the UNESCO list of monuments.

The area around Bicaz Gorge - Red Lake is the perfect destination for those who want to relax in an amazingly beautiful landscape and want to enjoy the silence and the fresh air. The passing from Moldavia towards Transylvania is done through this nature’s .wonder, the Bicaz Gorge. You can imagine that the gorge was carved inside the mountain by a giant and strong water, but the truth is that the responsible for the most beautiful gorge in the Oriental Carpathathians is the small and whirling river, Bicaz. The impressive gorge is 6 kilometres long and runs between the Red Lake and the place called Bicazul Ardelean (Western Bicaz). The road is really breathtaking , made of many hairpin bends which prepare the passing to higher altitudes. If you suffer from car sickness, I recommend you to admire these beauties on foot; you will see wonderful sights !In the Gorge, the road narrows as you come closer to the stone giants, and then it winds along the stone mountain wall. The sight widens when the amazing and extremely beautiful hairpin bends, a real challenge for drivers, begin to show. You can reach the famous tunnel through the stone walls, whose crossing makes you think of the most terrible scenarios. You finally feel relieved when, after a few seconds, you take a glimpse of the mountians peaks and the wooden cross on the Altar Rock, which reminds of all the climbers who dared to climb the steep vertical mountain walls.The Red Lake (Lacul Rosu) was formed almost 200 years ago and its name is derived from the red sandstone, transported by the streams, which has painted in purple-red the soils and the surroundings up to the lake. The sight which flows and reveals itself before the tourists’ eyes is spectacular; you can admire a forest, once sunk in the lake, of which the fir-trees tops can be seen here and there.