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 Monastery The church of Voronet Monastery The Sistine Chapel of the East Also 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.