Voronet Monastery

Church of St. George, Voronet Monastery

Eight churches of Moldavia in northern Romania have been recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites for the distinct Byzantine inspired frescoes with religious themes that cover their exterior walls. Built between the late 15th and 16th centuries, these churches are remarkably well preserved. I had the opportunity to visit four of these churches namely, the Church of the Beheading of St. John in Arbore, the Church of the Annunciation in Moldovita, the Church of the Resurrection in Sucevita and St. George in Voronet. The Church of St. George has been singled out for the vibrant blue color background of its frescoes which was made from lapis lazuli, among other elements. This particular shade is referred to as Voronet Blue.

The Church of St. George was completed in just three months and three weeks. It was built by Stefan the Great, Voivode of Moldavia, in 1488 to commemorate his victory over the Ottoman Turks in the Battle of Vaslui. The photo above is of the eastern wall and portrays the saints and doctors of the Orthodox Church. The frescoes were meant to teach the Scripture and should be viewed slowly to appreciate its stories.

Voronet Monastery was abandoned in 1775 due to the Hapsburg occupation. The monks didn’t return until 1991, two hundred years later. Today, nuns live on monastery grounds and they administer the daily operations of the Church.

Notice the Voronet Blue hue of the fresco on the southern wall. This section is protected from the wind and is better preserved than the northern wall where most of the paintings have been washed out.

A beautiful Gothic inspired arched window sits above the painting of Jesus Christ at entrance to the church.

St. George fighting the dragon

Last Judgement

On the western wall of the Church is the Last Judgement. This fresco has been dubbed the Sistine Chapel of the East.

In the center of the fresco is the Trinity - God the Father is on the top row enshrined in a medallion as is God the Son right below him. The Holy Spirit represented by a dove is directly below the medallion of Jesus.

In this image, The Holy Spirit is sitting on the throne just below the cross and is flanked on both sides by kneeling saints. Directly below is the hand of God holding a scale that is weighing the soul of the dead. Angels fight off demons who are pulling down the scale.

This section of the mural shows St. Peter leading the good people to the door of paradise. Behind the door is Mary seated between two angels and St. John the Baptist carrying a patriarchal or Orthodox cross.

Awaiting judgment are the enemies of Moldavia, namely the Turks, Tatars, Jews, popes and kings. Note the turbaned heads on the upper row.

Each of the monasteries designated as a UNESCO heritage site has a distinct personality from the others. It’s best to spend a few days in Bucovina to explore these unique monasteries and churches at leisure.

How to get there:

By plane: there are flights to Suceava International Airport from Bucharest. Suceava is approximately 29km or 18 miles from Bucovina. Suceava’s Monastery of St. John the New is one of the eight churches included in the UNESCO heritage sites.

By train: check rome2rio.com for details.

By private guide: I toured northern Romania with a trusted guide, Nicholas Experience Tours. The nice thing about a private tour is that it is more leisurely and there is no pressure to rush to the next site nor to catch the sightseeing bus. It also meant that I could choose the places I wanted to visit on the way north from Bucharest.

About Bucharest: https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2023/08/diy-sightseeing-in-bucharest.html

About Bucovina: explorebucovina.com

Stay connected

*****

Images by TravelswithCharie

The Fairy Tale Town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Rothenburg ob der Tauber has been on my travel bucket list for years. And I finally got there last November. It is an enchanting place. With its half-timbered houses, clock towers, colorful façades, schneeballs and beer steins, Rothenburg ODT oozes with medieval charm. It's no surprise that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I was partially filmed in Rothenburg ODT. This is a common dilemma in Rothenburg ODT. Which direction to take? It's hard to choose because every cobblestone street seems to be competing for the best dressed street award. And they are all winners in my book. After walking half a day, an inviting table for two with colorful flowers to warm a cold November day. I love how these two half-timbered buildings anchor a street that leads to another intriguing square. The Plönlein (Little Square) is the most photographed square in Rothenburg ODT. But I found more picturesque neighborhoods than this. That's ...

Midnight in Paris Movie Locations

It's not often I watch a movie but on a long flight home late last year, I had the chance to watch Midnight in Paris and was totally captivated by its plot. Can you imagine time traveling to the era of Fitzgerald and Hemingway, Picasso and Dali, Gauguin and Toulouse Lautrec? It was therefore such a treat to be in Paris and be able to see a couple of the locations from the movie. Had so much fun figuring out where the Peugeot came from to pick up Gil (Owen Wilson) and take him back to the Jazz Age. Rue Galande Rue Galande is a narrow street lined with boutiques with engaging window displays. Notice the giant flea sculpture above one of the shops. This location was shown at the beginning of the film. Interestingly enough, Rue Galande is a stone's throw from the bouquinistes along the Seine and across from the Cathedrale de Notre Dame de Paris. The Steps of St. Etienne du Mont This is where Gil was sitting, a little disoriented, when the Pe...

Casapueblo and Carlos Páez Vilaró

Casapueblo, Punta Ballena Just a few minutes from the popular beach destination of Punta del Este is Casapueblo which sits on the edge of a hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. If you're staying at the hotel, then you're in for a big treat. Imagine the view of the blue ocean made more dazzling by the sun. But that's not all. There's also an art gallery and museum next door which displays the artistic works of Carlos Páez Vilaró who also designed Casapueblo, his permanent home and studio. Casapueblo reminds one of the Greek isles at first glimpse. But it isn't that simple. Look closely and you'll find the influence of Gaudi in the architecture which Vilaró himself built with no plans. There are no straight lines. The interior has many passages and narrow stairs leading to enchanting rooms, everyone of which is different from the other. Notice the curving lines and the rooftops with their pointed concrete posts. Vilaró liked his house to a hornero's (ovenbird...

TravelswithCharie

Search This Blog