Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
There's no single explanation for this, though different reasons have been offered. Bu-
covina's clear and cold winters may have helped; historically speaking, long periods of
disuse due to the Habsburgs' closures of many monasteries (after 1785) and Communist
neglect may also have helped preserve the frescoes. Unfortunately, more senseless dam-
age has also occurred - you'll note visitors' names (from both Austro-Hungarian and
modern times) chiselled into paintings, along with the date; there's something deeply un-
settling about seeing graffiti scrawled over a century ago, appearing to have been in-
scribed just yesterday.
While wall paintings and icons are common in Orthodox churches, external frescoes are
more rare. Different explanations have been given for this too. Since these fortified mon-
asteries were created when the Turks threatened, large numbers of soldiers would have
been garrisoned within; they, like the villagers, were largely illiterate. Further, during ser-
vices, these small churches could hold few parishioners (generally, the nobility). The edi-
fying outdoor paintings thus helped explain biblical stories and ethical concepts to the
masses - useful too, considering that liturgies in Old Church Slavonic were unintelligible
to most Romanians. Majestic sacred art was also a potent symbol of Orthodoxy later,
when the Habsburgs sought to Catholicise their subjects.
A guided tour is the most time-efficient and informative way to visit. Alternatively,
renting a car allows you flexibility. Otherwise, public transport is possible, but difficult,
requiring hopping around and backtracking. Hitching is not as safe as it was and isn't re-
commended. All monasteries operate from 8am to 7pm in summer, to 4pm in winter. In
addition to accommodation options listed below, Suceava tour operators can book rural
pensiunes
; also see
www.ruraltourism.ro
or
www.antrec.ro
.
Note that most monasteries charge an entrance fee (5 lei for adults, 2 lei for students
and children) and 10 or even 15 lei for photos and video; both are allowed on monastic
grounds, but not inside the churches. Smoking is forbidden, and visitors should dress 're-
spectfully'; wearing shorts and hats (for men) is forbidden, and women are required to
cover their shoulders and wear trousers or long skirts. If you strive for even more perfect
Orthodox practice, don't put your hands in your pockets inside a church and always exit
while facing indoors.
KNOW YOUR MONASTERIES
You don't have to be an art-history snob to wow your friends with monastery fresco facts. Each Bucovina monas-
tery is unique for its prevailing colour patterns and exemplary frescoes. While some have similar frescoes, the dif-
