The Painted Monasteries of Bukovina
The heavy overhang protects the 400 year old frescoes
In the northeastern corner of Romania, near the Ukraine border are the unique jewel box churches known as the painted monasteries.
St.Stephan the Great founded many of the churches in the 16th century. Frescoes cover the walls, both inside and out. The idea was to teach the Bible to the populace who could not read. Huge murals depicting the Last Supper and the “Ladder of Heaven” fill entire walls. As well there is a portrait gallery of the saints and battle scenes between the Turks and Christians.
The freshness of the frescoes after 400 years of harsh Romanian winters is thought to be due to the large overhanging eaves of the ‘witch hat’ roofs and to the composition of the paint itself. The paintings themselves are a mixture of Byzantine and Romanian Folk Art.
Here at Voronetz, the deep blue color that predominates is said to have been made with ground lapiz lazuli.