Travel guide – southern bucovina
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Overview
Tucked into the northeastern corner of Romania, and the medieval principality of the Moldavian region, Bucovina lies in the easily-defended Carpathian foothills where the region’s hero, Stefan the Great, fought back the Turks in the 14th and 15th centuries and then built churches and monasteries throughout Moldavia to celebrate his victories. There are 48 monasteries in total, some with fortified walls to protect against invaders. These unique monasteries and Byzantine churches with their exceptional exterior frescoes is one of the most fascinating sights in Romania. Seven of the painted monasteries have been included on the Unesco World Heritage List.
The area is worth visiting, not only for its wealth of religious art and the beautiful monasteries, but also for the natural beauty and simplicity of the region with its rolling hills, forests and tranquil valleys. The countryside is scattered with picturesque villages and rural scenery as local folk go about their daily business; horse-drawn carts dominate the lanes, driven by people bundled up against the cold, outdoor wells and piles of chopped wood adorn the yards, and produce markets bustle with activity. These are some of the scenes the traveller will encounter in this fascinating region of Romania, a stark contrast to the frenetic pace and way of life shaped by the modern face of city living.
Once the capital of Moldavia and today the largest town in the area, Suceava is the gateway to visiting the painted monasteries of Southern Bucovina. There are a couple of places of interest in town, including old medieval churches, the Bucovina History Museum and its main tourist site, the Schaun Citadel, a fortress built to hold off Mehmed II in 1476.
Things to do and see in or around Suceava
The Painted Monasteries
The 15th century painted monasteries of Southern Bucovina are some of the greatest artistic monuments in Europe and among the most picturesque treasures in Romania. Most of the churches are fortified with strong defensive surrounding walls as protection against Turkish invaders and they sheltered large armies of soldiers awaiting battle. The exterior walls of the monasteries are richly decorated with vivid frescoes depicting dramatic Biblical scenes, intended to teach Christianity to the illiterate by means of pictures. The artwork has amazingly survived harsh exposure to the elements for over 450 years and the intense colours have been well preserved. The five main painted monasteries near Suceava are Humor, Voronet, Moldovita, Sucevita and Arbore. The predominant colour of the artwork at Voronet is a vivid blue that serves as a background to the designs. The quality of the frescoes, the magnificent Last Judgement and the brilliant colour has earned it the moniker of ‘Sistine Chapel of the East’. Humor is characterised by its predominant red colour; and the largest and finest of the monasteries, Sucevita, has its thousands of painted images on a background of emerald green. Moldovita, situated in the middle of a quaint farming village, consists of a strong fortified enclosure with towers and heavy gates, with the beautiful painted church in the centre. Also nearby are Dragomirna and Putna monasteries, the latter home to an active community of monks and a small museum containing medieval manuscripts and rare textiles.
Climate
Romania has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. Spring and autumn are cool and pleasant, making May and June, and September and October the best months to visit. Summers are hot from July to August and winters are harsh and very cold between December and March, with snow falling throughout most of the country. Spring and summer are the wettest seasons, but rain can be expected throughout the year.
Health
Medical facilities in Bucharest are good, but poor in the smaller towns and basic medical supplies are often in short supply. A reciprocal health agreement exists between the UK, USA, Canada and Australia that entitles nationals to free emergency medical care, but health insurance is strongly advised. There have been a number of Hepatitis A cases in Romania and visitors are advised to seek medical advice about inoculations before travelling. Visitors should drink only bottled water. Stray dogs carry rabies and tick-borne African Typhus disease, and should be avoided. In October 2005, cases of Avian bird flu were reported in a poultry farm in the Danube Delta, but no human cases have been reported. The risk for travellers is very low, but visitors should avoid any contact with domestic, caged or wild birds and ensure that eggs and poultry dishes are well cooked.
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