The Moldavia Painted Monasteries are arguably one of Romania’s most frequented attractions. These churches are the finest example of Romanian craftsmanship during the 15th and 16th centuries.
The Moldavia-painted monasteries were constructed and painted during the reign of King Stephen the Great. The uniqueness of the churches was that the traditional inner fresco was painted on the exterior walls of the church. Frescoes were painted lovingly and in consummate detail on the walls. Each painting is a masterpiece. The reason for such illustrations on the outside of the churches is due to the general illiteracy of the local Romanian population at that time. The paintings were theological in nature and explained the sequence of Biblical events in a linear fashion. The paint used in those paintings still preserves their color integrity.
Every Moldavian painted monastery is painted in its own special predominant color. There are five principal churches in the region. The five painted monasteries in Romania are situated in Moldovita, Sucevita, Putna, Arbore and Gura Humorului. The Monastery of Moldovita is painted with the dominant colors of rich dark red and gorgeous gold. The Sucevita monastery is painted in a dominant blue color. The side walls of Sucevita church project a painting named “The Stairway of Virtue”. The painting depicts a stairway to heaven.
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