Minimum number of participants: 20. Maximum number: 50 (first came, first served basis!)
This trip provides the opportunity to see the world famous painted monasteries in Moldavia in North East Romania. The participation fee is 180 Euro and it includes:
- 2 lunches
- 2 suppers
- Entrance tickets to 4 or 5 monasteries
- Bus transport
- Guide (in English)
| The accommodation cost for 2 days in 3 star hotel is: | 110 Euro per room in a double room single use |
|---|---|
| 130 Euro per room in a double room (shared) |
The trip will begin after the Congress leaving Poiana Brasov at 15:00 on Wednesday 9th September.
On Friday 11th September Participants will be taken to Bucharest, Otopeni-Henri Coanda Airport. 2 departure times will be available based on the needs of the participants, the last one arriving at Otopeni Airport at approximately 18:00 to catch their flights home. (Arrival at Bucharest Baneasa Airport at approximately 18:45.)
The following tourist information is taken from internetromanesc.com. For more details visit the Official Romanian Tourism Information Website.
Churches, monasteries
"Above all that can be seen in Moldavia, there are the strange churches that, through the polychromy of their facades, can be compared to the San Marco Church in Venice, or the Dome in Orvieto" wrote the art critic Josef Strzygowski. (...) "Art and spiritual life of Bukovina would become one of the sights of Europe." (...) "There is no other country in the world to offer something like that."
Built in the 15th- 16th centuries, by the will of rulers like Stephen the Great, Peter Raresh, Alexander Lapushneanu, of noblemen like Luca Arbore, Theodor Bubuiog, Chancellor Tautu, or metropolitan bishop Anastasie Crimea, the churches were painted on the outside, too, after 1530, at the initiative of ruler Peter Raresh, and through the efforts of bishop Grigorie Roshca.
Seven of the foundations of that era, with their walls painted also at the exterior are now present in the UNESCO Catalogue, "Great Monuments of the World". We shall name them, in the order of the frescoes achievement.
"Thanks to the exceptional value of its monuments, Bukovina was awarded in 1975, Pomme d'Or ('Golden Apple') from the Journalist and Tourism Writers International Federation (FIJET), an award now to be admired at Moldovitsa Monastery.
Humor Monastery (16th century)
Humor
On an older place, the Chancellor Theodor Bubuiog raised in 1530 a church on a three-cusped plan, with an open porch on an archway, an innovation of local inspiration (i.e., the peasant porch), and of the Renaissance (loggia). The painting, made in 1535 by "Toma, painter of Sucheava", preserves the Byzantine iconographic scheme at the interior, and represents the most complex exterior fresco of the time, unique by its value being the image on the porch tympanum, i.e. "The Holy Virgin with Child". It is a nun monastery, holding an important collection of 16th century icons.
Humor Rugs
Voronets
Voronets was originally a hermitage built in only three months and three weeks, in 1488, by request of Stephen the Great, for the benefit of Daniel the Hermit. The exonarthex was added by the bishop Grigorie Roshca, in 1547, that being also the year of adding the outside painting. If in the nave and the altar, the original iconography generally respects the canons, at the facades of the church the anonymous painters allowed themselves some genuine interventions,- so we meet there characters dressed in Bukovina folk costumes, Romanian traditional music instruments, while the "Last Judgement", that is deployed on the western wall is deemed unique in the art of the Christian East, as well as the most renowned 'Voronets blue' thus fully justifying the name of the 'Sixtine Chapel facing the world'.
Witnesses to the 'archipelago of monasteries' still are the other foundings of the Moldavian rulers, from Roman the 1st Mushat, to Vasile Lupu, and Dimitrie Cantemir, that are kept on the whole of Moldavia.
Voronets Monastery (15th - 16th century)
Suchevitsa
The last church in Bukovina with painting on its facades, was built in 1586 by the family of the ruler Movila, with the help of the metropolitan bishop Theodosie Barbovski. It is a three-cusped building of great size, with a closed front porch, and two lateral smaller, pillar-supported ones. In 1596, covering of the outside walls took place, with the greatest number of religious images that exist on a country church. At Suchevitsa, “the last will of the ancient Moldavian art” (Paul Henry), the “Jesse`s Tree”, the „Last Supper” or the „Staircase of John the Climax” acquire the largest iconographic interpretation in Romania, being written down among the most valuable compositions of this country medieval painting.
Voronets Monastery - fresco on the southern facade
Moldovitsa
Moldovitsa is another foundation of the ruler Petru Raresh, of 1532, endowed with a monumental open porch, on columns and frames in broken arch, of Gothic inspiration. The “Crucifixion” in the nave represents the best achievement in the Bukovina frescoes of the time (1537), as well as the “Siege of Constantinople”, the largest and most minute rendering of that theme in the local outside painting. The enclosure, with strong defence walls, also includes the Museum of Ancient Art.
Voronets Monastery - Jesse's Tree
Wine and fruit growing
At Cotnari, in the ruins of the Getic-Dacian citadel on the Catalina hill, proof was found, that certifies local growing of vine 2,000 years ago. So, Stephen the Great, in the 15th century, only kept on with the work of his ancestors, having its residence and extended cellars -they still are nowadays - in the vineyard of that 'Sun king' of Romanian wines, about which the ruler Dimitrie Cantemir wrote:’ I dare to consider it more selected and better than many other European wines, including that of Tokaj'. 'Grasa of Cotnari', the basic variety that kept unchanged along times, secures the wine a sweet taste, with flavour of dried raisin.
At Jassy, on the hills surrounding the city, there are mainly produced white wines (i.e., Aligote, Feteasca, Sauvignon, Muscat Ottonel).
The wine of Hushi was considered by the ruler Cantemir in second place, immediately after that of Cotnari, its celebrity being ensured, perhaps until our
days, by the 'Busuioaca of Bohotin', a sweet wine obtained from the long time matured grapes; the voivodes Stephen the Great, Peter Raresh, Vasile Lupu exported from that area in the 15th through 17th centuries.
Nicoreshti is the name Stephen the Great gave to the vineyard where the hetman Nicoara offered the ruler the local red wine, with a balanced taste and a well preserved flavour of grapes.
At the foot of Vranchea Mountains, three vineyards make the fame of the main wine growing area of this country. At Odobeshti, there are still preserved ancient Romanian varieties (Feteasca, Babeasca, Galbena -Yellow of Odobeshti), that ensure superior white and red wines; Panchu bases its fame on the sparkling wines, prepared in the cellars as ancient as the time of Stephen the Great, as well as on beverages of the brandy type; the vineyard Coteshti attracts with red wines of the best quality, especially Feteasca Neagra, with black currant flavour.
Around the vineyards, or absolutely independent, grow apple, pear, and above all plum orchards, from whose fruits the well known national drink is obtained, tsuica, an appetiser accompanying any self-respecting meal.
Dyed Eggs
Personalities
Passing through time of the Moldavian rulers was marked by funeral monuments, memorial houses, works of art: Bogdanthe 1st (1359-1365, Radautsi), Alexander the Good (1400-1432, Bistritsa Monastery), Stephen the Great (1457-1504, Putna Monastery, Sucheava, Jassy, Barseshti-Vrancea), Peter Raresh (1527-1546, Moldovitsa, Probota, Rashca monasteries), Alexander Lapushneanu (1552-1568, Slatina Monastery), loan Voda the Brave (1572-1574, Jilishte-Vrancea), Dimitrie Cantemir (1710-1711, Hushi, Bucharest), Alexander loan Cuza (1859-1866, Jassy, Ruginoasa, Galatsi).
There also lived in Moldavia; the scholar who promoted the introduction of Romanian language into church, bishop Dosoftei (1624-1693, Jassy), one of the greatest poets and journalists ever, Mihai Eminescu (1850-1889, Ipoteshti, his natal village, Jassy, Putna, Bucharest, Constantza), the best known musician of this country, interpreter and conductor, George Enescu (1881-1955, Liveni, Dorohoi, Tescani, Bucharest 'George Enescu International Music Festival'), the scholar, historian, and writer Nicholas lorga (1871-1940, Botoshani, Valenii de Munte, Bucharest), the writer Mihail Sadoveanu (1880-1961, Jassy, Neamts Monastery, Bucharest), the writer Ion Creanga (1839-1889, Targu Neamts, Jassy, Bucharest), composer Chiprian Porumbescu (1853-1883, Shipotele Suchevei, Sucheava, Putna, Bucharest), the scholar and politician Mihail Kogalnicheanu (1817-1891, Jassy, Piatra Neamts, Bucharest).
During the WWI (1916-1918), Moldavia was the territory where famous battles were given; signs of gratitude to the memory of heroes now are the statues, the ossuaries, and the mausoleums at Marasheshti, Marashti, Vidra, Soveja, Oneshti, Grozeshti, Jassy, Vaslui.
The military museums evoke the personalities of marshals Alexander Averescu, Constantin Prezan and General Eremia Grigorescu, head of armies group that stopped the German offensive, in August 1917. The memorial architectural complex at Marasheshti reminds Trophaeum Trajani, the monument raised on this land, at Adamclisi, Dobrudja, by the Roman emperor Trajan (109 AD).
