Voroneț Monastery

"Voroneț" redirects here. For the town where the monastery is located, seeGura Humorului.

Voroneț Monastery

Monastery information
Full name	Voroneț Monastery
Other names	Sistine Chapel of the East
Order	Romanian Orthodox
Established	1488
Dedicated to	Saint George
People
Founder(s)	Stephen the Great of Moldavia
Architecture
Style	Moldavian
Completion date	14 September 1488
Site
Location	6 km (3.7 mi) fromVoroneț,Suceava County,Romania
Coordinates	47°31′1.56″N25°51′51.3″E
Visible remains	Church
Public access	Yes

Angel of the Last Judgment

Visitors at the Monastery

TheVoroneț Monasteryis amedievalmonasteryin the Romanian village of Voroneț, now a part of the townGura Humorului.It is one of the famouspainted monasteriesfrom southernBukovina,inSuceava County.The monastery was constructed byStephen the Greatin 1488 over a period of 3 months and 3 weeks to commemorate the victory atBattle of Vaslui.Often known as the "Sistine Chapelof the East "for its vividfrescoes,Voroneț's walls feature an intense shade of blue known in Romania as "Voroneț blue."

The monastery is located to the south ofGura HumoruluiinSuceava County,in the valley of theVoroneț River.The legend of the origin of the church unites two men central to Romanian history: the founder of the monastery,Stephen the Great,andSaint Daniil the Hermit,the first abbot of the monastery. The tomb of Saint Daniil is located within the monastery.

The church is one of thePainted churches of Moldavialisted inUNESCO's list ofWorld Heritage Sites.

History

The age of the monastic site is not known. A legend tells us that Stephen the Great, in a moment of crisis during a war against theOttoman Turks,came to Daniel the Hermit at hissketein Voroneț and asked for advice. Daniel told him not to surrender the fight. Then, after victory, he must build a monastery dedicated to Saint George.The original entrance above the Church of Saint George, now in theexonarthex,bears the inscription:

I, Voivode Stephen, by the Grace of God Ruler of Moldavia, son of Bogdan, have started to have the monastery of Voroneț built to the glory of the holy and well-known St George, the great and victorious martyr, in 6996 in May on 26, on one day of Monday, after the Pentecost and I had it finished the same year, in September, 1488.

The church was built on atriconchplan (with threeapses), with achancel,anaoswith its tower, and apronaos.

In 1547, theMetropolitan Bishopof MoldaviaGrigorie Roșcaadded the exonarthex to the west end of the church and had the exterior walls painted. His contribution is recorded on the left of the entrance door:

By the Will of the Father and the Help of the Son and the accomplishment of the Holy Spirit and by the great pains taken by the faithful Kir Grigorie, Metropolitan of the whole Moldavian Country, there was added this title porch and the exterior of the whole church was painted, for the sake of his soul, in 7055 (1547).

The monastery contains tombstones commemorating Saint Daniel the Hermit, Grigorie Roșca, and other patrons of the church and noblemen.

Voroneţ was known for its school of calligraphy, where priests, monks and friars learned to read, write and translate religious texts. The school produced two notable copies of Romanian translations of theBible:The Codex of Voroneț,discovered in 1871, andThe Psalter of Voroneț,found in 1882. These books are now held at theRomanian Academy.

The monastery was deserted soon after 1775, when theHabsburg monarchyannexedthe northern part ofMoldavia.The monastic community returned to Voroneț in 1991. Since their return, those living in the monastery have constructed housing for the residentnuns,a chapel, fountains, stables, barns, and a house for pilgrims.

Church

Thekatholikon(main church) ofSaint Georgeat Voroneț Monastery is possibly the most famous church in Romania. It is known throughout the world for its exteriorfrescoesof bright and intense colours, and for the hundreds of well-preserved figures placed against the renowned azurite background. The small windows, their rectangular frames of crossed rods and the receding pointed orshouldered archesof the interior doorframes areGothic.The south and north doors of the exonarthex of 1547 have rectangular frames, which indicate a transition period from Gothic toRenaissance.But, above them, on each wall is a tall window with aflamboyantGothic arch. The whole west façade is without any openings, which indicates that the intention of the Metropolitan Roșca was from the beginning to reserve it for frescoes.

On the north façade is still visible the original decoration of the church, the rows of ceramic enamelled discs in yellow, brown and green, decorated in relief. These include heraldic motifs, such as therampantlion and theaurochs' head of theMoldaviancoat of arms,and creatures inspired by Western European mediaeval literature, such as two-tailedmermaids.The tower is decorated with sixteen tall niches, in four of which are windows. A row of small niches encircles the tower above them. The fragmented roof probably follows the shape of the original roof, which doubtless was made with shingles.

Images

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  The Church ofSaint Georgewithin Voroneț Monastery
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  The Church of Saint George
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  The Church of Saint George
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  Exterior picture of the southern walls of the church
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  Interior court of the complex
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  Exterior picture of the altar
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  Exterior picture of the western walls
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  Exterior picture — detail
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  TheLast Judgment,painted on the exterior of the Church of St. George
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  Cain and Abel,(bottom) lives ofsaints
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  Woman from Voroneț by Clarke Edward Daniel

See also

• List of Romanian Orthodox monasteries
• Churches of Moldavia
• Tourism in Romania
• Seven Wonders of Romania
• Byzantium after Byzantium

References

• Kocój E., Świątynie, postacie, ikony. Malowane cerkwie i monastyry Bukowiny Południowej w wyobrażeniach rumuńskich, Kraków 2006, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, ss. 444, 120 pf,https://www.academia.edu/24331662/%C5%9Awi%C4%85tynie_postacie_ikony._Malowane_cerkwie_i_monastyry_Bukowiny_Po%C5%82udniowej_w_wyobra%C5%BCeniach_rumu%C5%84skich_Temples_persons_icons._Painted_churches_and_monasteries_of_South_Bukovina_in_Romanian_imagology_Wydawnictwo_Uniwersytetu_Jagiello%C5%84skiego_Krak%C3%B3w_2006_s._440

External links

• 360° panoramic images from Voroneț Monastery
• Romania's Painted Churches[1]
• Photos from Romania: Monastery Voroneț
• Photos of Mănăstirea Voroneț
• Voroneț
• The Holy Monastery of VoronețRomania's National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics
• Bucovina - Treasures and Tranquillity
• The Voroneț MonasteryRural Tourism in Romania
• Voroneț Monastery