UNESCO SITES

1. Prejmer Fortress, Sibiu

Later on, in the 15th century, as the Ottoman menace was spreading, the exterior walls were added, 12 metres tall and three metres thick. As the battles with the Turks and the Tartars were quite frequent and the constant pillaging forced the villagers to start over after every invasion, each family set up small shelters inside the walls – one room per family –, to keep their most precious possessions in, and to use as a place of refuge. The fortress has 272 such rooms, in a honeycomb layout, forming together the shape of a beehive.

The fortress was under siege several dozen times, and in this process its defence system was improved; the pride of this system was the “death organ”, an ingenious device that would ensure continuous firing at the attackers. This was the reason why the Prejmer Fortress was the strongest fortified church in Eastern Europe, lasting until present times and joining other famous citadels in the UNESCO heritage.

The Prejmer church

Dedicated to “The Holly Cross”, the Prejmer church has been built on a central plan, on Greek cross, modified by the interventions in the sixteenth century. It is the best preserved and the most powerful medieval fortress-church in the Eastern Europe. The most valuable artifact in the church is the altar which was manufactured around 1450, being the oldest in Transylvania. Its folding wings are painted on both sides and depict the Passion of Christ. The central part depicts the Crucifixion. The simple compositions are typical of the iconography patterns and have a particularly impressive glow of the tones of red, brought forth by the golden background. The name of the master painter is not known but he is speculated to have had a Viennese formation. The influence of the Austrian school of painting is evident in the attempt to suggest the perspective of geometric images inside.

Visiting hours:High season: from May 1 to November 1From Tuesdy to Friday: 9.00 – 17.00,Saturday: 9.00 – 15.00,Sunday and Monday: closedLow season: from November 1 to May 1From Tuesday to Saturday: 9.00 – 15.00,Sunday and Monday: closed

Ticket Prices:Adults: 8 lei,Pupils/students: 4 lei

2. The Fortified Church of Biertan

The fortified church of Biertan is one the oldest settlements in the Transylvanian region and can be foud in the town with the same name (Biertan / Birthalm), being first mentioned in a historical document in 1283.

In order to appreciate its beauty, first we must understand its historic and social significance for Transylvania region. During the times of war, the church was considerated to be the most important centre of the community, not only spiritual speaking but also cultural and administrive. Also, Biertan Village is today one of the most visited villages in Transylvania due to its historically important location: the centre of the annual reunion of the Transylvanian Saxons, many of whom now live in Germany.

Through out history, Transylvania region was confronting not only numerous attacks by the Ottoman Empire, but also several diferences regarding the inhabiting population: with four existing confessions in the region, you could have expected to appear constant religious wars. However, in Transylvania the tolerance for each other was higher than religion or any other political affiliation. As a result, Biertan Village had become in time, the perfect shelter for all the inhabitants of the village, persisting trough history.

Regarding the approuched arhitectural style, the church was built in the Late Gothic style, in the 16th century, having monumental dimensions and being surrounded by three sets of walls, with six towers and three bastions.The locking system, preserved to this day, is very ingenious, using no less than 19 locks.

A very intersting legend of Biertan fortified village is the one about the spousal prison. It is said that the couples from the village that were having fights or wanted to separate (divorce), were first locked together in a cell in order to find a way to connect eachother again and to reconcil. They were forced to share the same bed, to eat from the the same plate with the same spoon and drink from the same cup. As a result, the Biertan village is now considered to be the only place where couples leaves happily ever after. The facts also shows that in Biertan, it has been only one divorce in the past 300 years.

Visiting hours:High season: from April 1 to October 31Daily: 10.00-19.00Low season: from November 1 to March 31: Closed

Ticket Prices: Adults: 8 leiPupils/students: 8 leiGroups: 8 lei Guiding included

3. Hurezi Monastery, Horezu – Jud. Valcea

The Hurezi Monastery was built between 1690 and 1697 and has preserved to this day most of its original murals. The history of the site (included in the UNESCO heritage) is closely tied to the life of the Romanian prince Constantin Brancoveanu, the founder of the monastery.

After a 26-year reign, during which he revitalized the country’s cultural life and developed a unique architectural style, with elements inspired by the local architecture and ornaments, he was taken prisoner by the Ottoman Empire and accused of treason.His imprisonment occurred in 1714, as a consequence to the fact that he was taking advantage of Russian and Ottoman alliances at the same time. He was discovered and deposed from his throne by Sultan Ahmed III, and brought under arrest to Constantinople.

He was thrown into a dungeon within the fortress of Yedikule (the Seven Towers). There he was tortured by the Ottomans, who hoped to locate the famous fortune he had supposedly amassed. The prince rejected the Porte’s false accusations, refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing and was executed, together with his four sons.

Today, his portrait watches over the entrance to the church and the priests invoke in their prayers the name of this great man, whose act of defiance made him one of the martyrs of Christendom. Through his death, Constantin Brâncoveanu became the hero of many Romanian folk ballads, and he was also depicted on some of Romania’s official coinage. According to the Romanian Orthodox Church, the reason for his and his sons’ execution was their refusal to give up their Christian faith and convert to Islam. In 1992 the Church declared him and his sons saints and martyrs. Their feast day is August 16.

In honor of the great historical figure Constantin Brancoveanu, the Romanian government has decided to dedicate 2014 to him and his family, who have been martyred about 300 years ago.He was not only a great ruler, but also a great patron of culture. Under his reign, many Romanian, Greek, Slavonic, Arabic, Turkish, and Georgian texts were printed after a printing press was established in Bucharest – an institution overseen by Anthim the Iberian.

Visiting hours:Summer seasonDaily from 08:00 to 20:00Winter seasonDaily from 09:00 to 17:00

Ticket Prices:Monastery – FreeThe Museum of the Monastery – Adults 2 lei; Children 1 leu

4. Voronet Monastery – Bukovina Region

Man’s connection to the divine has taken many forms throughout time, from small altars and statues dedicated to the gods, to majestic cathedrals and to pyramids built in the heart of the jungle. The limits of creativity have been pushed ever further in the attempt to surpass everything that had been built before – taller, more ornate, more awe-inspiring.At a time when Western European Christians were erecting cathedrals that overtook in size and beauty everything that had been built until then, the Bukovina region followed a different direction. The painted monasteries of Romania impress through their perfect blend of nature, man and artistic creativity. The seven monasteries in Bukovina are the proof that the beauty and harmony of colour can be found in the most unexpected of places. The Monastery of Voronet has become famous worldwide for the blue colouring used in its exterior frescoes – a colour known as “Voronet blue” – and charms the visitors with its 500-year history, its legends, and especially with its artistic value.

The church was built in 1488 in record time – three months, three weeks and three days –, today being part of the UNESCO heritage. The exterior murals have preserved their hues despite centuries of inclement weather, but the ingredients used in preparing the paints are still a mystery. The scenes in the murals depict, like a movie, the history of Christianity, presented in an original manner, very much influenced by folk beliefs, by the Eastern culture, but also by the Orthodox thought.

Voronet Monastery – The Legend

A beautiful legend wraps the monastery in a mysterious atmosphere. According to this, Stephen the Great was in a critical moment of his reign. The Ottoman Turks defeated him in a fierce battle and his army was strongly demoralized. For the first time in his life he wanted to give up and to bestow, at last, the country to the Sultan. But only the thought of that was too unbearable for a true Christian ruler like himself. So, with his last strengths, he went to the thick forests of Bucovina Mountains, to seek advice from the wise hermit Daniil. Daniil told the mighty ruler that he must never give up and the victory will be his but only, if he promises that, after winning, he will erect a monastery dedicated to Saint George. And, as Saint George defeated the dragon, the same Stephan the Great defeated the Ottomans.

Visiting hours: From dawn till dusk

Ticket Prices: Adults: 5 leiFilming fee (outside only): 10 leiFilming is not permitted inside the Church

5. Sucevita Monastery – painted Monastery in Nothern Moldova

Construction work on the church began in 1585, at a time when the entire area was shaken by the power struggle between the Ottomans, the Poles and the Austrians, who fought for control over the region. This is one of the reasons why the monastery was surrounded with three-metre deep, six-metre tall fortified walls; the fortification was also meant to protect the members of the royal family, which used the monastery as residence.The church was built in the Moldavian style, with Gothic and Byzantine influences. The interior and exterior murals narrate the Lives of Saints – from a mediaeval perspective – and portray the philosophers of the Antiquity.

By far the most impressive mural is the “Ladder of Virtues“: thirty steps, symbolising thirty values to be adopted or rejected, the distance between redemption and fall. The murals are dominated by the colour green, obtained through an ancient technique from natural pigments. Today, Sucevita is one of the most visited monasteries in Bukovina. In its workshops, the nuns work on restoring old wooden icons, religious books and embroideries, using the same methods Mediaeval craftsmen have used when they were originally made.

Sucevita Monastery- The Legend

Sucevita is chronologically the last monastic ensemble among the painted monasteries in Bukovina, as it has the appearance of a real fortress, with towers, buttresses and watch roads. The legend has it that an old woman had been working there for thirty years, carrying in her ox wagon stone for the construction of the monastery. As a result, a female head is carved in black stone within the monastery’s yard. The dominant colors of the frescoes are purple, red and blue. They appear against an emerald green background, defining as an amazing chromatic effect. Another interesting painting is the Siege of Constantinople on the south façade, reminding of the Romanians’ fights against foreign invasions, especially Turks. The painting mixes scenes of the siege of Constantinople from 1453 with others referring to a previous such attempt made by the Persians, in 626. Against an intense blue background, you can also see the Hymn to the Virgin composed by Metropolitan Sergius in thanksgiving for her intervention. The Last Judgement is also present, and displays apocalyptic images of dignitaries being taken along by Satan to Hell.

Visiting hours: From dawn till dusk

Ticket Prices: Adults: 5 leiFilming fee (outside only): 10 leiFilming is not permitted inside the Church

6. Moldovita Monastery, – painted Monastery in Nothern Moldova

In the heart of the Bukovina region, a remarkable land, with old villages inhabited by Romanians who look like they’ve stepped out of a history book, stands one of Romania’s best-known monasteries. The Monastery of Moldovita, included in the UNESCO heritage in 1993, was built between 1532 and 1537. The nuns living here help the visitors understand the significance of the place, talking expertly about the history of the monastery and about the frescoes that continue to delight the eye and the heart with their vivid colours, which have remained the same five centuries after they were painted. For hundreds of years, the murals were the only way uneducated country dwellers could learn about the teachings of the Bible. The frescoes are an immense colour illustration of Biblical scenes, adapted to the history of the place and to the important moments in the life of the community.

Moldovita Monastery – Medieval art at its purest

Often called ’A Parchment in Red’, the exterior frescos imply colors which are mainly yellow ochre combined with amazing hues of red, blue and green. Along with the ones at Voronet, Moldovita’s frescoes, have best preserved their colors which are astonishingly fresh and vivid. The green, which represents the earth line, and the blue of the background associates the structure to the grass of the lawn around it and to the sky against which it projects, making the viewer think the church emerged from the life blood of the earth, reflecting the surrounding nature.But looking beyond the colors, what amazes the most is the Crucifixion (nave) which is considered the most valuable painting reflecting this theme in Bukovina churches. As a result, it is often compared with international valuable art such as Italian art (the Descent from the Cross) or with the 15th-century icon painters of Novgorod (the Mourning Of Christ – north wall). In all the paintings, scenes and figures are carefully distributed, showing the harmonious proportions of the church.

Visiting hours:From dawn till dusk

Ticket Prices: Adults: 5 leiFilming fee (outside only): 10 leiFilming is not permitted inside the Church

7. The Wooden Churches of Maramures, the church from Ieud

The wooden church from Ieud is a typical church having the classic arhitectural style of Maramures, found to all the wooden churches in the area. However, the particularity of this church is its size and its age (it is considered to be the oldest woonden church in Europe). Another specific feature is its high tower, with influence of the gothic style, but also with significant Orthodox influences. The amazing murals were made directly on wood by unknown craftsmen and are fortunately well preserved even to this day.

Under the rooftop of this church, it was found one of the oldest books, the codex of Ieud, featuring a very old writing in Romanian language (today it is kept in the archives of the Romanian Academy in Bucharest). The manuscript was dated by some researchers back in the 16th century. However, other researchers believe that the manuscript dates back a much longer time ago – from 1391, being anterior to the first known Romanian writting yet. Regarding the interior paintings of this church, they form a great example of Byzantine mural paintings from Maramures and ilustrate scenes from the Old and New Testaments. Inside the church the visitor will find also old wooden icons (XVI-XVII centuries), a priceless collection of icons painted on glass, carpets with geometric motifs, painted with vegetal and mineral colorants.

There is also a lower church of Ieud. This one was erected in 1718, just after the last raid of the Tatars. It is one of the largest wooden buildings in Romania, and for this particular reason it is called by some people “the wooden cathedral.”, which gives it a sort of special grandeur. The church preserves a rich collection of icons on glass and other Transylvanian painting centers.

An intersting fact is that during the New Year Celebration Period, at the beginning of every year, there are organised open theater shows ilustrating scenes with Religious background.

Visiting hours:

Ticket Prices: Adults: 2 leiFilming fee (outside only): 5 leiFilming is not permitted inside the Church

8. The Wooden Church in Poienile Izei, Maramures

The wooden church in Poienile Izei is one of the most beautiful wooden churches in Maramureş, being built 400 years. The church has managed to survive during the Tartaric invasion, and the habitants from the village strongly believe that its was a miracle, the metal crescent on the pinnacle of the tower, right under the cross, being a proof of the dangers it had to face. An intersting aspect of the church is its entrance considerated to be a genuine time portal, which has the ability to take you on a journey through the entire life of this small community throughout many generations. The village has a special vibe, due to the feeling that resents in the air: you can actually experience the sense of its history by smelling the scent of old wood. For the tourists that wish to discover a hidden world and want to experience a genuine walk into history, this charming site off the beaten track is the perfect place for this type of activity.

 Significance of images in the wooden church:

The wooden church is covered on the inside with spectacular frescoes showing scenes of the Last Judgment on its “pranaos” (walls). This painting has made this wooden church famous, for being one the fewest churches with this dominant theme, of the Last Judgement painted inside the walls. The scenes are presenting terrible images of the punishments for sins: the liar hanged by his tongue, the witch gored by cows for casting a spell on them, the farmer plowed by two devils for stealing his neighbor’s land, the mother forced to swallow her aborted baby, and the person who sleeps while the priest is preaching, is forced to lay on a burning bed and endure the devil’s violin. The sins presented on the wooden walls of the church represent and characterize the moralizing ideas which the residents of Maramures region are having about the world, with religious content, defending their Orthodox way of thinking.

For its content and for its high level of majestic art reached by the gifted craftsmen of Maramures, the wooden church from Poiana Izei can be considered without doubt one of the most beautiful and well preserved wooden church from Maramures.

Ticket Prices: Adults: 5 leiFilming is not permitted inside the Church

9. The Danube Delta – Biosphere Reservation

Danube Delta is a unique land in Romania with a unique ecosystem and the second largest and best preserved of Europe's deltas. Being the refuge for thousand of species and at the same time, the third richeast area in the world in terms of biodiversity, Danube Delta it is a true paradise for nature lovers and for those who wish to observe wildlife in its natural habitate, (especially for bird watcher’s enthusiasts). In terms of biodiversity it is exceeded only by the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Galapagos Archipelago in Ecuador.

There are many reasons why Danube Delta it is declared a biosphere reserve and a natural site included in the UNESCO world heritage: over 98% of the European aquatic fauna is found here, represented by more than 320 species of birds, including the largest pelican colony on the continent; the area is also the last remaining place in Europe where wild horses still roam free. Together with specific houses of the local fishermen, where people have learned to live with few natural resources, in a land surrounded by waters – villages in this wet land have a particular beauty.

The Danube Delta – wildlife sanctuary

Fortunately, out of the ten countries crossed by the Danube (the third biggest river in Europe), Romania is by far the most privileged one, as it hosts Europe’s last natural paradise. The entire area boasts an astonishing diversity in terms of wildlife and landscapes of unmatched beauty.

What makes the Danube Delta one of a kind? Here are just a few reasons:

The forests of Letea and Caraorman are the only areas in Europe where we can still encounter tropical creepers. Owing to the migratory birds (some of them from as far away as China and Africa that are attracted by the maze of canals, which offer the perfect breeding ground), in their way to the final destination they bring the seeds of exotic plants adding an exotic touch to the landscape and making the vegetation to look like a small-scale jungle.

The richness of the Danube Delta area doesn’t strictly refer to its natural richness, but also to the historical heritage. Numerous archaeological sites existing today (Roman forts and ruins of Greek, Byzantine or Getic fortresses) give this realm a legendary dimension.

The Danube Delta is the largest and most compact reed area on Earth.

”Noctiluca miliaris” is the scientific name of an aquatic plant whose fluorescent color conveys the effect of magical water, this is why people call it the “sea-candle”.

The most favourable periods to visit the delta are the spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October), when temperatures are pleasant and there aren’t too many mosquitoes and horseflies. Summer is also a beautiful season in the delta, but it is known that during calm evening (which are common in this season), huge clouds of mosquitoes invade everything at nightfall. Ideal refuges in this case are tents of any kind, but they must be closed before 6 P.M. After this hour, if you want to have dinner, admire the sunset or the nature, you must do it indoors or from spaces protected with mosquito nets.