hese churches were all built in the 15^th and 16^th centuries, in a time of great political and cultural development of Moldavia. The period is related to the 50-year long rule of king Stephen the Great. What makes them unique is the painting. Frescoes were typical to all Byzantine churches of that time. But here, the frescoes are on the outside! Painted more than 400 years ago, they still preserve their gorgeous colors, amazing the visitor with the perfection of the drawings and the wonderfully balanced tones. These churches, that are part of large monasteries, are now on the list of UNESCO monuments.

he reason why the churches were painted on the outside is simple, but deligtful. In those times, very few people could read. The purpose of the frescoes was to make the story of the Bible and the lives of the most important orthodox saints known to everybody, by the use of images. This way, everybody could understand the meaning of the Christian holidays and they could feel closer to God.

ne of the features worth mentioning is that each of these 5 churches has its own dominant color. The composition of this ancient dyes remained a secret of the master painters and the many attempts to duplicate the wonderful colors have all failed.

ou can reach the monasteries of Moldavia on a 1-day tour from the cities of Suceava or Radauti. Start with The Monastery of Moldovita, built and painted 1532-1537 in the time of king Petru Rares, one of the followers of Stephen the Great. The hundreds of saints depicted on the walls in specific postures almost come alive here, where the main colors are a rich dark red and a gorgeous gold. You have to see it to believe.

he road takes you through a superb landcsape, over a high hill covered with forests, to the next stop: Sucevita. The monastery here is impressive, and the high and thick walls tell the story of a troubled past. Once you step inside this real fortress, you forget about everything else. The gorgeous blue of the paintings and the detail of the frescoes almost take your breath away. On one of the side walls, the most interesting scene is "The stairway of virtue". It's the stairway to heaven. Those who try to go up are lured by the many temptations of this world, impersonated by funny or grotesque devils, and occasionally will fall. On the other side, above the stairs, an army of guardian angels try to rescue those who are about to surrender to the evil.

f you enjoy hiking, step out of the ordinary and take a 3-hour trail over the hill that faces Sucevita. This walk will take you to Putna. This place was chosen by Stephen the Great to shelter his grave. No wonder that this monastery is nowadays a place of pilgrimage for many Romanians. Built by Stephen in 1469, the church was destroyed during the many foreign invasions and rebuilt several times. You can stop for a moment near the tombstone of this great king and remember that during his time, he was the only one able to stop the invasion of the powerful Ottoman Empire. In recognition of his great personality, the Pope referred to him as "Defendant of Christiandom".

bout 10km South of Radauti, you will find the small village of Arbore. There is a church standing here since 1503. The first thing you will notice is that unlike it siblings, this one has no tower. This was the sign of a church built not by the king, but by another nobleman of the court. In this case, it was built by the faithful help of Stephen the Great, Luca Arbore. You will be conquered by the charm of this small church, standing among old oaks, with just its faithful bell tower nearby (Arbore is not a monastery). Its beautiful outside frescoes are dominated by an unforgettable emerald green color.

inally, end your tour with an unforgettable double feature. Close to Suceava, the small town of Gura Humorului  is the host of two of the most beautiful Moldavian monasteries:Humor and Voronet. In a village to the West of Gura Humorului, you will  come across the Monastery of Humor. Here, you are amazed by the intricate detail  of the frescoes and the gorgeous dark red hue. Especially nice here is the scene depicting the siege of Constantinople (the Byzantine capital) by the Persians. Instead of the usual appearance of the warriors defending  the city, the artist made them look like Moldavian soldiers of that time, showing that  Moldavians themselves were defenders of the Christian faith, in their successful standing against the Turks.