We headed fairly early towards the Monastery of Voronet, which according to Ion Neculce's chronicle it was founded by Stephen the Great in 1488 to fulfil a pledge to the hermit Daniil, his confessor at the epoch who had assured him that should he undertake a campaign against the Turks, he would be successful.
Once the Turks were forced back across the Danube, the Monastery was erected in just three months, though its superb frescoes were added between 1547 and 1550. The Voronet blue obtained from lapis lazuli has been put alongside the Titian red and the Veronese green into the lexicon of Art and Voronet often referred to as the "Oriental Sistine Chapel".
The western wall is fully painted with the last judgement, considered to be the finest single composition among the painted Monasteries.
Fish tailed bulls, unicorns and other zodiacal symbols form a frieze below the eaves, beneath which Christ sits in majesty above a chair symbolizing the "Toll Gates of the Air", where the deceased are to be judged and prayers for their souls counted;
On either side of those in limbo stand the Turks and Tartars destined to perdition.
Beneath them, devils and angels can be seen pushing sinners into the flaming river that sweeps them down into hell, in response to which graves open and a sunken ship is returned from the depth with animals bearing the limbs of those they have devoured, with the exception of the deer, symbol of innocence and the elephant, which presents no threat to Romania.
(To be continued)
They really are superb frescoes of the Monastery!
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