Our first significant result in editing cultural heritage books was The Restoration of the Probota Monastery, a reference book prepared for UNESCO at the end of the five-year UNESCO project in Romania. The St. Nicholas church of the Probota Monastery is one of the most important among the 16th century Painted Churches of the Bucovina region that are included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The rare exterior frescoes of Byzantine style make these churches unique in the world.

Bucovina, a Travel Guide to Romania's Region of Painted Monasteries is a fully illustrated practical travel guide, whose aim is to introduce one of the least known corners of Europe to travellers. Bucovina in northern Romania is a region of monasteries, unique in the world for their colourful exterior frescoes. Equally well worth the visit are the villages, still leading the traditional way of life and the stunning landscapes. Over 600 full-colour photographs, as well as plans, sections and drawings, make this guide unparalled.

The Painted Wonders is a larger-sized album book on the churches and monasteries of Bucovina where the stress is on photographs. The Bucovina Monasteries are so multifaceted that they have been the object of both scientific treatises and easy-to-read books. We decided that they finally deserve a book that not only displays beautiful photographs of the churches, the mural paintings and the surrounding landscapes, but also describes in depth this unique artistic and historical phenomenon. Still under preparation, the book is a journey through the region, showing the natural beauty of Bucovina.

As the book describing the five-year UNESCO restoration project, The Restoration of the Probota Monastery , has already run out of print, Metaneira is preparing a second, improved, edition. Whereas the first edition described the achievements of the whole restoration project, the second edition will concentrate on that, which makes the Church of St. Nicholas unique: the frescoes and the flamboyant Gothic architecture. This revised version will have more full page pictures to better reveal the beauty of the 16th century frescoes and, in addition, very precise line drawings that show, wall by wall, all the scenes present in the church.

The whole Maramures region is a living "outdoor museum" famous for its unchanged way of life and for its well-preserved wooden villages and churches. It is perhaps one of the better-known regions of Romania - but still not much travelled. Our in-preparation guidebook takes under focus the famous wooden churches, UNESCO World Heritage site, built during the 18th and 19th centuries. Besides describing each church in its own chapter, the book will have extensive chapters on the geography, history, traditional life, and religion of the region. Also practical information, such as when to go to Maramureş, what to see, and where to stay, will have its own chapter.

The Spires of Heaven, a Journey Through the Wooden Churches of Maramures is a  large-format album book where this region is presented to all those interested in nearly unchanged ways of life. Quality photographs are combined with in-depth description of the land and its people, and of course, the famous wooden churches, UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Lost Treasures of the Dacians relates to a third subject that we are interested in: that is the hill forts and treasures of the Dacians, the little-known people living in the area of Romania at the time of the Romans. Geto-Dacian archaeological sites, dated to the 6th century B.C.-1st century A.D., deserve special attention not only from historians but also from the general public.

Those interested in our books should contact the editor at:

metaneira@metaneira.com