The name Bucovina may not mean much to many people, but Bucovina, and its brave princes, played an important part in the history of this European region, and in particular with regard to relations with the Ottoman Empire. The impressive number of churches to be found there, with their fine exterior and interior frescoes, have been preserved and handed down from mediaeval times, and because of their uniqueness and artistic value, were added to UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List in 1993. There is, indeed, no other place in the world where such a group of churches, with such high quality exterior frescoes, are to be seen.

The churches were founded, in most cases, as family burial places of princes and high nobles. Each painter, although following the canonical iconographic programme, interpreted the scenes in a slightly different way. The scenes were first painted on the interior walls, and then extended to the exterior ones. The reasons for such vast scenes were both religious and didactic: to promote Orthodoxy and to educate the illiterate.

This guidebook is an innovation. It is a book about Bucovina's unique and rich cultural heritage, including its monasteries, convents and churches; and the frescoes, which are a testimony to the faith of former times. It is also a book about its exceptionally hospitable people. Bucovina is a place where different nationalities met, and learnt to live together in harmony throughout the centuries, during which they went through both good and bad times.

The idea for a handbook, illustrating the frescoes and architecture of the best-known churches in northern Moldavia, came from the fact that no other book describes, in so simple but exhaustive a manner, what the paintings show or what was their meaning when they were created. It was conceived as something that could be read quietly at home, or during an actual visit to the sites. The aim was to produce, not only an informative, reader-friendly and easy to use guidebook, but also one that is well-designed and illustrated.

This book has long been overdue. An incredibly vast amount of information has been carefully compiled to produce a resource book, which provides a perspective and understanding of this small but important corner of the world. No comprehensive descriptions of the painted churches have ever been assembled before in such a handy format. Eighteen of the most significant monasteries of Bucovina, and six others in nearby Neamt County, are described in this book. For each monastery there is an explanatory text, along with photographs of both the interior and exterior, and for the most important ones there are also detailed three-dimensional illustrations and cutaways, and line drawings.

The line drawings, which illustrate the scenes depicted on the church walls, are an original feature of the guidebook, and provide a cross-reference to the names of the scenes. These will help the reader to identify scenes, which are painted high up on the walls, or may be difficult to locate among the profusion of frescoes. For example, if one wants to know more about the reason why scenes such as The Tree of Jesse or The Siege of Constantinople, which are painted on most church façades, were introduced into the iconographic canon, and how they are related to local folklore and contemporary 16th and 17th century life, the chapter Art, Architecture and Religion provides the answers.

The core of this guidebook is the eight churches and monasteries included in UNESCO's World Heritage List: Arbore, Humor, Moldoviţa, Pătrăuţi, Probota, St. John the New, Suceviţa and Voroneţ. There are many other churches and monasteries, which are well worth seeing in the area: Baia, Bălineşti, Dolheştii Mari, Dragomirna, Părhăuţi, Putna and Slatina, as well as the towns of Suceava, Fălticeni, Gura Humorului, Rădăuţi, Campulung Moldovenesc and Vatra Dornei. Interesting to visit are the monasteries of Agapia, Bistriţa, Neamţ, Secu, Sihăstria and Văratec in the neighbouring Neamţ County.

For the first time, the unique artistic phenomenon of the exterior and interior murals of the Bucovina churches is approached from a variety of perspectives: the iconography is deciphered, the history and traditional lifestyle of the region are described, and practical information is given.

This guidebook on Bucovina is the result of the huge effort and professional interest contributed by the writers, photographers, artists and designers who prepared it. Their praiseworthy achievement will take the readers on an imaginary pilgrimage, which may encourage them, in turn, to embark on a real journey through Bucovina, Romania's land of wonders.

For more information please visit: www.romanianmonasteries.org