FRH and Members met in Suceava, Romania, on 5-6 March 2018

FRH and Members met in Suceava, Romania, on 5-6 March 2018

The first week of March was marked by a Face to Face Members Meeting in Suceava, Romania, organised by FRH, in partnership with Asociatia pentru Turism Bucovina. Discussions with Members and Romanian partners were followed by fascinating study visits.

These meetings, organised on a regular basis exclusively for FRH Members, enhance the role of our network as a platform where Members meet, network and exchange ideas, information and practices.

On the first day, FRH Members were offered a detailed update on the organisation’s activities, as well as presented their own projects. We also had the pleasure of welcoming several Romanian guests, who gave us an overview not only of their work but also of the situation of Romanian religious heritage and the challenges it currently faces. We were truly delighted to host representatives of the University Stefan cel Mare of Suveava, the North-East Regional Development Agency, the ia Bucovina association, as well as representatives from the Romanian Orthodox Church. The day ended with a tour of the Princely Fortress of Suceava, and the informal discussions and networking continued into late afternoon.

The following day was packed with study visits, which allowed the participants to learn first-hand about Romanian religious heritage. The group visited only a few of the numerous sites the Bucovina region has to offer, including:

The Dragomirna Monastery
The monastery was built during the first three decades of the 17th century. It is the tallest medieval monastery in northern Moldavia and renowned in Orthodox architecture for its unique proportions and intricate details, mostly carved into stone.

The Radauti Jewish Temple
The synagogue was built in the early 1880s and was linked to the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Josef. The synagogue is now in use only for community celebrations, not regular service, however. The building was included in the Historic Synagogues of Europe mapping project, carried out by the Foundation for Jewish Heritage, Member of FRH.

The Putna Monastery
Built by Stephen the Great between 1466 and 1469, and dedicated in 1469, the church was erected on the grounds of an old hermitage from the 13th century. Legend has it that the place was decided upon by shooting an arrow towards a hill, and the building was erected on the ground where the arrow hit.

The Voronet Monastery
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the church of the Monastery of Voronet was built in 1488 by Stephen the Great. Its frescoes highlighted the moral stories of the Bible for the illiterate villagers of the time. The distinct “Voronet blue” colour is unique in the world, and its composition is almost impossible to replicate today.

 

We would like to thank everyone who joined us in Suceava for the inspiring discussions. We are also very grateful to Lacramioara Beilic and her colleagues from Asociatia pentru Turism Bucovina for their invaluable help in organisating this visit.

 

The next Face to Face Members Meeting

Let us also announce that the next Face to Face Members meeting will take place on 28 and 29 May in Girona, Spain. More information will follow soon. Meanwhile, feel free to contact us at info@frh-europe.org if you have any questions.

Please note that the Face to Face Meetings are organised exclusively for FRH Members.

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