Humor
Humor was built in 1530, the absence of a tower suggesting that it was not built by a royal leader but by High Chancellor Theodor Bubuiog at the request of Voivode Petru Rares. Standout architectural elements include the floating Byzantine vault and the inclusion of Gothic window frames; the arcaded open porch was another innovation for the time, apparently inspired by local building traditions. Smaller than the other monastic churches, Humor's paintings are Byzantine, but include Gothic and Roman elements; the predominant color here is a dark red, made from the madder pigment. The exterior frescoes are less well preserved than those at Voronet, but what does remain is quite lovely. Badly faded on the southern wall is the siege of Constantinople, with the Virgin answering the prayers of the besieged. As you enter the church, angels peer down at you from above, perhaps preparing you for the sight of more horrors being visited upon the martyrs. In the adjacent "Woman's Room" there are numerous depictions of female saints. For spectacular views of the surrounding countryside and the village of Manastirea Humor, climb the fantastically narrow stairs in the tower (built in 1641) attached to the complex outer wall; the trip up is more fun than the Tower of London. Like Humor, this church was brought back into service only after the fall of Communism.
Humor was built in 1530, the absence of a tower suggesting that it was not built by a royal leader but by High Chancellor Theodor Bubuiog at the request of Voivode Petru Rares. Standout architectural elements include the floating Byzantine vault and the inclusion of Gothic window frames; the arcaded open porch was another innovation for the time, apparently inspired by local building traditions. Smaller than the other monastic churches, Humor's paintings are Byzantine, but include Gothic and Roman elements; the predominant color here is a dark red, made from the madder pigment. The exterior frescoes are less well preserved than those at Voronet, but what does remain is quite lovely. Badly faded on the southern wall is the siege of Constantinople, with the Virgin answering the prayers of the besieged. As you enter the church, angels peer down at you from above, perhaps preparing you for the sight of more horrors being visited upon the martyrs. In the adjacent "Woman's Room" there are numerous depictions of female saints. For spectacular views of the surrounding countryside and the village of Manastirea Humor, climb the fantastically narrow stairs in the tower (built in 1641) attached to the complex outer wall; the trip up is more fun than the Tower of London. Like Humor, this church was brought back into service only after the fall of Communism.
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