Monasteries and churches

Places of worship are perhaps the most widespread kind of attraction, and each region has a church type of its own. The most sought-after monasteries in Romania, those with painted outer walls, are the speciality of Bukovina, built in the 15th and 16th centuries under Stephen the Great and his successors; Maramureș has kept its wooden churches with tall spires; southern Transylvania has the fortified churches of the Saxons, and Oltenia the Brâncovenesc monasteries. Many are on the UNESCO World Heritage list and almost all are still in use: visitors are asked to dress modestly and keep quiet.

In Bukovina, Voroneț Monastery and Sucevița Monastery are among the best-known painted churches. In Maramureș, the Bârsana Wooden Church is a good starting point. Transylvania offers the Biertan Fortified Church and the Black Church in Brașov, while Oltenia has Horezu Monastery, founded by Constantin Brâncoveanu.