- Arbore Monastery
- Sucevita Monastery
- Putna Monastery
- Voronet Monastery
- Neamt Monastery
- Moldovita Monastery
- Dragomirna Monastery
A globally known beauty: Bucovina’s monasteries charm the hearts of visitors. Every year, thousands of travelers arrive to admire the vivid colors of the frescoes as bright as the day they were created. But, the real secret is hidden in the coded messages of the paintings. From the magisterial Last Judgment from Voronet to the mystery of the Ladder of Divine Ascension from Sucevita, these masterpieces remain as evidence of the artistic genius of the past. Dare to look at them and admire them!
Arbore Monastery
Year: 1503
Built by: Luca Arbore
Location: Arbore, Suceava County
In 1503, Luca Arbore, the Suceava porter, ascends to a church with the help of his lord in the village that bears his name today. The construction began on the second day of April and was completed in the same year on August 29. The church bears the commemorative plaque dedicated to St. John the Baptist. Arbore Monastery is one of the Painted Monasteries in Moldova.
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Sucevita Monastery
Year: 1601
Built by: Ieremia Movila, Gheorghe Movila and Simion Movila
Location: DN17A 169, Sucevita 727510, Romania
High walls and heavily buttressed defensive towers surround the great monastic complex of Sucevita, giving it the appearance of a fortress.
Sucevita boasts a magnificent depiction of the Ladder to Paradise.
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Putna Monastery
Year: 1466
Built by: Stephen the Great
Location: Putna, Suceava County, Romania
According to legend, this place was decided by Stephen the Great after shooting an arrow at the hill located near the monastery. The building was erected on the ground where the arrow hit. The Putna Monastery houses the tombs of Stephen (nowadays, a place of pilgrimage) and several of his family members.
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Voronet Monastery
Year: 1488
Built by: Stephen the Great
Location: Voronet, Gura Humorului, Suceava County, Romania
Voronet azure blue is the dominant color, made with crushed azurite mixed with a mysterious substance that makes the hue lighter, and more vivid. Anyway, the color composition remained a mystery until thorough lab tests were done. It is one of the famous painted monasteries from southern Bucovina, in Suceava County. Included today on the UNESCO World Heritage List together with six more churches from the region, this religious monument is a unique symbol of how local medieval princes emphasized their great support for the Orthodox faith.
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Neamt Monastery
Year: 15th century
Built By: Stephen the Great
Location: Targu Neamt, Romania
The Neamt Monastery is a Romanian Orthodox religious settlement, one of the oldest and most important in Romania. It was built in the 15th century, and it is an example of medieval Moldavian architecture. A jewel of 15th-century architecture, the church was built during Stefan cel Mare’s reign.
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Moldovita Monastery
Year Built: 1532
Built by: Prince Petru Rares
Location: Vatra Moldovitei, Suceava County
The Moldovita Monastery is a Romanian Orthodox monastery in Vatra Moldovitei, Suceava County, Moldavia, Romania. The Monastery of Moldovița was built in 1532 by Petru Rares, who was Stephen III of Moldavia’s illegitimate son. It was founded as a protective barrier against the Muslim Ottoman conquerors from the East.
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Dragomirna Monastery
Year Built: 1609
Built by: Metropolitan Bishop Anastasie Crimca
Location: Mitocu Dragomirnei, Suceava County
The Dragomirna Monastery was built during the first three decades of the 17th century, 15 km from Suceava. It is the tallest medieval monastery in northern Moldavia and is renowned in Orthodox architecture for its unique proportions and intricate details, mostly carved into stone. It lies among forested hills of fir and oak.
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