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Church of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist of Arbore

 

Arbore

This church was built in stone in 1503 by  Luca Arbore, Governor of Suceava, close to his courts and it served as his family chapel.

The interior wall paintings dates from 1504-1523 and the exterior frescoes were painted, at the founder's granddaughter order, in 1541 by  Dragos Coman from Iasi.

The paintings here are famous for their green colour tones. It is considered a "jewel".

Inside the church we can see a unique  painting in the Moldavian region representing the Roman emperor Constantine the Great and his vision of the Holy Cross.

Church of Resurrection - Sucevita Monastery


SucevitaThis spectacular monastery was erected between 1584-1586 by the princely family Movilă and has the biggest number of wall paintings from all painted monasteries.

It was painted both inside and outside between 1596-1601 by Ioan and his brother Sofronie and it was the last monastery decorated with exterior frescoes.

Sucevita Monastery also has the best preserved frescoes to this day from all painted monasteries and some attractions are “Moses' life”, depicted on the ceiling of the room of the tombs on the inside and the famous “Ladder of the Virtues” on the exterior.

The museum has a rich and valuable collection of religious artifacts and icons, which includes the oldest painted icon found by now in Moldavia, dated in 1514.

 

Sucevita Sucevita Sucevita Sucevita Sucevita

Church of the Assumption of the Virgin
- Humor Monastery

 

Humor

The church was built in 1530 by chancellor Theodor Bubuiog at the court of prince Petru Rares, not far from the ruins of the first church of the monastery mentioned before 1415 in a time document.

It was  painted in 1535 by Toma from Suceava.

Like all of the monasteries of its time, Humor Monastery used to be surrounded by strong defending walls.

Today, we can only see and visit the North-Eastern tower which was rebuilt in 1641.

Humor Humor Humor 

Church of Saint George - Voronet Monastery

 

Voronet

Stephen the Great's magnificent church from 1488 is particularly famous for the exterior painting dominated by a unique blue, known as "Voronet blue". It  was built in 3 months and 21 days and originally had a ceramic decoration on the exterior.

The interior paintings dates from 1496 and 1550. It was extended in 1546 by Grigore Rosca, metropolitan of Moldavia and cousin of prince Petru Rares and then, in 1547, it was painted on the exterior walls.

Its  "Last Judgment", the best one of all,  is a masterpiece of world art. That's why  Voronet Monastery is known  as  “The Sistine Chapel of the East”.

 

Voronet Voronet Voronet Voronet

 

 

 

 

 

Voronet Voronet Voronet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Church of the Holy Rood of Patrauti    

 

Patrauti

The church of Patrauti has the oldest original interior paintings in Moldavia and was founded by prince Stephen the Great in 1487 as nunnery, close to Moldavia's capital Suceava, where his injured soldiers could be healed after their endless battles.

This little charming church is symbolic for the Moldavian style in architecture and it is famous especially for one of the interior paintings, "The Cavalcade of the Saints".

Arriving here, you'll have the nice surprise to meet Father Gabriel, a real encyclopedia of the history and religious art of Moldavia.   

Church of Patrauti [twitter.com/wolfemurray]

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Some of the most important churches and monasteries you can visit in this region include...