Voronet Monastery Location: Voronet, 38 km from Suceava.
The monastery was built in just 3 months and 3 weeks in 1488, by regent Stephen the Great. In 1547, under the control of Metropolitan Grigore Rosca, the portico was added. The internal painting was carried out between 1535 and 1543, but the international fame of the monastery is due to the external painting carried out in 1547. Voronet is considered as "the Sistine Chapel of the East" this is due to the magnificent frescoes, particularly those on the western wall, where The Last Judgment is represented. “Voronet blue” has been added to the art world lexicon alongside colors like Rubens’ “Titian red” and “Veronese green.” The bell tower has two bells that were donated to the monastery by Stephen the Great, and when rung they seem to call out the founder's name.
Putna Monastery Location: Putna village, 72 kilometers away from Suceava. Putna Monastery was the first monastery built by the regent Stephen the Great. Construction took place between 1466 and 1469. In 1481 the monastery was fortified (the defense walls and the Gate Tower were added). In 1484 it was damaged by fire but in 1498 Stephen the Great financed the restoration. Destroyed during the assault in 1653, the monastery church was rebuilt between 1654 and 1662 during the regency of Vasile Lupu, Gheorghe Stefano and Eustratie Dabija. The only remaining building from the period of Stephen the Great is the Exchange Tower. The church houses the tomb of Stephen the Great, those of his two wives: Maria Voichita and Maria de Mangop and also those of his descendants up to Petru Rares. The icon brought from Constantinople by Maria de Mangop is considered miraculous. The monastery museum has a large collection of religious manuscripts and books, icons and religious objects.
Moldovita Monastery Location: Vatra Moldovitei village, in the Campulung Moldovenesc area.
Moldovita Monastery was built between 1402 and 1410 by Alexander the Good. At the beginning of the sixteenth century the monastery collapsed due to a landslide. In 1532 the regent Petru Rares built a new monastery at a distance of 500m further south than the old one. The Regent had it surrounded with turrets and strong protective walls. The exterior painting was done in 1537 by Toma da Suceava. On the south wall we can admire The Siege of Constantinople, the Jesus Tree, a group of some famous ancient philosophers.
Sucevita Monastery Location: Sucevita village, 49 kilometers away from Suceava.
The Sucevita Monastery was founded by Gheoghe Movila, bishop of Moldavia between 1581 and 1584. Later, his brother, Ieremia Movila fortified the monastery by adding defense walls and turrets. The frescoes were created by two painters, Ioan and Sofronie between 1595 and 1596. The external painting has dark green as its dominant colour. On the north wall the Scala delle Virtù is described, which symbolizes the struggle between good and evil; on the south wall appears the Tree of Life. Sucevita Monastery is the burial place of Movila's family. The monastery museum is of great value and displays, among other things, some embroidery made with gold and silver threads, silk threads and pearls which date back to the fifteenth or sixteenth century. The most important are the portraits of Ieremia and Simion Movila and an epitaph embroidered with pearls.