Attractions and Places To See in Suceava - Top 20

The Voroneț Monastery (Romanian: Mănăstirea Voroneț) is located in the Voroneț district of the small town of Gura Humorului in Suceava County in the historical region of Bukovina in Romania. The church of Sfântul Gheorghe ("Saint George"), located within the monastery walls, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993 along with other churches in Moldavia.[1] The other monastery buildings no longer exist. According to legend, Stephen the Great built the Voroneț Monastery to commemorate the victory in the Battle of Vaslui. The famous monastery church of Saint George was built as a triconchos between May 26 and September 14, 1488. It was not until 1547 - during the reign of Stefan's son Petru Rares - that the canopy was added and the painting of the church's outer walls, which had already been planned at the beginning of construction, was completed under the supervision of Bishop Grigore Roscas, whose bones are buried there.[2] Because of its excellent frescoes, the church is also called the "Sistine Chapel of the East". The depiction of the Last Judgement is found on the entire western outer wall of the building. The paintings on the south side depict the "family tree of Jesse". Weather influences have caused the most damage to the north side. On this side are depicted Adam and Eve in Paradise and the Akathistos hymn. On the east side are martyrs, apostles and saints who turn in adoration to the Mother of God with the baby Jesus. A special feature of the "Holy Hierarchies" in Voroneț is that ancient philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato, Socrates and others are also represented, as well as the Sibyl as an ancient seer.[3] The particularly beautiful medieval paintings and the color design, the so-called "Voroneț blue", are unique in religious Moldovan painting.

Humor Monastery (Romanian: Mănăstirea Humor) is a Romanian Orthodox women's monastery located about 5 km north of the city of Gura Humorului in Romania. The monastery church "Adormirea Maicii Domnului" was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993 along with other churches in Moldova. Humor Monastery is the first monastery of Stephan cel Mare.

The monastery is one of the most beautiful monasteries in Moldavia and the only one whose interior and exterior walls are completely covered with wall paintings and whose frescoes inside and outside are completely preserved.[2] One of the significant images is the depiction of the "Ladder of Virtues" on the north façade, which shows a ladder to the gates of heaven. Devils try to pull the people climbing the ladder down into the gorge of hell, while angels hover above the ladder. The people climbing the stairs are dressed like monks. On the outer walls there are also 14 depictions from the 16th century with images of ancient Greek pagan poets and thinkers, such as a picture of the Neoplatonic philosopher Porphyrios, Astakoe, Solon, Sophocles, Plato, Aristotle and Pythagoras, as well as a depiction of the Sibyl.[3] The images are an example of the relationship of the Eastern Church to the spiritual heritage of pre-Christian Greek antiquity.[4]

The Moldovita Monastery is located in the Vatra Moldovitei municipality in Suceava County and is one of the most beautiful Moldavian monasteries. Narrow roads through mountainous terrain lead to the monastery, which is surrounded by forests and meadows. The Moldovita Monastery is an active women's monastery. The nuns have lived here for centuries according to the strict rules in force. The day begins at 6 a.m. with several hours of prayer, followed by farm work and housework. Believers regularly come to worship from the surrounding villages or from more distant areas. The monastery was founded as one of the later Moldavian monasteries in 1532 by the successor of Stephen the Great, Petru Rares. In 1537, work began on embellishing the interior and exterior walls of the church with frescoes. One of the most important paintings is "The Last Judgement" and a dramatic depiction of the "Siege of Constantinople". Inside the church are portraits of Prince Petru Rares and his family. The monastery also houses a museum, where numerous pieces of furniture from the 16th century and relics, manuscripts and furnishings from the 17th century can be viewed. In addition, decorative art items made of ceramics and wood are on display, as well as historical clothing and an embroidery personally donated by Stephen the Great.

Because of the excellent frescoes, the church is also called the "Sistine Chapel of the East". The depiction of the Last Judgement is on the entire western exterior wall of the building. The paintings on the south side depict the "family tree of Jesse". Weather influences have damaged the north side the most. On this side are depicted Adam and Eve in paradise and the Akathistos hymn. On the east side are martyrs, apostles and saints who turn to worship the Mother of God with the baby Jesus. A special feature of the "Holy Hierarchies" in Voroneț is that ancient philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato, Socrates and others are also represented, as well as the Sibyl as an ancient seer.[3] The particularly beautiful medieval paintings and the color design, the so-called "Voroneț blue", are unique in religious Moldovan painting. Source: Wikipedia

The Mănăstirea Moldovița women's monastery is in excellent condition. Its rich exterior paintings, some of which depict dramatic battle scenes, tell the story of the siege of Constantinople. It contains an altar made of ebony, a treasury and the secret chamber above the burial hall. It was founded by Petru Rares in 1532, painted in 1537 and is significant for that time. The monastery is a true monument of Romanian feudal art, a fortress that blends harmoniously into the landscape. Inside the church, pieces of furniture from the 16th century have been preserved, including the throne of Prince Petru Rares. There is also a statue of the prince who had the monastery built. Along with other Moldavian monasteries, it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.

The Sucevița Monastery (Romanian: Mănăstirea Sucevița) is located in the Sucevița commune in Suceava County in Romania. The Romanian Orthodox church within the monastery walls, which is dedicated to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, has been one of the eight Moldavian monasteries included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since August 2010. The monastery is one of the most beautiful Moldavian monasteries and the only one whose interior and exterior walls are completely covered with wall paintings and whose frescoes inside and outside are completely preserved. Source: Wikipedia

Accommodation and meals, free parking are provided. The minimum price in 2023 is 400 RON (breakfast included). Reservations by phone are more secure than by email. It's much busier on weekends than during the week.