Moldovița Monastery

The church of this monastery, which looks exactly like the neighboring one of Sucevița, is one of the churches in Moldova which have the particularity of displaying exterior and interior wall paintings in the Byzantine style.Thick surrounding walls six meters high and defensive towers protect this monastic complex. The paintings tell a passage from the Bible that can be understood by the illiterate. Among other things, we find on the south facade of the building, a tree of Jesse where Christ is framed by philosophers of antiquity such as Homer, Aristotle, Plato or Socrates. Hence its name “philosophers’ frieze”.

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 Moldovița Monastery (Romanian Mănăstirea Moldovița) is a Romanian Orthodox women's monastery and is located in Romania in Suceava County in the territory of the municipality of Vatra Moldoviței. The church located within the monastery walls, which is dedicated to the Annunciation, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993 along with six other Moldavian monasteries.

Sister Tatjana leads through the facility and explains history, tradition and background to her listeners.
She expects punctuality. :)