This is one of the most famous and important places of worship in Moldova - and even in the whole of Romania - as the Sucevita Monastery has been for centuries a major cultural, Orthodox and spiritual center. A beautiful complex, still in used and restored several times, it is impressive due to it's architecture, art and legend, and is still a real magnet for tourists coming from all over the world.
The monastery we can see today was built by the Movila family, a noble and intelectual family, who chose to support this way both the Orthodox national church and the Moldavian culture. At first, the Movila brothers only built a smaller church, in around 1581, but later, in the times of Petru Schiopul, the brothers laid the foundations for a much larger place of worship. At first another church was finished, in 1582 - 1584, the same structure that can be visited today, although the various restorations have somewhat changed the original aspect.
Especially after Ieremia Movila became the ruler of Moldavia, in 1595 - 1606, the Sucevita Monastery received special privileges and at first the church was extended, the defense walls were completed, as were the towers, which gave the whole place the aspect of a military fortress, something that was common at that time to Orthodox monasteries. The whole place was completed by the 1600s, and was ready to become one of the most beautiful places of worship in the country. Also, the interior and outside painting was finally done, the decorations and sacred items in place, the monks have gathered and their living spaces and other buildings completed. The church was dedicated to the "Resurrection of Lord Jesus" and it's style was mainly traditional, Moldavian, yet there were several important elements which were borrowed from the Byzantine and Gothic styles, a mix which can also be found around Moldavian religious sites of that time. A mix which worked really well and gave the monastery a very special atmosphere.
But the Sucevita Monastery is famous first of all for it's rich and beautiful painting, fascinating religious stories told with colours by anonymous masters that have long turned to dust, yet their works are so alive. The characters range from saints : St John the New of Suceava, St Hierarch Nicholas, St Martyr George to Moses, Jesus, the Holy Virgin and on and on. The scenes depicted, aside from their biblical nature, were meant to present the tradition and to educate those who regarded them, and are surprisingly rich and modern for that time. We know the names of the artists who made some of the frescoes, Ioan Zugravul and his brother, a certain Sofronie, yet nothing more is remembered about them. Of special interest are also the scenes with the Holy Trinity, and the whole of the interior of the church can be regarded as a continuous story. There are also the portraits of the founders of the place, the Movila brothers. The brothers have also found here their final resting place, and their marble tombstones, wonderfully carved and preserved, are impressive example of sacred Moldavian sculpture.
The exterior paintings rank among the best preserved of their kind in Moldova and really make the Sucevita Monastery one of the most interesting for artists, historians and art lovers alike. Angels, devils, Heaven and Hell, saints, Jesus and God, martyrs and sinner, blessings and curses, sins and virtues, all make an impressive composition, of grandiose scale, of the eternal fight between good and evil. Next to the similar works at Voronet, Moldovita or Arbore, the exterior paintings at the Sucevita Monastery - in dire need of difficult and expensive restoration - are authentic masterpieces of Moldavia Middle Ages painting.
Yet the monastery has even more to offer than just these splendid paintings, as it also keeps and exhibits a rich collection of artefacts, of varied nature and dating from varous times, presented in somewhat of a comprehensive history of art. The exhibits range from well preserved embroideries, wonderfully detailed and several hundred years old, often adorned with golden, silver and pearls elements, portraits of the founders, unique manuscripts, sacred items and the list goes on and on.
This special place is certainly not only of the best tourist attractions, cultural centres and beautiful monasteries of Romania, but also a special place on the map of Christin Orthodox world.
