Things to see and do Moldova-Bukovina

This monumental building is the city's landmark. The Palace of Culture(palatul Culturii) reopened its doors in 2016, following a complete renovation. It was built between 1906 and 1925, in a flamboyant neo-Gothic, Romantic and Baroque style, by architect Ion Berindei. The rooms and galleries (of which there are over two hundred!) are vast and elegant. Their decoration went through two phases: austere neoclassical under Carol ^I, Baroque and Art Nouveau under Ferdinand. The Hall of the Voivodes, one of the most beautiful, features a portrait gallery of Moldavian rulers. The two central halls, on the ground and first floors, are impressive for their length, which matches that of the main façade. Note the circular mosaic and its Gothic bestiary. Built in the center of the medieval town, within the walls of the former ^15th-century princely residence, the palace served as both town hall and court for thirty years. In 1955, it became the Palace of Culture, a vast complex housing several museums. You can also explore its superb clock tower: tours take place every hour, from 10.45 a.m. to 3.45 p.m. In front of the building stands a large equestrian statue of the famous Moldavian voivode Ștefan cel Mare.

Art Museum

This museum has three galleries: one devoted to modern Romanian art (Grigorescu, Pallady...), another to contemporary Romanian art and the last to European art. You'll see a painting by Rubens and various representations of Moldavian landscapes.

Museum of Moldavian History

The oldest exhibit dates back to the Lower Paleolithic. The museum also boasts an impressive collection of Cucuteni ceramics, a rich Neolithic civilization. You'll also see ancient and medieval coins, ^17th-century parchments and precious objects that belonged to Moldavian or national personalities (swords, throne, etc.).

Ethnographic Museum of Moldavia

This museum presents the activities and customs of the Moldavian people through the ages. You'll see fabrics, pottery, furniture, carpets, etc. The collection of agricultural implements (wine, fishing, farming or hunting) is particularly rich and varied, as is that of folk costumes.

Museum of Science and Technology

Its main attraction is its vast collection of musical automata. Other exhibits include photographic and cinematographic equipment, computers, meteorological and telephone instruments.

5 km south of Agapia, in the village of Văratec, this monastery, all white in the middle of a pretty landscape, was built in 1795 and its church in 1808. The latter is striking, with its two slender, round towers. The charming complex is occupied by nuns, who keep the site beautifully in bloom. You'll see many magnificent icons. The village of Văratec itself is very pleasant, with its traditional houses. It is home to the tomb of poet Veronica Micle, Mihai Eminescu's great love.

This is the northernmost of the Bucovina monasteries. Its enchanting setting, among forests and hills, is worth a visit in itself. It houses the tomb of the founder of many of Moldavia's religious buildings, Ștefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great), making it a mecca for Romanian patriotism. In fact, you'll be greeted by a statue of national poet Mihai Eminescu, erected in memory of his 1871 speech, delivered right here, in which he declared, "Let's make Putna the Jerusalem of Romania." Built in 1469, this is Ștefan cel Mare's first fortified construction. It has undergone numerous alterations and restorations over the centuries, not least following the terrible fire that ravaged it two years after construction was completed. Of the original construction, only the Treasure Tower on the west wall remains. The present church, 35 m high, dates from 1662. The pyramidal roofs of its towers echo those of the well.

The builder's tomb is a fine Carrara marble ensemble, surmounted by a baldachin (which distinguishes it from the tombs of his two successive wives) and decorated with the aurochs' head, Moldavia's emblem. He had decided to rest here as soon as construction of the complex began, and supervised the construction of his tomb himself.

The Putna monastery, now home to a community of monks, was also an important cultural center, as evidenced by the remarkable collection of embroidery and illuminated manuscripts on display in the museum.

Situated 5 km south of Gura Humorului, it's the most visited monastery in Bucovina, and it's not uncommon to have to queue for admission in the middle of summer. Its popularity and multiple titles (the most famous being "the Sistine Chapel of the East") are justified, however. This monastery was erected by Ștefan cel Mare in 1488, in just twenty-one days, according to legend. In fact, the bells, still in use, date back to the time of the famous Moldavian voivode! The walls of the Sfântul Gheorghe church, in typical Moldavian style, feature the most beautiful fresco in Bucovina, the very fresco that earned it the nickname of the Sistine Chapel: the Last Judgment covers the entire western wall of the veranda. This recurring scene in the monasteries of Bukovina is here detailed to the extreme. You'll recognize Jesus judging the living and the dead, the gates of Paradise, Adam and Eve and the paths that sinners and the righteous will take towards Hell or Paradise. These sinners are depicted, for the first time, according to their ethnic origin (Turks, Tatars, Armenians, Jews). All the exterior murals were painted in 1547, under Petru Rareș.

The place is famous for the color known as "Voroneț blue", which fascinates with its unique transparency and whose manufacturing secret remains untold. This blue background wonderfully brings out the details of the many richly colored figures, religious personalities or local figures. Peasants are also recognizable.

Râșca is located 20 km southwest of Fălticeni, 10 km away from the Suceava-Târgu axis Neamț. The monastery includes a church, also founded by Petru Rareş in 1542 (then extended in 1611-1617), a bell tower and a surrounding wall from the 17th century. The church is elongated in shape, dominated by two towers. The exterior paintings are rather well preserved. The multiple roofs, the size of the building and the richness of the frescoes form a superb ensemble. The monastery has been restored many times, notably in 1991.

Route 12C, which links the charming village of Bicaz with Gheorgheni and Transylvania, crosses the gorges rightly considered the most beautiful in the country. They were formed by the erosion of limestone rocks. The winding road, which follows the River Bicaz, is dominated by gigantic monolithic walls emerging from the forest. Piatra Altarului, the most spectacular, is 1,120 metres high and takes its name (Altar Stone) from the ceremonies once celebrated here by the Dacians. You then reach Lake Roșu.

A picturesque ride not to be missed: this small train pulled by a steam locomotive takes you 12 km through the beautiful Bucovina countryside. Built at the end of the ^19th century to transport timber from the forest to the sawmill, this narrow-gauge railway line was in use until 2001. Trains run every weekend and every day in high season. Open-air restaurant at the terminus, in the village of Argel. There is an alternative route from the same station to Vatra Moldoviței (diesel locomotive, 10 km, 2 hrs.).

It was founded by Petru Rareș in 1532, not far from a 1410 church built by Alexandru cel Bun and later destroyed by a landslide (its ruins are still visible, 500 m away). While most of the monasteries in the region have suffered much destruction, Moldovița has preserved all of its original buildings. The Buna Vestire (Good News) church is surrounded by a bucolic, delicately flowered garden, enclosed by an imposing 6-metre-high, quadrilateral perimeter wall. This makes the church all the more impressive.

The interior and exterior paintings date from 1537. Inside, you'll see, among others, a votive painting of Petru Rareș and his family offering the model of the church to Christ. Outside, the painting on the south façade is particularly well preserved. The themes depicted are the Tree of Jesse, the Hymn to the Virgin and, below, the Siege of Constantinople (where you'll notice the use of perspective).

A small museum is housed in the former treasure house. Built by Metropolitan Efrem in 1612, it also housed a school for copyists and miniaturists. From the reign of Alexandru cel Bun until the ^18th century, the Moldovița monastery functioned as an important cultural center, where church books were copied and decorated. The most precious manuscripts date from the ^15th century. The museum's centerpiece is Petru Rareș's carved wooden throne. Also on display are icons, embroidery, old books..

Located in the commune of Mitocu Dragomirnei, some fifteen kilometers north of Suceava, this monastery impresses with its castle-like appearance, due to the magnificently preserved defensive walls and towers, which are reflected in the nearby waters. It was built between 1602 and 1609, around a small church built a few years earlier(biserica mică, influenced by Muntinian architecture). The large church(biserica mare, 1609), which follows a Latin cross plan, is particularly imposing due to the height of its facades and its tower (42 meters), which dominates the ensemble. The monastery itself stands out for its proportions, its height being particularly excessive in relation to its width. The facing is in rough stone, but the pillars are made of cut and shaped stone blocks. The decorative carving features a range of geometric and vegetal motifs. Moldavian, Byzantine and Muntinian styles are combined. The beautiful interior paintings are in the Byzantine style. The fortifications and defensive towers were built in 1630 by the voivode Miron Barnovschi. You can admire the emblem of the Moldavian region, carved in stone on the main tower.

The site was a major cultural center, specializing in illumination and the copying of religious texts. The monastery museum features some superb books and manuscripts, including the 1609 Tetraevangile illuminated by Anastasie Crimca, to whom the monastery owes its cultural influence.

Romania's very first botanical garden, created in 1856 by naturalist Anastasie Fătu, is also one of the country's largest: it covers an area of 80 ha, on Copou Hill. It is divided into twelve sections, dedicated to roses, Romanian flora, world flora and useful plants (medicinal, melliferous, aromatic, etc.). It also includes twelve greenhouses, housing tropical, subtropical and equatorial plants. The Iași Botanical Garden is part of the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University.

10 km south of Târgu Neamț, in the village of Târpești, here's a lively, colorful museum well worth a stop. In a superb traditional carved wooden house, a variety of objects are on display: New Year masks, sculptures, naive paintings and also a few archaeological pieces, objects produced or collected by Neculai Popa, an artist and collector with a passion for folklore. Passed away in 2010, this much-loved local figure shared his passion with his son, himself an artist, and his daughter, who can give you a tour in French.

The monastery is named after the hermit Agapie, who retired to the area in the ^14th century. Built between 1642 and 1647 on the initiative of Gavril, brother of the Prince of Moldavia Vasile Lupu, the monastery has undergone numerous alterations that have modified its original structure. The church has often been damaged, most recently by the earthquake of 1977. Its interior frescoes, dating from 1861, are the work of the famous Romanian painter Nicolae Grigorescu. He also signed some superb icons, presented in the museum, among other remarkable works.

The Sucevița monastery was founded by the Movilă family in 1581 (church) and completed in 1601 (enclosure). Flanked by towers with pointed roofs, the 6-meter-high, 3-meter-thick surrounding walls form an almost perfect quadrilateral (100 x 104 meters). The central church is entirely covered with exterior frescoes (the best preserved in Bucovina), dominated by green and red. Executed by the brothers Ion and Sofronie in 1596, they feature an impressive number of biblical characters. Saints, prophets, chroniclers and martyrs number in the hundreds, and their expressions are so elaborate and varied that they deserve to be viewed face by face, the succession of scenes giving the impression of reading a book. The fresco known as the Ladder of St. John Climacus (or Ladder of Virtues and Vices) is considered one of the most beautiful. It represents the 32 stages one must pass through after death. Only those who have never sinned reach the top of the ladder, paradise.

The Museum of Religious Art, housed in a small house, boasts one of the country's richest collections of medieval art. It contains superb ^15th-16th century wood and stone carvings, paintings and manuscripts donated to the monastery by the founders and their descendants. In particular, you'll see superb embroidery in gold, silver, silk and pearls, including precious embroidered portraits of the brothers Ieremia and Simion Movilă, who ruled Moldavia.

It lies 6 km north of Gura Humorului, in the village of Mănăstirea Humorului. Built in the ^16th century, this monastery is renowned for its frescoes attributed to Toma de Suceava, where red and gold dominate. The church, modest in size, is in classic Moldavian style. Its carved and gilded wooden iconostasis is an exceptional piece; the four icons in the first register date from the time of Petru Rareș. Interiors (superb superimposed arches) and exteriors (Moldavia's first open veranda) of the building are decorated with traditional Orthodox paintings, in Byzantine style. The interior paintings are among the finest in Moldavia.
The main themes of the exterior paintings are the Tree of Jesse, the Prodigal Son and the Siege of Constantinople (on the south façade, which is very well preserved). The frescoes on the north and west walls, on the other hand, are badly damaged. Near the entrance, the twenty-four stanzas of the hymn to the Virgin still retain their vivid colors and fine drawing.

The site was once fortified, but since its destruction by the Austrians in 1785, all that remains are a few sections of the surrounding walls and an imposing, pointed watchtower (1641), later transformed into a bell tower.

At the time of its foundation, the monastery was occupied by monks. In 1785, when Bucovina was annexed to the Habsburg Empire, it was dismantled, like most of the monasteries in the region, and only regained its function as a monastery in 1992, becoming a convent for nuns.

15 km from Cacica and Rădăuți, in the village of Arbore, this modest steepleless church was built in 1502 by Luca Arbore, governor of Suceava, who is buried here. The interior and exterior paintings were done in 1541 by Dragoș Coman, who favored all shades of green, especially blue-green. The frescoes, original in their more secular character, show a succession of small scenes, such as Genesis. You'll also see a beautiful iconostasis. A less imposing site than the neighboring monasteries, but more authentic.

It is the main tourist attraction in Suceava. To the east of the city, on a wooded plateau overlooking it, the Throne Fortress (cetatea de Scaun) was built in the 14th century by Petru II Muşat, who had taken up residence there. It remained the main residence of Moldova's leaders for almost two hundred years, when Suceava was the capital of the province. The building was enlarged and fortified by the sovereign Alexander the Good, who made it a defensive work. Later, Ştefan cel Mare considerably reinforced the surrounding walls and towers. Damaged by Turkish attacks and invested by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1538, it was dismantled in the following century, then gradually fell into ruin, a degradation accelerated by the transfer of the Moldavian capital to Iași in 1564. Its stones were even used as building material. Its circular shape, massive walls, some watchtowers and the remains of the foundations can still be seen. The fortress was the subject of a vast rehabilitation and development project in 2015. It now houses an exhibition combining period objects (medieval arms and coats of arms, crowns...) and multimedia projections on the history of Moldova.

In the large park surrounding the fortress stands the monumental statue of Ștefan cel Mare, the great builder of monasteries. It is 23 m high and dates back to 1977, a period during which Ceaușescu enjoyed reviving the heroes of Romanian history.

Beautiful valley where the river is surrounded by gentle mountains covered with forests. Pensions and camping abound around Lepşa (thanks to the fortunes of Italy) as well as sumptuous and colorful wooden villas. Possibility to visit a small trout farming and buy (if you do not want to fish them in the river) to get them ready in your pension. The place is also perfectly celebrated by the Romanians, since the valley is located just steps from the Monastery of Putna, where the Stefan Cel Mare Voivode is founded.

The majestic "Monts du Gypaète" offer great hiking opportunities. At the heart of the massif lies a national park, a nature reserve that protects many rare botanical species (edelweiss, sabot-de-Vénus...). These mountains are nicknamed the "Moldavian Olympus". Kogaionon, the sacred mountain of the Dacians, was located here and Zamolxis, their supreme god, had his temple. The steep slopes are flanked by deep forests and strangely shaped rocky peaks, such as Panaghia. Its highest points are Ocolașul Mare and Toaca (around 1,900 m).

The Dragoș Vodă bison(zimbri) reserve lies 15 km west of Târgu Neamț, at the entrance to the Vânători Neamț nature park. Created in 1968, it was home to the first bison reintroduced to Romania in captivity. Today, it still holds a few specimens. Others have been released into the wild, but some, living in semi-liberty, can also be seen. You can also meet other animals, such as deer and peacocks. The nature park team offers safaris to observe the bison in their natural habitat.