Things to see and do Piatra Neamţ

Close to the ruins of the princely court, of which it was once a part, the Church of St. John the Baptist(biserica sfântul Ioan Botezătorul) was built around 1498. In traditional Moldavian style, very compact and beautifully decorated, it is one of the few churches from this period to have retained its original form. The bell tower, or Ștefan cel Mare tower, was added a year later, a few meters further on. At 19 meters high, it is the symbol of the town.

Located 10 kilometers west of the city, in a pretty hilly landscape, this monastery was erected in 1402 by Alexandru cel Bun, Prince of Moldavia, and rebuilt by Ștefan cel Mare, who added a tower in 1498. The buildings you'll see date in part from 1554, during the reign of Prince Alexandru Lăpușneanu. The monastery was a well-known cultural center (calligraphy, illumination) where important religious works were written in the Middle Ages. It houses a rich museum of feudal art (icons, books) and the tomb of its founder, Alexander the Good.

The main museums are located on the outskirts of Piața Libertății. The Museum of Ethnography, housed in a beautiful neo-Romanesque mansion dating from 1924, evokes village life in every season. The art museum mainly exhibits works by local artists. It is housed in a former school built in 1930. Further south, the History Museum (bulevardul Eminescu, 10) displays relics from prehistory and the Middle Ages, particularly from the era of the Princely Court. A small museum dedicated to the latter has been set up in its ruins, Piața Libertății.

In a beautiful neo-Brazilian style building, this unique museum, opened in 2005, presents an exceptional archaeological heritage, consisting of painted ceramics, statuettes and other objects from the Cucuteni culture. This refined Neolithic civilization, which extended over the present territories of Romania, Moldova and Ukraine, flourished around 5000 BC. Cucuteni is the name of the Romanian village where the first remains were discovered.