Moldovita Monastery

The Moldovita Monastery is a Romanian Orthodox monastery situated in the commune of Vatra Moldovitei, Bucovina, Romania.

One of the oldest monastic settlements in the region (Bucovina), the actual church of  Moldovita Monastery was built in 1532. The structure has enhanced dimensions and it is notably taller than some of the other churches of the region, while the frescoes – both inside and outside on the Southern wall – feature strikingly bright colours and show saint figures and Biblical scenes with a profound human approach.

The Moldovita painting displays certain common characteristics with the Humor one, which led to the hypothesis that they were achieved by the same artists, Toma of Suceava. Often called,’A Parchment in Red’, the exterior colors are mainly yellow ochre combined with brilliant hues of red, blue and green. On the right side of the nave, there is a mural painting of Petru Rares and his family, presenting the monastery to Jesus. Moldovita’s frescoes along with the ones at Voronet, have best preserved their colors which are astonishingly fresh and vivid.

The second (after Humor) and the last church with open porch, hidden place above the burial-vault, recesses in the apses and niches under the cornice, elements specific to the monuments of Stephen the Great’s period. The Gothic style windows and doors have pointed arched frames, trefoil rosettes, and the carved stone plinth represents a resting place. The plan of the building is trefoiled, the narthex vault is supported by eight arches instead of four.