Places

Images from historic churches and monasteries in Bucovina and Moldova

In August of 2*** (regular readers will know the year 😁), we took a tour of the historic churches and monasteries in the provinces of Moldova and Bucovina (within the territory of Romania).

A clarification is in order here. When people hear Moldova they automatically think about the Republic of Moldova, which used to be part of the Romanian province of Moldova but was taken by the Russians in 1940. That whole region has a fairly tumultuous history which you can read here. Just keep in mind these photographs were taken within the current-day borders of Romania and yes, there are two provinces called Bucovina and Moldova in Romania. I’ve lost track of how many times people have tried to correct me on this, all of them foreigners…

romania-historical-provinces

I could have published individual posts of each place but that would have been tedious for me (and for you too). I know it was tedious for me when we visited these places, one after another, day after day, dealing with heat, huge crowds and the hospitality industry (you know, the three Hs of travel; they add together to form a fourth H which is a four-letter word)… but we had made a plan and we stuck to it. Romanians in general tend to make trips to these places yearly for religious reasons. We visited these places because of their historical and architectural value, so while we were there we saw as many as we could in the time we had allotted ourselves.

In this gallery of photographs (there are 134 of them), you will see images from the following places:

  • The wooden church in Șurdești (Maramureș), a UNESCO monument and also the highest wooden church in the world
  • Moldovița Monastery
  • Sucevița Monastery
  • Chilia lui Daniil Sihastrul
  • Putna Monastery
  • “Dragoș Vodă” wooden church
  • Voroneț Monastery, famous for the blue used in its exterior murals, called Voroneț Blue
  • Humorul Monastery
  • Arbore Church
  • Dragomirna Monastery
  • Agapia Monastery
  • Văratec Monastery
  • Neamț Monastery
  • Secu Monastery
  • Sihăstria Monastery

Since I arranged the photos in chronological order, you’ll see them just as they’re listed above. You’ll probably want to know which was my favorite place. Dragomirna Monastery, definitely! Enjoy the gallery and thanks for being a subscriber!

Biserica de Lemn “Sfintii Arhangheli Mihail si Gavriil”, Surdesti, Romania, a UNESCO monument
Biserica de Lemn “Sfintii Arhangheli Mihail si Gavriil”, Surdesti, Romania — the tallest wooden church in the world.
Biserica de Lemn “Sfintii Arhangheli Mihail si Gavriil”, Surdesti, Romania — the tallest wooden church in the world.
Biserica de Lemn “Sfintii Arhangheli Mihail si Gavriil”, Surdesti, Romania — the tallest wooden church in the world.
Biserica de Lemn “Sfintii Arhangheli Mihail si Gavriil”, Surdesti, Romania — the tallest wooden church in the world.
Crossing the Carpathian Mountains in the province of Maramures, Romania
Main gate, Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Interior courtyard, Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Church, Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Interior courtyard, Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Church, Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Interior courtyard, Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Lovely stone architecture, Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Interior courtyard, Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Cloisters, Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Church, Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Interior courtyard, Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Flowers at the cloisters, Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Church, Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Church, Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Interior courtyard, Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Church, Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Main gate, interior courtyard, Manastirea Moldovita, Bucovina, Romania.
Entrance to Manastirea Sucevita, Bucovina, Romania.
Stairway to cloisters, Manastirea Sucevita, Bucovina, Romania.
Interior courtyard, church, Manastirea Sucevita, Bucovina, Romania.
Interior courtyard, garden, Manastirea Sucevita, Bucovina, Romania.
Interior courtyard, Manastirea Sucevita, Bucovina, Romania.
Defense wall, cloisters, Manastirea Sucevita, Bucovina, Romania.
Interior courtyard, defense walls, cloisters and church, Manastirea Sucevita, Bucovina, Romania.
Defense wall and cloisters, Manastirea Sucevita, Bucovina, Romania.
Church and interior courtyard, Manastirea Sucevita, Bucovina, Romania.
Church, Manastirea Sucevita, Bucovina, Romania.
Church and interior courtyard, Manastirea Sucevita, Bucovina, Romania.
Interior courtyard, Manastirea Sucevita, Bucovina, Romania.
Cloisters, Manastirea Sucevita, Bucovina, Romania.
Cloisters, Manastirea Sucevita, Bucovina, Romania.
Interior courtyard, Manastirea Sucevita, Bucovina, Romania.
Interior courtyard, Manastirea Sucevita, Bucovina, Romania.
Church exterior, Manastirea Sucevita, Bucovina, Romania.
Langa Chilia lui Daniil Sihastrul, Bucovina, Romania
Langa Chilia lui Daniil Sihastrul, Bucovina, Romania
Bucovina, Romania
Manastirea Putna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Putna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Putna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Putna, Bucovina, Romania
Manastirea Putna, Bucovina, Romania
Manastirea Putna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Putna, Bucovina, Romania
Cloisters, Manastirea Putna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Putna, Bucovina, Romania.
Biserica de Lemn “Dragos Voda”, Bucovina, Romania.
Biserica de Lemn “Dragos Voda”, Bucovina, Romania.
Biserica de Lemn “Dragos Voda”, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Voronet, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Voronet, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Voronet, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Voronet, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Voronet, Bucovina, Romania.
Interior courtyard, Manastirea Humorul, Bucovina, Romania.
Late afternoon, Manastirea Humorul, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Humorul, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Humorul, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Humorul, Bucovina, Romania
Manastirea Humorul, Bucovina, Romania
Manastirea Humorul, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Humorul, Bucovina, Romania
Manastirea Humorul, Bucovina, Romania
Historic district, Mediaș, Romania
Manastirea Humorul, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Humorul, Bucovina, Romania.
Biserica Arbore, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Arbore, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Arbore, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Arbore, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Arbore, Bucovina, Romania
Manastirea Arbore, Bucovina, Romania
Manastirea Arbore, Bucovina, Romania
Manastirea Arbore, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Arbore, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Arbore, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania. Ligia enters the fortified walls by one of the doorways.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania
Outside the fortified walls, Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Dragomirna, Bucovina, Romania.
Manastirea Agapia, Romania.
Cloisters, Manastirea Agapia, Romania
Manastirea Agapia, Romania
Manastirea Agapia, Romania
Manastirea Agapia, Romania
Manastirea Agapia, Romania
Manastirea Varatec, Romania.
Manastirea Varatec, Romania.
Ceiling murals, Manastirea Varatec, Romania.
Manastirea Neamt, Romania
Manastirea Neamt, Romania
Manastirea Neamt, Romania
Inside the cloisters, Manastirea Neamt, Moldova, Romania.
Interior courtyard, Manastirea Neamt, Bucovina, Romania
Manastirea Neamt, Romania
Manastirea Neamt, Romania
Inside the ossuary, Manastirea Neamt, Moldova, Romania.
Manastirea Secu, Moldova, Romania.
Interior courtyard, Manastirea Secu, Moldova, Romania.
Manastirea Sihastria, Moldova, Romania
Manastirea Sihastria, Moldova, Romania
Cloisters, Manastirea Sihastria, Moldova, Romania.
Manastirea Sihastria, Moldova, Romania
Manastirea Sihastria, Moldova, Romania.
Manastirea Sihastria, Moldova, Romania

I kept things simple in terms of photo gear for this trip, because there were four of us in the car and I knew I’d have to deal with the 3Hs of travel I mentioned above. I shot mainly with my Canon EOS 5D and the EF 24-105mm f/4L lens. My backup camera was the Canon PowerShot G10.

Canon EOS 5D (front)

Canon EOS 5D

Canon EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM Lens

Canon EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM Lens

Canon PowerShot G10

Canon PowerShot G10

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5 thoughts on “Images from historic churches and monasteries in Bucovina and Moldova”

  1. Thank you for these amazing pictures, Raoul. I have not been to the monasteries in Bucovina and Moldova but want to visit them soon. I plan to visit Romania again this year in August for around 10 days but will be mostly in Transylvania and Maramures. Bucovina and Moldova will, hopefully, be next year.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Thank you Raju! I’m glad you like Romania so much and you are visiting the country repeatedly! It’s really a shame the politics of this place are so dirty, because the country is truly beautiful. If you’re going to be in Sibiu county during your visit, drop me a note, maybe we can meet in person and have a little chat over coffee/tea.

      Liked by 2 people

      • That would be wonderful, Raoul. From Bucharest airport, I was planning to get a rental car and drive to Cluj through Sighisoara, with a stop before that for 2 days in Brasov. I can route through Sibiu instead of Sighisoara, if that makes it easier to meet up for you.

        I agree. Romania is a beautiful, almost pristine country but the politics is very disappointing and lots of young Romanians are leaving the country. I teach about this in some of my classes here about Romania’s aging population (and Bulgaria’s too), partly because of young people leaving. I wish the politics were a lot better there.

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        • Sighisoara’s perfect, it’s only a half hour away. Sibiu is about an hour away. There are plenty of cafes there. One place with good coffee and parking spaces is the restaurant at Korona Hotel. And there are some good cafes inside the medieval fortress as well, but there’s no parking to be had there so it requires a bit of a walk. Drop me a line through my contact form when you’re in the country and if you’ll have a phone number while you’re here, give me that as well. Cheers!

          Liked by 1 person

          • Sounds good. Will do. I’m sure I will have a phone number that I can share with you. Thanks for the tip about parking and Korona Hotel. Looking forward to more photos from you!

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