Putna Monastery, Putna, Suceava

1. The church wall, towers, courtyard and exterior

Putna Monastery is surrounded by a thick stone enclosure wall with several towers. The one at the entrance is called the Mihai Eminescu Tower and above the entrance it bears the coat of arms of Moldavia and the year 1471. A bust of the great Romanian poet is displayed in the courtyard. Nearby is also the fountain of St. Jacob Putneanul. Other towers are called the Treasury Tower (built in the time of Stephen the Great) and the Bell Tower. The monastery's paracliusl was built in the 15th century by Jacob Putnean.

The architecture of the church contains Gothic elements. The exterior of the church is framed by a girdle symbolizing the Most Holy Trinity, a motif that also appears inside.

2. Interior of the Assumption Church

The church of Putna Monastery is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It is a cornerstone of Romanian history, inside the church are the tombs of the ruler Stephen the Great, the ladies of the ruler, Maria de Mangop and Maria Voichița, the Voievod Bogdan III, son of Stephen the Great, Ștfeănița-Vodă, son of the ruler, Maria Cneajna, daughter of the ruler, Maria, the lady of Petru Rareș, the Metropolitan of Moldavia Iacob Putneanul and others.At the voivode's tomb is exhibited the massive silver urn deposited here by several students from Vienna, including the national poet Mihai Eminescu.

3. Putna Monastery Museum

Behind the church is the Museum, organized on 2 floors. The museum preserves manuscripts, icons, the ruler's crown and sword, the Moldavian setm, the 1473 Tetraevangeliary, silverware, a collection of embroideries from the time of Stephen the Great, the grave covering of Maria de Mangop, representing the Crucifixion, and that of Stephen the Great, representing Stephen the Great and Maria Voichița.