In the forests that covered the hills along Moldovita Valley as well as Cimirna rivulet, lived since the 14th century many hermits. They arose a small woodden church. Around it rose hermitages setting up a new monachal collectivity. This receusory will be extended by Roman Musat Voivode. A muniment tells us that the "new monastery" ruined for the slippery soil. These ruins may be seen today not far from the monastery of Petru Rares Voivode errected in 1532.

What we can see now is a fortress with strong walls (1.20 m thick and 5 m high), having towers in both corners of the front side, and a solid enterance tower. As soon as we pass under the vault of the enterance tower, we are overwhelmed by the Moldovita ensemble and later on by its constituent parts: the trefoiled plan of the church; its walls covered by frescoes like the pages of an open book; the fortifications of thee Northern and Western side of the enclosure.

The specific elements of the construction are: the unusual solution of enlarging the nave including other two room; the windows of the pronaos symmetrically disposed; the doors with frames in Gothic style under the proeminent conices and the artistic iconography. "The Annunciation" church of Moldovita Monastery is considered by many mural painting experts as "one of the most important monuments of medieval Romanian art".

What we know is that after five years since the church was finished the mural paintings were finished too (1537). Done by painters of a great reference art epoch the paintings of Moldovita are well preserved, excepted the North front side. Like dominant note of colour, Moldovita has a sunny yellow colour which give a smart splendour. Together with Voronet, Sucevita, Arbore and Humor, Moldovita Abby is a weknown monument which the experts surname "the exterior mural painting style of medieval Moldavia". The medieval painters prefered some compositions like: "Holy Virgin's Prayer" or "Jesse's Tree" which are present here more extensive and spectacular than in other places. The same thing is happen with the composition of "the Siege of Constantinopole" where the using of perspective made possible a well panorama of the fighting scene. What we may remark on this scene is the resemblance which exists between the line of the painted churches and the Moldavian churches. The painted scenes have a lot of personages who are all alive and very coloured as we may see in the scenes of "Cinul" or "the Preyour of All Saints". The inside mural paintings hold back our attention even by ther votive picture where each member of the founder family is individualized.

The face of Holy Virgin from the right side of God's throne is very much alike with the faces of natives. The starlit vault of Pronaos, the "sinaxar" and two more icons of Holy Virgin show us the painter's mastership and connection with Western and Eastern art. In this context "Mary with Jesus" from the groin of the door of pronaos is considered by exegists to be the most expressive image of motheerhood on our medieval painting. "The Annunciation" icon (patron of the church), placced above the door of the tomb room illustratees the graphic style of the painter of Moldovita. Unusual is the fact that inside the tomb room is a hidden room, called "tainita", because it was there that the treasure of the monastery - worship objects, sacerdotal attires and other goods were hidden in case of danger.

Of a high artistic value is the altar screen made of wood-carved with gilt stucco. The glint of gold, the vegetable motifs with birds, and the Imperial Icon give the Holy Altar a very pious appearence.

"Clisiarnita" is the house of Voivode and his family or the house of high guests. It is a monumental construction placed on the North-West side, where the worship objjects and sacerdotal attores are keppt. Vessels votive lights, emboidery pieces and manuscripts, icons stood here for hundreds of years. In our days the most precious "worship object" is "The Golden Apple" - the distiction offered by "The International Association of Journalists and Writers for Tourism" for the high artistic value of these medieval art monuments from this side of the country.

Last update: 2003, March 25
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