Basic things to do in Suceava and Bucovina

To make the things clear for anybody: Suceava is a city in the utmost northern part of Romania, and also an important district all around (I shall maybe remember you that Romania is divided and organized in 40 districts). Besides, the legendary region of Bucovina includes not only the district of Suceava, but also another Romanian district, as a part of Ucraina with the city of Chernowitz.

The fantastic church of Voronet, where the outside frescos are perfectly conservated after 600 years. The painting receipe is still unknown

If I didn't succeed to make the things clearer, I bag you pardon. I am not guilty about it, but the trembled history of this region! And now let's go back to work, let's go to the basics.

Suceava is nowadays a nice city with 100 000 inhabitants and has been for a few centuries the Capital of the Moldavia, a Romanian state from the Middle Age. Stefan cel Mare, a legendary Romanian ruling prince, set here for the first time the Capital in 1457. You can still visit the ruins of the Medieval fortress, trying to figure out the daily life of those times, and even the bad days when the ennemies came all around, trying to take the fortress and hereby the all country. Very impressive the huge deposits, but also the very small rooms, who are not at all looking like a royal residence. Not far the Mirauti church where Stefan Cel Mare ( The Big Stephen)  was entitled and confirmed as the ruling prince of Moldavia. Stephen the great is even today a living legend among the Romanians, there are many modern jokes having him as the main character. He enjoyed wine, he enjoyed women, he was hot blooded and heart harded (a human with sins as you and me). But beyond of that he was very brave while fighting, and thus very beloved and popular among the people.

The traditional Armenian church of Hagigadar from Suceava

Every year he used to have a fight against the foes, and if the results were positive ( usually they really were so) he build a church. There are many churches speaking a lot about that, and his following throne holders kept on this trend. Some of them even came to the brilliant idea to paint them outside, to make the Orthodoxe belief more popular among the locals (the church service was held in Slavonian, unknown to the most of the people). Five of these painted books of the Christian world are still today happy and proud eye witnesses of the good old times: Voronet, Dragomirna, Arbore, Sucevita, Moldovita. You can visit all of them from Suceava within a day, and you won't regret at all: they have fantastic proportion, the painting quality still hold on since 600 years, and beside are perfectly integrated in the environment. I shall not forget to mention that even UNESCO put them on the short list of the most important monuments worldwide.

Also very interesting in Suceava is the Armenian church, called Hagigadar. Very old and very proud is this fantastic community, and its members still cultivate an old habit: namely, when they come at Sunday to the church are supposed to go around the church three times, but not walking, and on their knees. Thus they thought to succeed in their most important plan or dream. On the 15th of August, the celebration of the Death of Virgin Mary, they are supposed to go in the same way on a longer distance, namely all the way from the base of the hill toward its peak.

The church Moldovita, not far from Suceava, is another must see in Bucovina

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Piatra Neamt, a Romanian pearl

Piatra Neamt (or Neamtz, for an accurate pronounciation) is really something special among the cities of Moldova, which have been for decades subjects to a forced industrialization, which destroyed their landmarks.

Panoramic view of the city Piatra Neamt with the neighboring mountain Pietricica behind

I think that in Piatra Neamt this process was not so brutal, and this is one of the reasons for the city acting so relaxing and wonderful. It is definitely a city to fall from the first sight, due to its privileged position in the middle of the mountains. The city has been not totally spared to the communist systematization at all, you can see the unavoidable blocks of flats. The city consists actually from two cities, the Northern one and the Southern one. The Southern part of the city is well developed, but lacks on landmarks and personality, while the Northern one is much nicer, greener and shows a strong personality. My tip: prefer the North, of course!

The old church of Stephen the Great from 1497 is a must see in Piatra Neamt. Notice the  high  bell tower, which served in the peaceful times as observatory for the firemen.

Piatra Neamt lies on the boundary between town and city (100 000 inhabitants) and enjoys the vicinity of the Pietricica peak, offering an excellent view of the city. My tip: visit Popasul Gospodinelor, a good restaurant on Pietricica, in the middle of the forest. The etymology of Piatra Neamt is not easy to define: Piatra means rock, but there are other many towns in Romania carrying the same name. To make a difference, was added Neamt=German despite lack of any special relation to Germans!

The amazing Cucuteni Museum of Neolithic Art will delight any Art and History  freak.

Piatra Neamt has a wide offer on hotels and restaurants, and is a favorite starting point for many trips in the surrounding area (Durau, Ceahlau, Pietrele Doamnei etc). Also, the city itself has some very interesting museums and buildings. Start your tour with the King's Church build in 1497-1498 by the great Romanian ruler Stephen the Great. The bell tower served as observation point against fires, and offers a nice shot of the city (tip: ask for the key in the church, it is not permanently open). The interior paintings are not so impressive anymore, being not the original ones. A few steps further to the West the small, but interesting Ethnology Museum, shows up a collection of traditional suits, carpets and tools, as some traditionally decorated rooms.

Piatra Neamt is nice and spectacular also in winter

The Art Museum is much more interesting and have rich works of Romanian masters in painting, scupture and tapestry. My tip: don't miss the section called the Museum of the King's court, but probably you must ask for the key and pay another fee! This is actually a rounded cave hosting artifacts and photos. Pay attention to the superb green ceramic tiles, they are original.

Even more spectacular is the Cucuteni Museum of Neolithic Art, which is unique in the all Romania, totally dedicated to the Cucuteni culture. See in the ground floor a nice collection of colored decorated pottery, and in the first floor antropomorphic and zoomorphic figures representing the Neolithic culture of Cucuteni in an amazing good state of conservation. Another place to visit is the unique wooden synagogue from the 18th century, which is not in function anymore, being replaced by the Leipziger Temple. Unfortunately, they are almost permanently closed and can't be visited.

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