churches in Iasi Cetatuia Monastery

Generations, originally uploaded by Marius B.

Cetatuia Monastery was built by sovereign Gheorghe Duca between 1669-1672. At the beginning, the church was surrounded by high rock walls, with bulwarks and a guard road, entrance and corner towers.

What makes Cetatuia unique is that it has maintained the whole ensemble of monastic architecture. On the Southern part of the precinct stands the Gothic Room “Doamna Anastasia”. The royal palace is a fortified building from the 17 century. The steeple tower and the massiveness of the walls are proving the fact that the monastery was conceived also as a refuge place, being in case of need, a real fortress.

The monastery’s church is specific for the religious Moldavian architecture of the 17century.
The monastic ensemble which was restored in the inter-war period at Nicolae Iorga’s request also includes a museum with numerous religious objects.