The Dragomirna monastic complex includes a small church and a large one and is one of the most important in Moldavia. It was founded between 1602 and 1609 by the Rπdπu■i Metropolitan Anastasie Crimca, who later became the metropolitan of Moldavia and was one of the greatest cultural personalities of the time in Moldavia. Under his guidance, extremely valuable artistic miniatures were made in the monastery; they are on display in the monastery museum.
With no outside frescoes, the larger church stands out by the lack of proportion between its height (42m.) and its width (9.60m.) The exterior walls are propped by buttresses that are continued in the northern and southern sides by pillars and arcades that reach to the cornice. They are decorated with geometrical motifs of Armenian and Georgian origin chiselled in ground stone that are used as inside decorations as well. The polygonal apse at the westernmost point represents an original architectural element.
The church was fortified in 1627 by Prince Miron Barnovschi Movilπ with a defence wall with buttresses and guard towers. The inside of the nave contains small size frescoes that show religious scenes painted in the spirit of folk art.
