The monastery was founded in 1469 by Prince Stephen the Great as a princely necropolis. The tombs of the great prince and of his last two wives, Lady Maria of Mangop and Lady Maria-Voichi■a, stand out through the grace of their sculptures in marble and stone. The predominant ornamental motifs are the oak leaves, the cones, the fleur-de-lis and the arms of Moldavia. The inscription on the tomb does not mention the year of Stephen the GreatÆs death or the years of his reign
Constantly threatened by Cossacks and Polish attacks in the 17th century, the monastery had to change its architecture throughout the years: a stone precinct with a defence tower was added, as well as various Baroque elements.
The church is 37 meters long and 11 meters wide. It has got thick walls and a 33-meter-tall roof whose shape is typical for this region. The specific Moldavian architectural elements include the belt that surrounds the exterior walls at mid-height, the niches, the stone sculptures around the windows, and the Moldavian coat of arms. The inside frescoes have not been preserved. The altar is made up of old icons of great artistic value.
