Mănăstirea Trei Ierarhi

The Three Hierarchs Monastery in Iasi is one of the most valuable masterpieces of Romanian medieval architecture, founded in the seventeenth century by the ruler Vasile Lupu. The church is famous for its facades entirely covered in stone carvings of extraordinary refinement, a lacework of geometric and floral motifs that has no equal in the Romanian lands. In its time, some of the ornaments are said to have been gilded, adding to the brilliance of the church.

Here lie the tombs of the founding ruler, and here too are kept the relics of Saint Parascheva, protector of Moldavia. The monastery housed the first printing press in Moldavia and a renowned school. Set in the centre of Iasi, near the Palace of Culture, the Three Hierarchs is an essential stop for visitors to the city, who can admire one of the most refined achievements of medieval art in Moldavia, restored in the early twentieth century.