Suceava city, capital of Suceava County, is one of the main regions of the province of Bucovina in north-eastern Romania. The original Hungarian translation of Suceava means ‘city of furriers’. The city does indeed have a long and fascinating history. From 1388 to 1564, Suceava became the capital of Moldavia. During this period, Iasi became the Romanian capital, later to be changed to Bucharest. Suceava actually began its existence on a terrace on the right-sided bank of the Suceava River in the 14th century. The city features the groves of Zamca and Sipote, Zamca Hill being the highest point in the city.
During Stephen the Great’s reign in the 15th century, Suceava developed as one of Romania’s biggest trading centres and also a main customs point. Countless warehouses were to be found scattered around the city and a strong citadel was built up. In the 16th century the Turks invaded and destroyed much of the city but in 1775 they conceded the region to Austria. It wasn’t until 1918 that Suceava again became populated by Romanians. During its communist period, Suceava became very heavily industrialized and factory employment was very easy to come by.
The city is chock full of historical buildings and Suceava is a good starting point if you want to visit the Painted Monasteries of Bucovina. Every time Stephen the Great defeated an invading army he built a new church in the area, so there is certainly no shortage of those. The St. George’s Church is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site and the remains of the Princely Court and the Bucovina Ethnographic Museum are also extremely popular for visiting tourists.
Other well-known attractions are the 14th century Mirauti Church (where Stephen the Great was crowned king of Moldavia in 1457), Zamca Monastery and the Bucovina Village Museum. The Bucovina History Museum includes displays of ancient documents, medieval armour and coins among other historical artefacts, and is well worth a visit.
Suceava became an established area of Jewish settlement in the 16th century, but sadly most of the synagogues and Hasidic prayer rooms were destroyed during the 1950’s ‘communist renewal’ period. Only one synagogue and two Jewish cemeteries still stand to this day.
The city is accessed by Stefan cel Mare international airport and a main train station. From Bucharest to Suceava, flights are approximately one hour and train journeys the best part of seven hours. The people are very friendly and food and drink are cheaper than many parts of Europe. It is hot and humid in the summer and cold and snowy in the winter time, so suitable clothing will be necessary. Suceava has a lot to offer and is a worthy place to plan a holiday to.
During Stephen the Great’s reign in the 15th century, Suceava developed as one of Romania’s biggest trading centres and also a main customs point. Countless warehouses were to be found scattered around the city and a strong citadel was built up. In the 16th century the Turks invaded and destroyed much of the city but in 1775 they conceded the region to Austria. It wasn’t until 1918 that Suceava again became populated by Romanians. During its communist period, Suceava became very heavily industrialized and factory employment was very easy to come by.
The city is chock full of historical buildings and Suceava is a good starting point if you want to visit the Painted Monasteries of Bucovina. Every time Stephen the Great defeated an invading army he built a new church in the area, so there is certainly no shortage of those. The St. George’s Church is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site and the remains of the Princely Court and the Bucovina Ethnographic Museum are also extremely popular for visiting tourists.
Other well-known attractions are the 14th century Mirauti Church (where Stephen the Great was crowned king of Moldavia in 1457), Zamca Monastery and the Bucovina Village Museum. The Bucovina History Museum includes displays of ancient documents, medieval armour and coins among other historical artefacts, and is well worth a visit.
Suceava became an established area of Jewish settlement in the 16th century, but sadly most of the synagogues and Hasidic prayer rooms were destroyed during the 1950’s ‘communist renewal’ period. Only one synagogue and two Jewish cemeteries still stand to this day.
The city is accessed by Stefan cel Mare international airport and a main train station. From Bucharest to Suceava, flights are approximately one hour and train journeys the best part of seven hours. The people are very friendly and food and drink are cheaper than many parts of Europe. It is hot and humid in the summer and cold and snowy in the winter time, so suitable clothing will be necessary. Suceava has a lot to offer and is a worthy place to plan a holiday to.
2 comments:
Well done! You've worked a lot gathering this material.
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