The Dobrovat Monastery

Description:

Dobrovat Monastery, one of the oldest and most beautiful, was begun on April 27^th  1503 and finished  in 1504, being the last church built by Stefan cel Mare.

How can you get there? 

The monastery is situated in the village of Dobrovat of Iasi County and it is located at a distance of 25 km southeast of Iasi and 35 km north of Vaslui.

Is it worth visiting?

Dobrovat church is of stone, Moldovian style. It has altar, nave, and narthex. Analysing  its  features, it is believed that artisans are the same as those who built Arbore Church. Without towers it has columns in the nave and in the vaulted pronave.

The walls are reinforced with three buttresses on each side. The Pronave is lit by two large windows. The rest of the rooms are lit by windows with cross sticks, with rounded opening at the superior part.

The church had many religious objects with historical value, alienated and looted during the time. Many of them were taken to Zografu monastery. from Mount Athos, in 1862,  by  abbot Nathanail.

Among its treasures we may mention the epitaph. In terms of iconography, the Dobrovat epitaph is part of the Moldovan tradition of XV-XVI centuries, revealing an interesting synthesis between the liturgical theme Jesus sacrifice and the historical one of the weeping.