Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church in Pătrăuți

At Pătrăuți, in Suceava county, the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross preserves a foundation of Stephen the Great from 1487. The small building has a plan with three apses and a tower above the nave. The church belonged to a monastery, and from 1786 it became a parish church. It is part of the group of painted churches from Moldavia registered in the UNESCO heritage.

Inside, one of the well-known scenes is the "Cavalcade of the Holy Cross", located in the narthex, on the western wall, above the entrance. The painting brings together characters on horseback in a composition related to the symbol of the cross. The tombstones preserved in the church add testimony to the history of the place and the families that supported it. From the outside, you can see the building's compact proportions and slender spire, without buttresses on the facades. Access to the interior painting is checked at the parish, taking into account the services and the activity of the church.

The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Pătrăuți. Archive photo (2011): Cezar Suceveanu / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped and resized. Adapted photo retains same license.