Humor Monastery
Mănăstirea Humorului, Suceava County · Bukovina
About Humor Monastery
At a glance: Monasteries and churches in Mănăstirea Humorului, Suceava County. The visit takes ½ – 1 hours. Information verified on 7 October 2026.
Humor Monastery, also called Mănăstirea Humorului, stands in the commune of the same name, about 5 km north of Gura Humorului. Today's church was begun in 1530 by the grand chancellor Toader Bubuiog, one of Petru Rareș's most important officials, and his wife Anastasia, a few hundred metres from an older monastery dating from the reign of Alexander the Good, whose ruins can still be seen nearby. In 1535 the founder brought in a team of painters, very probably including Toma of Suceava, court painter to Petru Rareș.
The church is painted all over, inside and out, and what sets it apart from its sisters in Bukovina is the colour: if Voroneț means blue, Humor is dominated by shades of red. The architecture also has its firsts: the church has no tower, and the open porch, with large pointed arches, appears here for the first time in Moldavia, as does the treasury room, a hidden chamber above the burial room where valuables were kept in times of danger. In 1641 Prince Vasile Lupu surrounded the monastery with stone walls and built the massive defence tower that still stands today.
Dissolved by the Austrians in 1783, after the annexation of Bukovina, the monastery remained a parish church for almost two centuries and the monks' cells fell into ruin. Monastic life resumed in 1991 with a community of nuns. Since 1993 the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God and St George has been part of the UNESCO site "Churches of Moldavia", together with Voroneț, Moldovița, Arbore, Pătrăuți, Probota, St John the New in Suceava and Sucevița.
What you can see
The south facade, the best preserved, carries the Akathist of the Mother of God in 24 scenes and, below it, the Siege of Constantinople, in which the Persians are replaced by Turks; tradition has it that the painter Toma lent his own face to the horseman hurling a lance at an Ottoman commander. Here too are the Life of St Nicholas and the Parable of the Prodigal Son. In the open porch, on the west wall, is the Last Judgment, and on the apses the ranks of angels, prophets and saints. The north facade, battered by the weather, keeps only fragments.
Inside there are several votive paintings: Petru Rareș with Lady Elena and one of their sons on the west wall of the nave, and in the burial room Toader Bubuiog, in a yellow coat, offering the church to Christ above his own tomb, with Anastasia painted on the opposite wall above hers. Among the scenes appear bucium horns, cobza lutes, bears, wolves and Moldavian embroidered towels. In the grounds are Vasile Lupu's tower, with its wooden balcony under the roof, the 19th-century wooden bell tower through which you enter, and the ruins of the old monastery buildings.
Good to know
The monastery went through a major restoration project completed at the end of 2025, and the 2026 monitoring found the church in a good state of conservation. It is a working convent: enter with shoulders and knees covered, and keep quiet.
- The Siege of Constantinople on the south facade, with the horseman said to bear the face of the painter Toma of Suceava.
- The open porch with pointed arches, the first in Moldavia, with the Last Judgment on its west wall.
- The votive painting of chancellor Toader Bubuiog, in a yellow coat, above his tomb in the burial room.
- The votive painting of Petru Rareș with Lady Elena on the west wall of the nave.
- The defence tower built by Vasile Lupu in 1641, with its wooden balcony under the tall roof.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: from Suceava take the DN17 (E58) to Gura Humorului (~36 km, ~40 minutes), then head north on the road to the commune of Mănăstirea Humorului for another ~6 km; the monastery is in the centre of the commune, next to the town hall. It combines easily with Voroneț Monastery (~10 km), on the other side of Gura Humorului.
Public transport: train to Gura Humorului Oraș station (Suceava – Vatra Dornei line), then a taxi (~6 km).
- Where to park
Parking spaces in the centre of the commune, about 200 m north-east of the monastery gate, next to a paid public toilet.
- Fees & discounts
An entry fee is paid at the gate; the monastery does not publish its prices, so ask at the entrance.
- Rules
Modest dress: shoulders and knees covered. Keep quiet within the walls, no food, drink or smoking. Ask at the entrance whether photography is allowed in the church; no photos during services. Do not touch the frescoes.
- Facilities
Paid public toilet next to the car park · guesthouses in the commune, close by · restaurants and accommodation in Gura Humorului
Frequently asked questions about Humor Monastery
- How long does a visit to Humor Monastery take?
- A visit to Humor Monastery takes about ½ – 1 hours (church, grounds and tower).
- Can you visit Humor Monastery with kids?
- Yes, Humor Monastery is suitable for children (modest dress and quiet).
- How do I get to Humor Monastery?
- Humor Monastery is located at Strada Toader Bubuiog, about 5 km north of the centre of Gura Humorului, Mănăstirea Humorului, Suceava County. By car: from Suceava take the DN17 (E58) to Gura Humorului (~36 km, ~40 minutes), then head north on the road to the commune of Mănăstirea Humorului for another ~6 km; the monastery is in the centre of the commune, next to the town hall. It combines easily with Voroneț Monastery (~10 km), on the other side of Gura Humorului. Public transport: train to Gura Humorului Oraș station (Suceava – Vatra Dornei line), then a taxi (~6 km).
- When is the best time to visit Humor Monastery?
- The best season for Humor Monastery: All year round (south side at midday).
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