Old chronicles place the construction of Putna monastery between 1466 and 1469. Its erection relates to the medieval tradition where ruling princes would build monasteries, churches and fortresses after they had ascended the throne. Putna, due to its fortified walls and towers, belongs to a defence system designed by Stephen the Great.
The monastery was initially painted both inside and out. None of the frescoes have survived. Putna was an important cultural and artistic centre, having calligraphy, miniature and embroidery workshops. Today, the monastic museum is one of the richest in the country, with objects dating back to Stephen the Great. Stephen the Great was canonised by the Orthodox church in 1992 and since then, has been celebrated as a saint every year on July 2.
Uphill and slightly to the east of the monastery is a curious hollowed-out rock with a door and a window, reputedly once the cell of Daniil the Hermit, who acted as Stephen the Great's close advisor and whose name is related to the foundation of the Sucevita monastery.
