Also in this location the visitor can see some great museums such as the Art Museum, the Ethnography Museum and Cucuteni Culture Museum. These buildings are not part of the architectural complex “Curtea Domneasca” from Piatra Neamt but represent interesting attraction points for tourists.

“Curtea Domneasca” Architectural Complex on Google Maps

St Ioan Botezatorul Church from Piatra Neamt was built between July 15 1497 and November 11 1498 and represents the most valuable construction from the architectural complex “Curtea Domneasca” built by Stefan cel Mare. The church has a length of 25.90 m, width of 8.10 m and height of 11.30 m and it stands out because of its shape and fine style. The architecture of the building is classic for the Moldavian traditional style.

The interior of the altar is in the shape of a quarter of a sphere and has only one window on the central ax of the church. Between 1871 and 1973 numerous restoration operations were performed both on the inside as well on the outside of St Ioan Botezatorul Church from “Curtea Domneasca” Architectural Complex.

The Bell-Tower (also known as Stefan cel Mare Tower) located north-west from “St Ioan Botezatorul” Church is part of a bigger architectural complex called “Curtea Domneasca”  (in a direct translation would be The Royal Court) and was built as a necessity in 1499 a year after the construction of the church.

The tower, as well the entire architectural complex, represents a true landmark for Piatra Neamt and it looks almost like in its first days without many modifications. This small fortress, build out of hard stone with four counterforts that emphasizes the slim profile, impresses through its proportions and architectural details.

The Museum of “Curtea Domneasca” Architectural Complex is located on Str. Piata Libertatii, Piatra Neamt, Neamt County. The exhibition from “Curtea Domneasca” Architectural Complex from Piatra Neamt was included in the exhibition circuit in 1986 and it hosts tri-dimensional materials and documents that “talk” about “Curtea Domneasca” Architectural Complex, a place that was documented first in 20 April 1491.

The Art Museum from Piatra Neamt represents a panoramic vision of the evolution of art (painting, graphics, sculpture, tapestry) made by Romanian artists at the end of the XX century. In works of sculptors Ion Irimescu and Ion Jalea, painters like Gh Petrascu, Fr Sirato, N Tonitza, Corneliu Baba we can see the period between the two world wars – a period marked by the incidence of the European currents evolved in the XX century. The museum is located right in the Architectural Complex “Curtea Domneasca” from Piatra Neamt.

Founded in 1980, the Ethnography Museum hosts an impressive collection of ethnographic objects and traditional art from Neamt area which illustrates the occupations, customs and clothing but also traditional wood architecture. The museum is located few meters away from the Tower of Stefan cel Mare from the Architectural Complex “Curtea Domneasca” from Piatra Neamt.

The first ethnographic collection of the museum is from 1960 and it is composed from approximately 1,000 pieces. Today, the main collection of the museum offers elements of the traditional house of the Romanian peasant from the Bistrita Valley, the folk costume from this area and also the main handicrafts (weaving, woodworking) from the sub-Carpathian region of Moldavia – Romania.

The Museum for eneolitic art Cucuteni was first opened in the summer of 2005 and it’s the first museum for the Cucuteni art in Romania. The museum is located right near the Architectural Complex “Curtea Domneasca” from Piatra Neamt. The museum has two rooms for the exhibition. In the first one, that is located at ground floor, we can see art objects represented by decorated vessels and in the second room from the first floor, we can see art objects of figurative-plastic, anthropomorphic and zoo-morphic in all phases of development of Cultures Precucuteni-Cucuteni.

The tower, as well the entire architectural complex, represents a true landmark for Piatra Neamt and it looks almost like in its first days without many modifications. This small fortress, build out of hard stone with four counterforts that emphasizes the slim profile, impresses through its proportions and architectural details.

The tower from “Curtea Domneasca” Architectural Complex from Piatra Neamt has the shape of a prism with a height of 19 m that served as a refuge and a defense point against invaders. At ground floor there is a semi-cylindrical vaulted room with two small windows on the south and west walls. The access to this room is made through a direct entrance.

At the first floor the access was once made through a mobile stair that was replaced with a fixed metal one. The bell chamber can be reached on an interior stair. The guarding-turret was added during the modern age.

The façade of Stefan cel Mare Tower was decorated with small discs made out of terracotta that was glazed and colored. Truly special is also the bell room that looks like a semi-spherical vault because of the architectural arched elements. The bell room has 4 bells of different sizes.

The biggest bell was made in XVII century and has a unique sound, another bell was made in XIX century and the other two are from 1979 and were created by the local artisan Damian from Targu Neamt.
Many years Stefan cel Mare Tower from “Curtea Domneasca” was the tallest building in Piatra Neamt. Because of this reason, during the XIX century, on top of the tower was added a room for “fire watchers”.

In 1861 on top of the tower was added a clock that was then changed in 1920 with the one that we can see today. Stefan cel Mare Tower represents the symbol of Piatra Neamt and also a heritage of our history.

St Ioan Botezatorul Church from Piatra Neamt was built between July 15 1497 and November 11 1498 and represents the most valuable construction from the architectural complex “Curtea Domneasca” built by Stefan cel Mare. The church has a length of 25.90 m, width of 8.10 m and height of 11.30 m and it stands out because of its shape and fine style. The architecture of the building is classic for the Moldavian traditional style.

The interior of the church is divided into three classic parts for an orthodox church: the ante-temple, the nave and the altar. The entrance into St Ioan Botezatorul Church is made through a stone gate with gothic influences. To enlarge the interior space of the church the builders created a big opening into the wall that finishes with an impressive transversal arch. A classic ornament for that period was three stone rods twisted around each other.

The interior of the altar is in the shape of a quarter of a sphere and has only one window on the central ax of the church. Between 1871 and 1973 numerous restoration operations were performed both on the inside as well on the outside of St Ioan Botezatorul Church from “Curtea Domneasca” Architectural Complex. An important restoration operation was the replacement of the old iconostasis with a new one. The sculpture of the new iconostas was made by the monk Gherasim and the digger Tanase and was painted in the same way as the church from Agapia Monastery by painters Panaite Mavrodic and C. V. Basarab.

Because of many restorations of the interior painting we don’t know if the church was painted or not during the life of its builder. In the XIX century the pulpit and the coir balcony were built and in 1937 the roof was also restored by the workshop of the Art and Trades School from Piatra Neamt. The exterior of St Ioan Botezatorul Church from “Curtea Domneasca” Architectural Complex represents a unique element from the time of ruler Stefan cel Mare.

Among the heritage objects from St Ioan Botezatorul Church from Piatra Neamt there are: Bohemian crystal chandeliers donated by Nicu Albu in 1837, icons painted by Constantin Stahie and Petre Savinescu, The Holly Evangel from Neamt Monastery from 1821, the Evangel from Sibiu from 1854, silver crosses, old books and more.

St Ioan Botezatorul Church from “Curtea Domneasca” Architectural Complex from Piatra Neamt can be visited as a historic monument or you can attend the religious service. The church, together with Stefan cel Mare Tower and the museum from “Curtea Domneasca” Complex and represent the main touristic attraction of Piatra Neamt.

The entire event will be organized in more than just one place. Between June 25 and June 27 in “Piata Libertatii” Plaza will be organized Expoflora Flower Fair. In Forum Shoping Center Mall visitors will participate at a Clothing Fair. Saturday, June 26 at 16:00 at the Town Swimming Pool “Strandul Tineretului” at Rustic Restaurant will take place the V-th edition of the Gastronomic Contest where several local restaurants will present their best foods. Sunday, June 27, starting with 12:00 you are invited at Piatra Neamt Rally to see how skillful the pilots are.

For those of you that love music, each night, starting with 18:00, on the scene that will be arranged at the Town Swimming Pool “Strandul Tineretului” will be organized shows and concerts. Between 18:00 and 20:00 there will be folk shows by children from Gh. Cartianu High school. Starting with 20:00 you’ll see shows by Delia, Andreea Banica, Holograf and Connect-R.

Everyone that seeks to have a good time is expected to come in Piatra Neamt between June 24 and June 27, 2010.

To reach Cuejdel Lake there are two access ways: either by car to the lake or by car to a certain point and then on foot. If you want to reach Cuejdel Lake by car you go from Piatra Neamt to Targu Neamt and you make a left at Cracaoani commune on a dirt road towards Cracaul Negru and Magazia.

Location of Cuejdel Lake on Google maps with access routes

If you choose to hike to Cuejdel Lake, which is also our recommendation, you’ll go by car from Piatra Neamt to Garcina commune and Cuejdel Village. At some point the asphalted road will end but you keep driving on a dirt road until you’ll see a sign that says “Lacul Cuejdel 2km” (it means 2 km to Cuejdel Lake). That is the point where you get out of the car and you start hiking.

The green grass, the flowers that seem to overflow the fields, the powerful blue sky form a perfect picture for you to admire while you hike to Cuejdel Lake. After that the road takes you into the dark pine tree forest where the sun rays struggle to find their way through the thick branches of the trees.

Your only companion on this road is a creek that flows along the trail. The sound of the water is like a strange song of the forest and the beauty of the path which looks like a tunnel covered by trees makes you forget about the time. Soon, in front of your eyes you’ll see Cuejdel Lake.

Located into the heart of the forest, in a wild scenery, Cuejdel Lake presents a rare beauty where hundreds of tree trunks are pointing out from the water like an unknown menace. Because of its shape, Cuejdel Lake is also known as the Cross Lake. This place is a natural reservation protected by law from 2004.

As a tourist you can hike around the lake on the dirt road that flows along the water surface. Nature worked hard on this place and you can see the results in a breathtaking scenery. Reed groves, an abandoned raft, small trees grouped in strange shapes, roots: the entire area is an amalgam of impressive elements.

The hike around Cuejdel Lake makes you wonder: how does the lake look at dusk or at dawn? For a person passionate about photography this place is like heaven on Earth. It doesn’t matter when you arrive at Cuejdel Lake, in the morning, in the evening, in the middle of the day, during spring or during fall, you’ll always come back with a pleasant memory and a great photo.

In your hikes try not to disturb the nature. This unique place from Romania deserves to be protected in order for future generation to enjoy that spectacular image of Cuejdel Lake.

Those that are responsible for organizing this event invite you to spend few minutes listening to traditional music and to see folk dances from different countries of European Union and also to admire a parade with folk costumes from different areas of the continent.

At the show will be present students from National IT College and from the Art High School “Victor Brauner”, the folk orchestra Stefan Voievod from the Art High School, flute singers Madalina Luca and Adelina Chirila and also folk singers Iuliana Candrea and Alina Carnariu.

Together with those mentioned above you’ll also see the folk group EuEtno that will present traditional dances from France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Greece. The folk dances group called Mugurelul will present a show with traditional folk dances from Neamt County: “Braul de la Garcina”, “Hora fetelor de la Damuc”, “Floricica (Bicaz-Chei)” and “Sarba de la Margineni”.

The entire show is organized by “Carmen Saeculare” Cultural Center, the Agency for Regional Development North-East, National IT College, the Art High School “Victor Brauner” and Tineretului Theatre.