The wooden church from the village of Putna is located in the locality of Putna, in Suceava county. Known as the "Old Church of Putna", it is located in the immediate vicinity of the Putna Monastery.
The old church in Putna is the oldest and the only medieval wooden church, known until now, preserved on the territory of Romania. Its exceptional age and archaic plan give it an inestimable value for medieval architecture in our country and beyond its borders.
The eastern part of the church dates from the early years of the 15th century, and, according to tradition, was brought by Saint Stefan the Great from Volovat. It is believed to have been built in 1346 by Dragos Voda, in the village of Volovat. From here, after 122 years, Saint Stephen the Great moved it to the village of Putna.
The Old Wooden Church of Putna is of exceptional importance, including for those who study the history of architecture from this part of our continent and from Europe in general. The church is on the new list of historical monuments under LMI code: SV-II-m-A-05594.
The Old Wooden Church in Putna - finding it in the local tradition
The first to mention this old and important national religious monument is the chronicler Nicolae Costin (1660-1712), in "Letopisetul Tarii Moldovai from the building of the world to 1601".
In his chronicle, he confesses the following things: "We also understood from old people, painters from this part of the country, how to draw the word from man to man, that a wooden church in Olovat, should be built by Dragos-voda and there I say, let Dragos-voda be buried. And that wooden church was moved by Stefan-voda cel Bun, and they built it at the Putna Monastery, where it stands until now. And on the site of that wooden church, in Olovat, Stefan-voda built the stone church."
What Nicolae Costin records is an oral tradition heard from the elderly and by no means a documentary news. However, at least two indisputable truths can be found in his assertion: firstly, that in Putna there was, long before the writing of his Letopiset, a wooden church which the elders claimed that Dragos built in Volovat, and Stefan moved one at Putna and secondly, that Stefan the Great built a stone church at Volovat, which the same elders claimed was built on the site of the first one.
The old wooden church from Putna was distinguished in the history of the Romanians by the aura of this legend, which accompanied and protected its existence throughout the centuries. After the mention of the chronicler, the protection of the princely chancellery followed.
Source: www.crestinortodox.ro