Putna Monastery is among the most important cultural, religious and artistic centers of Medieval Moldavia being one of the many other monasteries created by Prince Stephen the Great. It was founded on the lands perambulated by the Putna River which has its source in the Obcina Mare Mountains, in the northern part of Moldova named Bukovina.

After Stephen the Great won the battle in which he conquered the Chilia fortress, wanting to thank God for his success, he started on 10 July 1466 the construction of the Putna monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary, being of Christian Orthodox communion.

The terrain, on which the monastery is built on, is believed to be the place on which a former forest raised. In a chronicle of that time is mentioned that Stephen the Great bought from Stan Babici, Iachim Babici and Simion Babici, for 200 zlots, the Jicovul de Sus village and offered it to the treasury of the monastery. The monastery was finished in 3 years but it was consecrated after 4 because other battles took place and the Prince was leading the troops not having the time necessary for this important event. At 3 September 1470 the Putna monastery was sanctified thus being the most important religious centre in the area. Stephen the Great participated with all his family at the ceremony.

The monastery was believed to have been build by a Greek architect named Theodor, but this is not true ,the source of this information being the erroneous interpretation of the chronicles found in the Chilia fortress, the true architect being unknown.