Monasteries | Churches
Horezu Monastery
The monastery is located at the foot of Capatânii Mountain, on the outskirts of the village of Românii de Sus, about 50 km west of Râmnicul Vâlcea, in Vâlcea county. The monastery complex at Hurezi covers an area of 3 hectares, including the monastery itself, the Bolnița Church, and two hermitages, that of the Holy Apostles Andrew and Saint Stephen.
Cozia Monastery
It is a foundation of Mircea the Elder, a medieval monastic complex, expanded and renovated over time. At first it was called Nucet Monastery, later it was changed its name after the nearby mountain, Cozia. The monastery is located 3 km from the resort Calimanesti-Caciulata and about 20 km north of Ramnicul Valcea.
The monastery was built, according to legend, near another monastery built by Negru Voda. The monastery’s large church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was built between 1387 and 1391, and its founder was the prince Mircea the Elder.
Archdiocese of Ramnic
In the west and north-east part of the picturesque town of Ramnicu Valcea, just under the “Capela” hill, at the foot of the beech and lime forest, is located the residence of the Ramnicu Diocese. Here, in the course of time, three churches, several buildings and a beautiful orchard with trees have been built.
Berislavesti Monastery
Berislăvești Monastery is a valuable monument of late feudal architecture, the foundation of the nobleman Sandu Bucșenescu and his wife Maria.
The settlement consists of a fortified enclosure with a slightly trapezoidal shape, in the middle of which is the church. The church has a rectangular, narrow pronaos, to which is attached an open porch, with six ornamented columns at the capitals and arches in the shape of a trefoil and is nominated in the List of Historical Monuments as a church with the double dedication “St. Three Hierarchs” and “St. George”, dating from 1754 to 1762.
Saracinesti Monastery
Here, at the confluence of the Olanesti and Cheia rivers, in the middle of the village of Valea Cheii, which until 1964 was called Saracinesti, as the pisania says, for almost 300 years the Church of the former Saracinesti Monastery has been battered by winds and gales.
Pisania: “†With the will of the Father and with the help of the Son and the Holy Spirit built this church from the foundation with all its ornament in praise of the Adoration of the Blessed Virgin Bogorodite and with the churches around it at the expense of Father Stefan, Bishop of Ramnic, being given the estate with the houses of Tanasie Pausescul in the days of Serban Cantacuzino Voevodul. And Zosima Er. (monk) abbot. Years from Adam 7196 and from Jesus Christ 1688 Sept. 28.”
Bistrita Monastery
Founding of the Craioves nobles Bistrita Monastery dates from around 1490. But the first documentary attestation of the monastery is preserved in the “Hrisovul de danie” dated 16 March 1494 belonging to Vlad Voda the Monk. In 1497 the great banker Barbu Craiovescu brought from Constantinople the relics of St. Gregory the Decapolite (780-842). It was heavily damaged by the expedition led by Micah the Bad in 1509. After the latter’s removal, Ban Barbu, with the support of Neagoe Basarab, rebuilt it between 1515-1519. The painting was attributed to the master painters Dumitru, Chirtop and Dobromir, whose names are also linked to the frescoes of the Dealu Monastery near Targoviste and the execution of the stone works of the Curtea de Arges ensemble.
Cornetu Monastery
Formerly a monastery of monks, today Cornetu Monastery with the “Cutting of the Head of Saint John the Baptist” is located on the Ramnicu Valcea – Sibiu road, about 50 km north of Ramnicu Valcea, in the village of Calinesti, Brezoi town, 2 km from Cornetu railway station, on the Ramnicu Valcea – Sibiu railway line.
Arnota Monastery
Arnota Monastery was founded by Matei Basarab in 1633-1634, with the “Saints Archangels Mihail and Gavriil” as its patronage, on the foundation of an older church, being situated 37 km from Ramnicu Valcea, close to Bistrita Monastery and Hurezi Monastery. According to a legend, Matei Basarab built the monastery here because, before becoming a prince, he found escape in these places, hiding in some reeds, being chased by the Turks.
Turnu Monastery
At the foot of Mount Cozia, not far from the waters of Olt, rises the slender silhouette of the monastery of Turnu monks, situated 600 m from the railway station of the same name. At the foot of the Turneanu hill in the Cozia massif, over time, there were many monasteries, chapels dug into the rock, some of which are still preserved today.
Ostrov Monastery
Ostrov Monastery is a monastery of nuns, dedicated to the “Nativity of the Mother of God” and is located on an island of the Calimanesti hydroelectric power station reservoir on the Olt River, being linked to the Calimanesti-Caciulata bathing resort by a bridge, at a distance of 5 km from the Calimanesti-Jiblea C.F.R. stop.
Govora Monastery
A monastery of nuns, with the “Assumption of the Mother of God”, Govora Monastery is located at the foot of Cosul Mare hill, in the commune of Mihaiesti in Valcea county, 6 km from Baile Govora and 18 km from Ramnicu Valcea, on the former farm Hinta.
Monastery “From a Wood”
It is situated about 25 km south of Ramnicu Valcea and 12 km north of Babeni, on the Otasaului valley, in the commune of Francesti. According to an old local tradition, it was founded in the first decades of the 16th century, by building a single oak tree in this place. It was built in honour of the Icon of the Mother of God, an icon that is still preserved today in the stone church of the monastery. Based on this tradition, the monastic settlement here bears the name of “Dintr-un Lemn”.
Surpatele Monastery
Surpatele Monastery with the “Holy Trinity” feast is located in the commune of Frâncesti, Surpatele village, Valcea county, 12 km from Babeni train station and 3 km from the monastery “Dintr-un Lemn”.
Stanisoara Monastery
Monastery in the mountains, located in Călimănești / Vâlcea. Stanisoara Monastery (monastery of monks, dedicated to “Saint George”) is located at the foot of the Cozia massif, on its southern slope, on the territory of Calimanesti, Valcea county. The access is on the Pausa – Stanisoara valley on the north direction, leaving from the CFR Pausa – Caciulata stop, at about 6 km, or from the CFR Turnu station, on the east direction, at about 4 km.
Patrunsa Hermitage
The hermitage is located in Barbatesti commune, Valcea county, 7 km away from the village and is dedicated to “Cuvioasa Paraschiva”, from the name of the mother of Bishop Climent. The access to this settlement can be done on DN 64A, Ramnicu Valcea – Baile Olanesti, passing through Pausesti-Maglasi, turning left towards the village of Cheia, then on the Valea Cheii, on the forest road leading to the Pahomie Monastery.
Frasinei Monastery
The church of the Frasinei Monastery, also called the Great Church, with the “Assumption of the Mother of God”, with the whole complex of buildings, in the shape of a fortress, is the foundation of Saint Calinic de la Cernica, Bishop of Ramnic, who built it between 1860-1863, the year in which he consecrated it. The painting, done in oil by the painter Misu Pop, in the style of Tattarascu, was painted in 1968 by the painter Aritium Avachian. This church is a historical monument.
Pahomie Hermitage
Pahomie Hermitage is located on the territory of Baile Olanesti (Barbatesti commune), Valcea county, about 30 km from Ramnicu Valcea, under the ridges of the Capatanii Mountains, access to this monastic settlement is on DN 64A, Ramnicu Valcea – Baile Olanesti, passing through Pausesti-Maglasi, turning left towards the village of Cheia, then along the Cheia Valley, on a forest road accessible by car, until the beautiful spring, which is almost 50 meters long, on which is built the church of the monastery, with the “Holy Prophet Elijah Tesviteanul”.
Papusa Hermitage
It is located at the exit of the Bistrita Gorge, on the left bank of the river, on a rock formerly called Mount Eleon. The place name “Păpușa” dates back to 1537. Following a steep path from the local road to Arnota Monastery, you enter the small plateau with wide openings to Bistrita Monastery and St. Gregory’s Cave. The church is supposed to have been surrounded on the east and south sides by the huts set up for the scholar monks of the monastery of Bistrita, who retired here to translate manuscripts of an ecclesiastical and lay nature from patristic literature.
Bolnița “Sf.Apostoli”
The “Holy Apostles” Monastery of Cozia was built by Radu Paisie (also known as Petru de la Argeș), son of Radu the Great and ruler of Wallachia between 1535-1545. The mural painting of the chapel was done in 1542-1543 by the painters David and his son Raduslav. The “Holy Apostles Peter and Paul” Chapel, with its slender and elegant silhouette, is one of the most beautiful architectural achievements of the 16th century in Romania, a jewel of 16th century architecture.
“St. George” and “Holy Trinity” Church
Stănișoara Monastery was rebuilt between 1903 and 1908, during the time of the Bishop of Argeș, Gherasim Timuș and the abbot Nicandru Manu.
The present church was built according to the plans of the architect Debora Apoloni, who was also responsible for the terracing and consolidation of the northern side of the monastery, where the chili and the neo-Romanesque pavilion were built.
In order to meet the needs of the daily schedule of services, between 1936 and 1940 the parsonage church was built, dedicated to the “Holy Trinity” and the “Nativity of St John the Baptist”, to the south of the main church, on the site of buildings that had been destroyed by fire in 1921.
List of church objectives in the county
| Name | Category | City | Address | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biserica din lemn a lui Horea din Albac | Church | Baile Olanesti | Baile Olanesti | |
| Manastirea Saracinesti | Monastery | Baile Olanesti | Str. Principala, nr. 49, sat Valea Cheii, Comuna Pausesti-Maglasi |  |
| Schitul Lacul Frumos | Hermitage | Baile Olanesti | Comuna Vladesti, sat Pleasa, DC164 |  |
| Schitul Iezer | Hermitage | Baile Olanesti | DF Canton Cheia, Cheia | |
| Schitul Pahomie | Hermitage | Baile Olanesti | Barbatesti | |
| Schitul Bradu | Hermitage | Baile Olanesti | Gurguiata | |
| Schitul Patrunsa | Hermitage | Baile Olanesti | Barbatesti | |
| Schitul Jgheaburi | Hermitage | Baile Olanesti | Piscul Mare, comuna Stoenesti | |
| Schitul Comanca | Hermitage | Baile Olanesti | Sat Pietrișu | |
| Manastirea Bistrita | Monastery | Bistrita | Sat Bistriţa, com. Costesti | |
| Manastirea Arnota | Monastery | Bistrita | DJ646, Bistrița | |
| Schitul Păpușa | Hermitage | Bistrita | Bistrita | |
| Biserica „Sf. Gheorghe” si „Sf. Treime” | Church | Calimanesti-Caciulata | Calimanesti | |
| Biserica din Deal ”Sfintii Voievozi” | Church | Calimanesti-Caciulata | DJ651B, Balcesti, Calimanesti | |
| Bolnița „Sf. Apostoli” Cozia | Monastery | Calimanesti-Caciulata | Calea lui Traian 816, Caciulata |  |
| Manastirea Berislavesti | Monastery | Calimanesti-Caciulata | Strada Principala Nr. 107, Berislavesti | |
| Manastirea Frasinei | Monastery | Calimanesti-Caciulata | DJ 658 | |
| Manastirea Cozia | Monastery | Calimanesti-Caciulata | Calea lui Traian 816, Caciulata | |
| Manastirea Turnu | Monastery | Calimanesti-Caciulata | Str. Basarab Neagoe 55A | |
| Manastirea Stanisoara | Monastery | Calimanesti-Caciulata | Calimanesti | |
| Manastirea Cornetu | Monastery | Calimanesti-Caciulata | Comuna Racovita, Sat Tutulesti | |
| Schitul Ostrov | Hermitage | Calimanesti-Caciulata | Strada Aurel Vlaicu 13, Calimanesti | |
| Schitul Cozia Veche - Sfantul Ioan la Piatra | Hermitage | Calimanesti-Caciulata | Calea lui Traian 599, Caciulata | |
| Manastirea Govora | Monastery | Govora | comuna Mihailesti | |
| Manastirea Dintr-un Lemn | Monastery | Govora | Francesti | |
| Manastirea Surpatele | Monastery | Govora | Francesti | |
| Manastirea Hurezi | Monastery | Horezu | Strada Mânăstirii, Romanii de Jos | |
| Arhiepiscopia Ramnicului | Church | Ramnicu Valcea | Str. Arhiepiscopiei 1 | |
