MONASTERYS FROM ROMANIA

Near Ramnicu Valcea after we pass Barsesti village, we leave on the left the road leading to Govora village, very close to Govora Monastery founded in the 15th century. Only the cellars where Matei Basarab installed a printing office in 1640 was preserved out of the first buildings. Here Matei Basarab managed to print the small Pravila “called,” Pravila of Govora “and many other works .The contemporary church was built in 1702 during the reign of Brancoveanu and it is considered a typical monument of its period.

Passing the hills, from Govora Monastery we can go to Surpatele  Monastery (founded in the 16th century by the Buzesti boyars and restored by Mary, Constantin Brancoveanu’s wife) and The Monastery of one Timber that was built, as the legend says, out of the wood of one oak in the 15th century. The old church has burned and on its place another church was built in 1814 out of oak (however the monastery has another stone wall church built in 1646).

Beyond the Oltenian Bistrita River, on the west part of the limestone quarry, on the peak of the mountain coast there is another ancient architectural monument, Arnota Monastery, founded by Matei Basarab in 1653. Buildings that can be seen from down, are very much alike with some barracks and were founded by Stirbei Voda between 1850-1864. If you follow the road that winds through the woods and enter in the courtyard, you find the small church with the tomb of its founder. The church preserves a part of the original frescoes and has an altar screen(iconostasis) of an exceptional value dating from 1706.Its value is due to the fine large florist, polychrome and gold sculptures.

In The Horezu Depression,belonging to Oltenia’s Subcarpati there is Horezu Monastery, the most important ensemble of religious architecture of Brancoveanu Age, a highlight of Wallachia’s arts of the 17th century . The ensemble includes:

- The Big Church built between 1691-1693, decorated with outdoor sculptures in stone with florist motifs specific for Brancoveanu Age. Inside, the church is decorated with frescoes considered remarkable because of the harmony of the colours and the richness of details.

The mural portraits representing ruler Constantin Brancoveanu and his family, the two subprefects which led the building project and the main craftsmen are of high artistic and historical value. Also valuable and the doors carved in pear tree wood, the iconostasis of gilded linden wood, the furniture and the chandeliers, all of them original;

- the one floor building inside the monastery, built in the old- Romanian style that forms a rectangle around the church and it is composed of the bell-tower, the cells, the refectory, the chapel, the royal house and the kitchen. A special note is made by Dionisie (Balaceanu)’s Belle vue built in 1753 whose columns and railings of stone are covered with a sculpture of a wealth and beauty that charm the eye.

- Saint Stefan Hermitage, located near the monastery, was built by Brancoveanu’s son. The building of small proportions surprises the visitor through a special harmony.

MOLDOVA

At about 7km. of Suceava (Burdujeni) the 29th national road passes through forest Adancata and the localitaty with the same name, from which forks to the left the road that leads to Dragomirna monastery , one of the valuable monuments of ancient architecture of Moldavia. Dragomirna was founded by The Metropolitan Anastasie Crimca before 1627. The unusually high church (it has 42m.h and 9.60 m. width) introduces several new principles of construction which were required in the future architecture of Moldavia. It remarks itself by the decorations of carved stone (of Armenian-Caucasian origin) covering the entire dome. Dragomirna has a valuable museum of ancient art.

MARAMURES

Although the Viseu road is more picturesque, we will present Iza Valley, with large villages, where you can meet some of the oldest and most beautiful wooden churches of Maramures. Passing Iza Valley you will see (at Sacel) Viseu Salva railway -built in 1948, a railway that established an easy link between Maramures and the rest of the country. In the south part of Iza valley, guarded by the heights of Tibles Mountains (1842m. height), you can meet the Saliste, Dragomiresti ( from where the beautiful church which dominates the Village Museum in Bucharest, a construction of 1732 was brought) and Cuhea localities.

In Cuhea – locality in which the legendary Dragos Voda started the pursuit of the white wild bull which took him beyond the mountains in Moldova – there is a beautiful wooden church built in 1718 and later restored. On the terrace that dominates the village and Iza Valley towards the south were discovered the foundations of a feudal fortress, considered to be the old residence of Bogdan voivode.. After Cuhea, you turn left to Ieud (2km.), the locality that preserves the oldest wooden church of Maramures (the church on the hill built in 1364) and another church built in 1717.

Other original monuments of local architecture can be seen in the localities we are passing while going down the Iza Valley, most of them built in the 18th century: Sieu -1760, Rozavlea-1717, Stramtura-1661, Nanesti-1780, Oncesti-1795 .

POLOVRAGI MONASTERY

Following the road from Horezu(Valcea county) towards West, entering Gorj County, we pass by Slatioara and Milostea localities and we get into Baia de Fier-Polovraci Valley /Depression, crossed by Oltetului River. Leaving the main road, the first important attraction is Polovraci locality (7km) where a local traditional fair is held in the second half of July.

In front of Oltetului Quay there is Polovraci Monastery. Barbu Paraianu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the time, started to build it in 1643 but it remained unfinished for 50 years. Between 1693 and 1713 Constantin Brancoveanu finished the church and built the rest of the ensemble, remarkable old Romanian architecture monuments. The church wasn’t repaired nor modified and it still keeps the initial beautiful frescoes, especially the founders’ portraits.

In the church’s porch we can see Tudor Vladimirescu’s signature and the date when he rested during 1821’s Riot (28th May 1821).In the old times Oltetului Quay and Polovraci Cave were shelters for the outlaws; Iancu Jianu, captain of the revolutionary army, hid here too in 1821.

The forest road that continues beyond the quay on the upper course of Oltetului River, helps you visit these places, as beautiful as the famous Bicazului Quay. The huge walls of Bacii Stone (on the left) and Polovraciului Stone(on the right) barely allows the light to penetrate in the in the precipice carved with patience by Oltetului water which shines somewhere on the bottom of the quay at about 15m down. After two kilometers, the road takes you to a quiet valley, well wooded.

Only after a few hundred metres after the road enters the Quay, you can see on the right the entrance of Polovraci Cave, a huge cave with many galleries which form a real labyrinth .A legend says that here lived Zamolxe, a Dacian God, whose tears are still dripping from the stone ceiling. The drops falling down the ceiling are representing the tears of Zamolxe after the Dacians were occupied by the Romans.

The legend also says that the cave breaks into the two mountain chains and ends in Transylvania, thus you could walk for days into it.

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