Horezu Monastery

Oltenia and the most harmonious and finest example of Romanian architecture: a representative example of the art of the Brancovenetian era, Horezu Monastery is the only monument in Oltenia to be listed as a UNESCO Heritage site.

The name of the monastery comes from the birds called "huhurezi", night birds with a particularly colorful plumage. According to the local legend, the craftsmen, who had been commissioned by Saint Constantine Brancoveanu to build a great lavra because of the Turks, had to work more at night, when only the huhurezii could be heard.

The monastery, like other monasteries, was a stronghold with walls all around and a bell tower that was nearly 25 metres high. Is surrounded by a wall that is 2.5–3 m high and 1.3–1.5 m wide, constructed of alternate stone and brick, and it appears to have been worked. There are four enclosures on the wall: the main enclosure for the monastery, the enclosure for its outbuildings, the enclosure for its cloister and cemetery, and the enclosure for its garden. Horezu Monastery (Hurezi Monastery), however, can also be thought of as having two enclosures today: enclosure I, which includes the monastery and its hermitages and is surrounded by low, brick walls, and enclosure II, which is fortified and notably high, with structures on three sides and a high wall to the east.

Inside the church, the carved, gold-blown lime wood iconostasis is also remarkable, an extremely valuable piece due to the fact that the original icons have been preserved, as well as the royal chair, also carved in wood, bearing the coat of arms of the Cantacuzins, the stanzas and a rich polychandrum, all from the time of the founder.

The exterior decoration of the Horezu Monastery church is distinguished by superimposed ribs, separated by a rich girdle, and windows decorated with the braided rope motif.

The main church of Horezu Monastery, dedicated to Saints Constantine and Helen, is 32 meters long and 14 meters high, built in the shape of a cross and divided into a porch, a pronaos, a nave and an altar. At the front entrance, on the longitudinal axis of the church, a second, smaller, square, vaulted porch was built later, supported on two longer pillars.

If you want to see an authentic Romanian architecture with a peaceful panoramic view in the core of Oltenia, now is the moment to visit the beautiful monastery. It is easily accesible from Bucharest, only 3 and a half hours away (223 km).

Visiting hours:

- summer: daily, from 8.00 to 20.00

- winter: daily, from 9.00 to 17.00

- visiting fee - The monastery can be visited for FREE