The next day we woke up at 7:00 in the morning. I woke up with an indescribable mood, with a state of peace and tranquility in my soul. I had a great desire for adventure and travel.
I had breakfast and set off. We didn't have time to go to the local museum because it was already late. But we didn't have time the next day either because we had to go on the road, because we had so much to see.
I heard the voice of the conductor shouting that it was time to leave. Everyone was in the coaches a long time ago, they were waiting for us to get on. I ran to the bus and set off.
Our destination was Turnu Monastery, we found out that it is one of the monastic hearths of spiritual-Christian sea, in the Diocese of Râmnicu, located in a secluded place on the left bank of Olt, under Mount Cozia, two km from the foundation of Voivode Mircea cel Batran, Cozia Monastery.
Access to the monastery has been particularly difficult for centuries. From the south, you can reach Jiblea by boat, and from Cozia, by boat over Olt, then from below along the river: to the north, the only connection was formed by the paths that climbed to the top of the mountain and descended to the villages of Lovista.
The name of the Monastery comes from a massive tower, on the rock called "Pisof lui Teofil", built in the second century by the Roman legions from the Arutela Camp, whose ruins can still be seen in Poiana Bivolari, below the current hydroelectric power plant. At first it was called "Hermitage after the tower", then Turnu Hermitage, and finally "Turnu Monastery".
Currently, more than 25 monks and brothers live in Turnu Monastery, working and praying. We found out from our guide that near this old monastic settlement are still preserved some famous historical vestiges such as: "Arutela", the stone rock called "Masa lui Trăian" and the thermal baths from Bivolari on the left bank of the Olt .
By the time we reached the Ostrov Monastery, one of the coaches had broken down. He just stopped to change the wheel. We were told to go outside until the wheel was set and not to go anywhere. Let's sit by the bus.
But some naughty children disappeared from the buses. Adults began to fidget to ask if anyone had seen them. We didn't see them. But I think someone saw them but doesn't want to say, for fear of having problems with them. Eventually, those who saw them said they went to the nearby store.
Two adults went after, and they weren't there. Those in the store said they did not see any students entering the store. A police car passed us. A policeman in the car asked us if we had any problems.
We did not want to involve the police in the disappearance of the 3 naughty people who left the bus. From a distance you could see the teacher and the 3 students who left without announcing. Meanwhile, the driver finished mounting the bus wheel, things rushed a lot because of the students who left without the teachers' knowledge. We announced to get on the buses to go to the Ostrov Monastery.
The church is rebuilt on the site of an older church from the 14th or beginning of the 15th century, between 1520-521, being founded by the ruler Neagoe Basarab and his wife, Mrs. Despina.
From the 16th century until 1980, the Ostrov Hermitage was a nunnery. In this hermitage, Neagoe Basarab's wife, Mrs. Despina with the name of Platonida, and the mother of Mihai Viteazul, who took the name of Teofana, became monks.
Lunch was approaching, I understood that we would eat at Râmnicul Vâlcea and we would visit the Archdiocese of Râmnic. We stopped at a downtown cafe and bought myself some food. I sat at the table, had a hot tea and a very tasty sandwich that I couldn't finish. After we finished eating, we left in the direction of the church.
In the western and mid-northern part of the picturesque town of Râmnicului Vâlcea, just below the "Capela" hill, at the foot of the beech forest, three churches were built, several buildings and a beautiful orchard with trees was planted.
This corner of the city, as it has been presented over the centuries and as it is presented today, was and remains a place of silence for the souls of believers. The Archbishop's Residence of Râmnicu has the following buildings: Bolnița Cathedral, the Chapel, the Episcopal Palace, the annex buildings, the Antim Ivireanul Cultural-Religious Complex.
After I left the Archbishop's residence, it was past 3:00 pm, I left for the Curtea de Argeș Monastery, located at the end of a boulevard with three hundred-year-old trees. Curtea de Argeș Monastery is the most important place of pilgrimage and prayer in Argeș County, dedicated to the "Assumption".
Founded during the reign of Neagoe Basarb, between 1512-1527, the monastery is part of the most famous Romanian legend. "The legend of Master Manole", also known as the Episcopal Church, because it was the episcopal see between 1739 and 1748.
The "Legend of Master Manole" to which the name Curtea de Argeș Monastery is linked says that the ruler had hired the greatest craftsmen to build the place of worship.
But what they built during the day collapsed at night. One night, Manole dreamed that if he built his wife in one of the walls, the building would last. The next day, when his wife Ana brought him food, Manole built it on the south side. When everything was ready, Neagoe Basarab was impressed by the beauty of the Monastery, ordered the servants to take the stairs leading to the roof so that the craftsmen could not go down and make another more beautiful church.
Then Manole made wings out of the sieve to fly, but he collapsed. It is said that in the place where it touched the ground came a spring that represents Manole's tears. In fact, the spring is right near the Monastery.
Another legend refers to the relics of Saint Filofteea, a 12-year-old girl, whose remains are deposited in the chapel of the Monastery. It is said that the little girl went with food to the workers hired by her father.
One day, however, she gave the food to the beggars she met on the way. Then her father killed her with an ax. The girl's body could not be lifted from below until the name of Curtea de Argeș Monastery was mentioned. For this reason, the priests decided to take the relics to this monastery.
Among the monuments that have been built over the years, the Curtea de Argeș church is the most valuable church art and architectural construction in Wallachia.
After leaving the Curtea de Argeș Monastery, we headed to another monastery of historical and religious importance, which we heard more often: Surpatele Monastery, located in the commune of Frăncești, Surpatele village in Vâlcea County, 12 km Babeni train station and 3 km from Dintr un Lemn Monastery, it is dated to the beginning of the 18th century and is inscribed in the list of historical monuments. The monastery was built on the site of another church founded during the time of Neagoe Basarab, by Tudor Dragoescu and his brother Stanciu, a boyar from the Buzeşti family.
Between 1703-1706, Mrs. Maria, the wife of Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu, rebuilt the foundation of the old church, while building around it all necessary for an important monastery. This Brâncovenească monastery is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Later, in 1815, it was repaired and repainted by the painter Gheorghe Gherontie, from Hurei. Until 1872, Surpatele Monastery had a rich activity both spiritually and in the cultural-artistic field: there were church workshops, and the writer and musicologist Anton Pann worked here at Dintr un Lemn Monastery as a music teacher and as a teacher. translator of religious books between 1837-1850.
The church of Surpatele Monastery is a typical monument of Brancoveanu architecture. The interior is divided into altar, nave (much more spacious than the narthex) and narthex. The nave is separated from the narthex by a thick wall with a large opening in the middle.
Surpatele Monastery has a rich dowry of scents that is still in the museum's museum collection as well as in other museums in the country. Among these we mention: the Art Museum of Bucharest (Gospel printed in Bucharest in 1693 covered in gold; gilded silver candle) and the Museum of Art Brâncovenească Mogoșoaia (a silver disc, silver nafornita, richly ornamented depicting the Holy Trinity).
We still have to visit another beautiful monastery that we finally left to visit, it is the Dintr un Lemn Monastery located about 25 km south of Râmnicul Vâlcea and 12 km north of Babeni, in the Otasaului valley, in the commune French. According to an old local tradition, it was created in the first decades of the 16th century, by building a single oak material in this place. It was erected in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God, the icon that is still preserved today in the stone church of the monastery. Based on this tradition, the monastic settlement here is called Dintr un Lemn.
The beginnings of the Dintr un Lemn Monastery are linked, as we have seen, to some traditions or legends that undoubtedly preserve some of the truth. The first document in which the name of the monastic settlement here appears is dated April 20, 1635. In another testimony written on November 27, 1640, Matei Basarab says that he built the monastery "as a foundation". He inspired her among the monasteries he founded.
At the end of our adventure we left with a peaceful heart, we visited the most beautiful places and we were left with unforgettable memories for us.
If you want to make a foray into history, I invite you to get in the car and visit them.
At every monastery we passed we prayed for our loved ones, we put a candle to health and the dead. It was a blessing for us to visit these monasteries of the soul. We charged ourselves with positive energy, peace and peace of mind. It was something beautiful and wonderful that I will never forget this beautiful experience. We left our last monastery it was already 18:00, we hurried to get home. We were tired and exhausted from so much road but happy that we enjoyed so many wonderful and beautiful views. I never forgot this trip. I was very happy to have been and visited these places of great holiness.
We arrived in Brașov at 21:00, we said goodbye to each other and wished each other the best. And we ran to the train to catch the last one to St. George. We bought tickets, and we were already on the train.
At 22:00 I was at Sfântul Gheorghe. Our legs hurt, we were tired, but this fatigue is worth anything in the world. For I knew somewhere in my subconscious that this adventure would never happen again. A new day in our lives begins tomorrow.
Written by Elena Bogus
Super! Now I know what I need to see next summer
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