Religious

The main religious destinations in Romania are the result of the association of same places of cult with religious celebrations of national interest. In this regard, the following monuments/settlements, famous both at the national and international levels, have to be mentioned, in order to offer a clear picture.

• Basarabi-Murfatlar,Constanta County
  The rupestrian monachal complex from Basarabi-Murfatlar – Six little churches were discovered between 1957 and 1962 in the west of Basarabi village (Murfatlar), near the ancient Tomis, on the northern side of the chalk massif. They are the oldest worship places on the territory of our country, completely preserved.

The rupestrian places from Basarabi – Murfatlar became pilgrimage place due to its importance in the history of the Romanian Christianism, and the opportunity to observe an authentic monachal life in Dobrogea, in the end of the 10s century.

• Bucuresti
  The Metropolitan Church has its baginnings in the second half of the 17th century, when the Voivode of Wallachia Constantin Serban (1654 – 1658) founded a church here. Since 1668 the monastery has become the metropolitan residence, and since 1925 it has become the residence of the Metropolitan Bishop, when the Romanian Orthodox Church was turned into a Metropolitan one.
• Cocos, Tulcea County
  Cocos Monastery
  Located 6 km north-east away of Niculitel village in a Christian area, the monastery was built in the first half of the 19th century (1833), under Cocosului Hill, which gave its name to the monument. The founder was the Superior Visarion, recently returned from the Athos Mountaines. Two years (1973) after their discovery, the relics of those four Saints from Niculitel (Zotikos, Attalos, Kamasis and Filippos) were placed in the central church of Cocos Monastery.
• Curtea de Arges, Arges County
  Curtea de Arges Monastery
  The construction of the church from Curtea de Arges Monastery was started in 1512 and ended in 1517. It was restored in the second half of the 19th century. The interior oil painting was made by the French painters F. Nicolle and Ch. Renouard, and the Romanian N. Constantinescu. The Arges Monastery became a pilgrimage destination for the Orthodox Christians, both during the dedication day of Sf. Filofteia (December 7), and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (August 15).
• Fizesu Gherlii,Cluj County

Nicula Monastery
Located 50 km north-east from Cluj and 18 km south-east from Dej in Fizesul Gherlei village, the wooden church of Nicula Monastery was rebuilt in 1552, 1700-1712 and 1973. The interior painting was made in the second half of the 19th century by the Superior Mihail Serban from Gherla. Later, in 1961, it was restored by painter Vasile Pascu. The Miraculous Icon of the Virgin Mary turned this monastery in a pilgrimage destination during the Assumption of the Virgin Mary day 9August 15). Painted in 1681 by the Romanian priest Luca from Clod, the icon reveals the Virgin Mary keeping the Baby Jesus on the left arm. The Orthodox iconographic specific is preserved through centuries due to a painting on glass workshop located inside the monastery.

• Francesti, Valcea County
  Dintr-un Lemn (a single piece of wood) Monastery
  It is locate 25 km south-west from Ramnicu-Valcea and was carved in a single log in the first half of the 16th century. It gave the name of the monastery. Today’s church, in stone, was built during Matei Basarab reign, between 1637and1641, and, later, was endowed with many donations by t he Wallachia voivodes Serban Cantacuzino (1678-1688) and Constantin Brancoveanu (1688-1714). The gallery of icons includes an old icon gilt with silver of the Virgin Mary. According to the legend, it was discovered in the oak-tree the first little church was carved in.
• Iasi, Iasi County
  The Metropolitan Cathedral
  Veniamin Costachi , the Metropolitan Bishop of Moldavia in the first half of the 19th century had the idea to built this cathedral. The works were ended in 1887. The architectonic style was inspired by the late Italian Rennaissance, the cathedral looking pretty much like «Trinita del Monte» Church from Rome. The interior painting was made by Gheorghe Tattarescu. Since 1889, Iasi Cathedral shelters the relics of Cuvioasa Parascheva (transported from Constantinoples on June 13, 1641, by the Moldavian Voivode Vasile Lupu), Moldavia’s spiritual patron.
  Trei Ierarhi Monastery
  Founded by the Moldavian Voivode Vasile Lupu, it is located in the cultural centre of Iasi, near the Culture Palace and the Metropolitan Cathedral. Built between 1635 and 1639, the church of Trei Ierahi Monastery was restored between 1882 and 1889 by the architects Lecomte du Noüy and Nicolae Gabrielescu. The most of the interior objects were donated by the King Carol I and the Quenn Elisbeth, and worked in the Viennese workshops. On the right side of the pronave the tombs of the voivodes Dimitrie Cantemir and Alexandru Ioan Cuza are to be found.
• Putna, Suceava County
  Putna Monastery (built between the 1466 and 1469) is located at around 32 km west of Radauti town. Jerusalim of the Romanian people as poet Mihai Eminescu calls it, it is a famous foundation of Steven the Great, hosting also his grave. When the Moldavian Voivode was cannonized in 1992, Putna became a pilgrimage destination once a year, in the baginning of July (July 2). We should not forget from the present-day frame the Miraculous Icon of the Virgin Mary with Baby Jesus, brung in Moldavia by Maria of Mangop, the second wife of Steven the Great.
• Ramet,Alba County
  Ramet Monastery
  Located at around 36 km north-west of Alba-Iulia, Ramet Monastery is one of the oldest Orthodox religious monuments in the country, being founded in the first half of the 13th century. The painting made by the handicraftman Mihu from Crisul Alb (according to the inscription from 1376)) is important not only for its documentary value but also for the artistic qualities: the sense of colour, the variety of the faces, the precision of the graphic design etc.
• Sambata de Sus, Brasov County.
  Brancoveanu Monastery
  On Brasov-Fagaras-Sibiu highway, near Voila settlement, Sambata de Sus village, 15 km to the south, the monachal settlement founded by the Wallachian Voivode Constantin Brancoveanu in 1696 can be seen. Demolished by the Austrian general Preiss in the baginning of the 19th century, Sambata de Sus Monastery was restored by the Bishop Nicolae Balan between 1926 and 1946.
• Suceava, Suceava County
  St. John the New Monastery Today ‘s Episcopal Cathedral from Suceava city was built during the reigns of the Moldavian voivodes Bogdan the IIIrd and Stefanita Voda, in the baginning of the 16th century (1514-15220. The Cathdral shelters the relics of St. John the New cannonized in 1303 at Cetatea Alba. The relics was moved here in 1402 by Voivode Alexander the Good.
• Vanatori Neamt, Neamt County
  Neamt Monastery Located at almost 15 km north-west of Targu Naemt town, on the perimetre of Vanatori village, Neamt Monastery is the oldest and the most important monachal settlement in Moldavia. The first church was built by the Voivode Petru Musat (1375-1391). Steven the Great built the new chuch between 1495 and 1497. Both the relics of St. Paisie Velicicovski, who better organized the Moldavian monachism in the end of the 18th century, and the relics of the Unknown Saint discovered on May 24, 1986, on the alley to the bellfry, are preserved here.
  The church preserves also a Miraculous Icon of the Virgin Mary, offered to the Voivode Alexander the Good by the Byzanthine Emperor John the VIIIth from Paleologus dinasty, at the baginning of the 15th century.