Mănăstirea Bistrița Vâlcea

Bistrita Monastery in Valcea is an important monastic settlement founded at the end of the fifteenth century by the powerful boyar family of the Craiovesti, in a spectacular natural setting at the foot of the Capatanii Mountains, near the Bistrita Gorges. Over the centuries the monastery was destroyed and rebuilt several times, and the present appearance of the great church bears the mark of nineteenth-century restorations. It has preserved the relics of Saint Gregory the Decapolite and once housed one of the first printing presses in Wallachia, making it a centre of spirituality and culture of remarkable antiquity.

Nearby are the Cave of Saint Gregory the Decapolite and rock hermitages carved into the cliff. The mountain setting and the quiet complete the atmosphere. Practical note: the monastery can be combined with a hike in the Bistrita Gorges and a visit to the nearby cave; it is active, so respect the customs of the place.