Mănăstirea Curtea de Argeș

Curtea de Argeș Monastery is one of the most beautiful and legend-laden churches in Romania, a masterpiece of early 16th-century architecture built by the ruler Neagoe Basarab. Its finely carved stone façades, spires twisted like little spirals and rich ornamentation make it unique, a dialogue between Byzantine tradition and Oriental influences. To its name is bound the ballad of Master Manole, the legend of the mason who is said to have sacrificed his wife within the walls so that the church would endure.

The church holds the tombs of the kings of Romania — the royal necropolis — giving it a double significance, spiritual and national. The tended gardens and the nearby Manole's Well complete the visit. It is a place of pilgrimage and a first-rank monument; modest dress is advised, and check the visiting schedule.