Necropola Regală de la Curtea de Argeș

The Royal Necropolis of Curtea de Argeș lies within the grounds of the famous Curtea de Argeș Monastery, one of the most valuable monuments of Romanian religious architecture, founded in the sixteenth century by the ruler Neagoe Basarab. The monastery church, with its richly decorated facades and characteristic twisted spires, is tied to the celebrated legend of the master builder Manole, who is said to have built it at the price of a sacrifice. The necropolis shelters the tombs of several members of the Romanian royal family, among them King Carol I and Queen Elisabeth, as well as other sovereigns and members of the dynasty, which gives the place a profound national significance.

The interior preserves funerary stones and decoration that evoke the solemnity of this royal pantheon. Set in a peaceful landscape, the monastery and its necropolis are a place of pilgrimage and an essential landmark of Romanian historical and spiritual heritage. A visit reveals the link between the monarchy and one of the country's most representative churches, in an ensemble of remarkable beauty.