Dealu Monastery: royal tombs and the first printed book
Dealu Monastery (Mănăstirea Dealu) is a convent on a hill 6 km north of Târgoviște, in Dâmbovița County, Romania. Its church of Saint Nicholas shelters one of the country’s great princely burial places, and the monks of Dealu printed the first book in Wallachia in 1508, which makes it a rewarding stop for anyone interested in medieval Romania.
Michael the Brave, Wallachia’s legendary prince, lies in two places: the head rests in a reliquary at Dealu Monastery. The same hill also produced the first book ever printed in Wallachia.
The history of Dealu Monastery
A monastic community on this hill above Târgoviște is first documented on 17 November 1431, when the prince Alexander I Aldea gave it two villages. The first monastery was probably founded by Mircea the Elder, and Wikidata dates the start of construction to 1401. At that time Târgoviște was a capital of Wallachia, and Dealu became a place of retreat, prayer and political decision for the rulers. Vlad II Dracul, who died around 1447, and Vladislav II, killed in 1456 by Vlad the Impaler, are among the princes buried here.
The monastery was rebuilt from the foundations between 1499 and 1501 by Radu the Great, and the whole ensemble was completed under Vlăduț between 1510 and 1512. Only the church of Saint Nicholas survives from that old complex, and it is counted among the most important medieval monuments of Wallachia. It has a tri-conch plan, slender proportions and facades faced with dressed stone, decorated in two registers of arcades. Here, for the first time, two towers were added over the long eastern bay of the porch, stressing its burial function, an idea later copied at Tutana, Brebu and Gura Motrului. The original paintings of 1515 have not survived.
Dealu was also a centre of learning. The Serbian monk Macarie set up the first printing press in the Romanian lands here, and in 1508 it produced a Liturgy Book, the first book printed in Wallachia, followed by an Octoechos in 1510 and a Gospel book in 1512. On 9 June 1598 Michael the Brave swore an oath of allegiance to Emperor Rudolf II in this church. Prince Matei Basarab brought a press from Govora in 1644, and until 1647 Dealu printed works such as a book of homilies and a translation of the Imitation of Christ by the scholar Udriște Năsturel.
In the 19th and 20th centuries the site changed role often. Prince Gheorghe Bibescu rebuilt the rooms along the walls and the bell tower. The monastery was secularised in 1863, and in 1877–1878 the enclosure held Turkish prisoners of war. Later it housed an officers’ school and then, from 1912 to 1940, a military high school that Crown Prince Michael attended; its buildings collapsed in the 1940 earthquake. Today’s convent buildings and the renovation of the church date from 1953–1959, and in 1985 the church was repainted by Archimandrite Sofian Boghiu.
Curiosities about Dealu Monastery
- The head of Michael the Brave is kept in a reliquary in the porch of the church, together with the tomb of Radu the Great.
- The 1508 Liturgy Book printed here is considered the first book printed in Wallachia.
- The two extra towers over the porch were a first at Dealu and were copied later at Tutana, Brebu and Gura Motrului.
- The marble sarcophagi of the princes in the porch were made in 1912–1913 by the sculptor Frederic Storck.
- Vlad II Dracul and Vladislav II, the prince killed by Vlad the Impaler, are buried in the same church.
- In 1925 a monument to the fallen officers, teachers and pupils of the former military high school was unveiled at the monastery.
Tours near Dealu Monastery
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Visiting Dealu Monastery: what to see
- The church of Saint Nicholas is the main sight: look for the three towers, the stone-faced facades and the arcades.
- The porch holds the tomb of Radu the Great and the reliquary with the head of Michael the Brave.
- The monastery stands on a hilltop and the last 2 km of the road are a steep, winding climb.
- Dealu is an active convent, so visitors should behave quietly. Chindia Tower in Târgoviște, about 3 km away, is the nearest other place of interest on this site.
- Opening arrangements can change, so check the current opening hours before you go.
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Dealu Monastery is
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Photos of Dealu Monastery
Questions
Where is Dealu Monastery?
It stands on a hill about 6 km north of Târgoviște, in Dâmbovița County, Romania. The last 2 km of the road are a steep, winding climb.
Who is buried at Dealu Monastery?
Several rulers rest here, including Vlad II Dracul, Vladislav II, Radu the Great and Pătrașcu the Good. The head of Michael the Brave is kept in a reliquary.
Why is Dealu Monastery important for printing?
In 1508 the first book printed in Wallachia, a Liturgy Book, was produced here under the monk Macarie. Printing resumed under Matei Basarab between 1644 and 1647.
When was Dealu Monastery built?
A community is documented in 1431 and the first monastery was probably founded by Mircea the Elder. The present church was built in 1499–1501 under Radu the Great and the complex finished in 1510–1512.
Is Dealu Monastery still active?
Yes, it is a convent of nuns. The current buildings and the renovated church date from 1953–1959.
What can you see near Dealu Monastery?
Chindia Tower in Târgoviște is about 3 km away. The next sites on this guide, such as Sinaia Monastery, lie around 44 km away.
Also nearby
Chindia Tower
Târgoviște · 27 m watchtower of the Wallachian princes
3.5 km away
Sinaia Monastery
Prahova · the monastery that named the town of Sinaia
44 km away
Mausoleum of Mateiaș
Argeș · hilltop memorial to the soldiers of 1916
46 km away
Cantacuzino Castle
Bușteni · Neo-Romanian palace seen in Netflix’s Wednesday
51 km away