Church & monasteryWallachia & Oltenia

Horezu Monastery: the UNESCO masterpiece of Prince Brâncoveanu

Horezu Monastery (Mănăstirea Horezu, also written Hurezi) stands under the Căpățânii Mountains in Vâlcea County, Romania, and is described as the largest monastic complex in the country. Founded by Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu at the end of the 17th century, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a showpiece of the Brâncoveanu style.

Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu built Horezu so that he could rest in it, yet his marble tomb inside the church stayed empty: he was buried in Bucharest instead.

WhereIn Romanii de Jos, about 3 km north of the town of Horezu, Vâlcea County, Romania

TypeOrthodox monastery of the Brâncoveanu style, built 1690–1697, UNESCO site since 1993

Best forLate Renaissance stone carving, wall paintings and the story of a Wallachian prince

Getting thereUnder the Căpățânii Mountains, about 3 km north of Horezu town; Cozia Monastery is about 27 km away

The history of Horezu Monastery

Horezu, also called Hurezi, is the greatest foundation of Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu of Wallachia, who reigned from 1688 to 1714. In his own notes he wrote that in the second year of his reign he laid the foundation and began to build. Work ran from 1690 to 1693, and the great church was consecrated on 8 September 1693. The prince had his cousin Pârvu Cantacuzino oversee the works; after Pârvu’s death in 1691 the task passed to Cernica Știrbei. The whole complex was finished in the autumn of 1697.

The monastery stands in the valley of the Romanii de Jos river, in what was then the village of Hurezi, a quiet corner under the Căpățânii Mountains. The name is tied to the huhurezi, the night-hunting birds of prey whose cries break the silence. A small hermitage already stood nearby, but its founder is unknown. Today Horezu is described as the largest monastic complex in Romania.

The main church, dedicated to Saints Constantine and Helen, was built to a trefoil plan. It develops the model of the episcopal church at Curtea de Argeș in more slender forms and adds a porch of arches resting on ten stone columns, carved with late Renaissance ornament. Named craftsmen include the carpenter Istrate, the stonemason Vucașin Caragea and Manea, foreman of the masons. The wall paintings were made between 1692 and 1694 by Greek and Romanian painters, and in the narthex they show a gallery of portraits of the Brâncoveanu, Basarab and Cantacuzino families.

Four places of worship are lined up along the east–west axis of the complex. Besides the main church there is the infirmary church, founded in 1696 by Princess Maria and finished in 1699; the Skete of the Holy Apostles, from 1698; and the Skete of St Stephen, from 1703, named after the prince’s eldest son. On 25 April 1695 the prince endowed the monastery with estates in several counties. With its printing and copying work, Horezu grew into a cultural centre of Wallachia.

Until 1862 the monastery housed monks; they were then moved to Bistrița and nuns came to live here. The church has been repaired several times, in 1827, 1872, 1907–1912 and 1954–1964. UNESCO inscribed Horezu on the World Heritage List in 1993, as a masterpiece of the Brâncoveanu style, known for its architectural balance, carved detail and votive portraits.

Curiosities about Horezu Monastery

A marble tomb with a carved cover was prepared for Brâncoveanu in the church porch, but it was never used: he was buried at St George’s Church in Bucharest.
Above the church door, an inscription records the prince’s vow not to rest until he had found a dwelling place for the Lord.
The princely library kept at Horezu held 382 printed volumes and 46 manuscripts in 1791, and still has about 4,000 volumes today. Among them is an edition of Homer’s Odyssey printed in Basel in 1541.
An inscription of 1708 above the library door praises “this house of books” as nourishment for the soul.
The monumental iconostasis is carved from lime wood and gilded, a gift of Princess Maria.
The scribe Dionisie Eclesiarhul, working here in 1788, circulated a three-volume edition of the Thousand and One Nights.

Tours near Horezu Monastery

Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:

Heritage of Romania Horezu Monastery and Traditional Pottery Tour

11 h

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Bran (Dracula) Castle, Bear Sanctuary, Rasnov Fortress & Palinca Distillery

★ 5 (51 reviews) · 6 h

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Maramures best, full day tour from Cluj

★ 5 (37 reviews) · 12 h

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Exclusive Tour: Corvin Castle, Alba Iulia and traditional villages from Sibiu

★ 4.8 (34 reviews) · 6 h

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Visiting Horezu Monastery: what to see

Look first at the church porch, with its ten carved stone columns and the carved marble frame of the entrance door.
Inside, the narthex holds the gallery of family portraits, and the gilded lime-wood iconostasis is one of the monastery’s treasures.
The enclosure is a rectangle, with a two-storey range of cells with arcades on the north side and the princely residence with its bell tower on the south.
Other buildings lie around the complex: the infirmary church to the east, the Skete of the Holy Apostles about 500 m to the north, and the Skete of St Stephen about 500 m to the west across the stream.
This is a working Orthodox monastery, so check the current opening hours before you go. Cozia Monastery is about 27 km away.

Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.

Map: where Horezu Monastery is

Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors

Photos of Horezu Monastery

Questions

Where is Horezu Monastery?

It lies in Romanii de Jos, about 3 km north of the town of Horezu in Vâlcea County, at the foot of the Căpățânii Mountains.

Who founded Horezu Monastery?

Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu of Wallachia, who began building in 1690. The main church was consecrated on 8 September 1693.

Why is Horezu Monastery a UNESCO site?

It was inscribed in 1993 as a masterpiece of the Brâncoveanu style, noted for its architectural balance, carved detail, wall paintings and votive portraits.

What is the Brâncoveanu style?

It is the architectural and artistic style of the age of Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu, seen at Horezu in the stone-carved porch, the wall paintings and the portraits of the ruling families.

Is Horezu still a working monastery?

Yes. It housed monks until 1862, when they were moved to Bistrița and nuns took their place.

What can you see near Horezu Monastery?

Cozia Monastery is about 27 km away, Lainici Monastery about 49 km and Curtea de Argeș Monastery about 52 km.