Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery: the Brâncoveanu foundation in Transylvania
Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery (Mănăstirea Sâmbăta de Sus), also called the Brâncoveanu Monastery, is a Romanian Orthodox monastery in Brașov County, near Făgăraș, in the foothills of the Făgăraș Mountains. Founded by Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu around 1700, it was closed in 1785 and rebuilt in the 20th century, and today it is a major pilgrimage place in Transylvania.
Ordered to destroy every Orthodox monastery in his reach, a Habsburg general spared this one in 1761, probably after the Brâncoveanu family intervened. It lasted just 24 more years.
The history of Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery
The monastery lies in the Țara Făgărașului, a historic region between the Olt river and the Făgăraș Mountains, where Romanians were the majority and the Orthodox Church was strongly rooted. Monastic life is recorded here by the early 17th century, although historians disagree on whether a hermitage already existed on this spot earlier. In 1654 the village and its land passed to the Brâncoveanu family, and a wooden church is believed to have stood here in the time of Preda Brâncoveanu.
His grandson, Constantin Brâncoveanu, Prince of Wallachia, also owned estates north of the Carpathians. Around 1696 he had a church of stone and brick built in place of the older wooden one, and a monastery is mentioned here in 1701, in a Triodion preserved from Buzău. Part of his aim was to strengthen the Orthodox presence in Transylvania against Catholic pressure after the Habsburgs took control; at the same period the Romanian Greek-Catholic Church was founded. At Sâmbăta he also set up a school for secretaries, a workshop for fresco painting and a small printing press. Brâncoveanu was executed in Constantinople in 1714 and was canonised by the Orthodox Church in 1992.
During the 18th century the monks came under pressure to accept union with Rome. In 1761 General Adolf von Buccow had Orthodox monasteries in the region closed, yet Sâmbăta was spared, probably through the Brâncoveanu family, and its prestige grew as the only Orthodox monastery left in the Făgăraș land. The interior frescoes were painted in 1766 by Ionașcu and Pană. In 1772 the family lost the estate because of a debt, and under Emperor Joseph II an order of 1782 dissolved monasteries devoted only to contemplation. In November 1785 the monastery was closed. The church was badly damaged but not demolished, and in the 19th century the buildings fell into ruin and were overgrown by forest.
After the union of Transylvania with Romania, the land reform of 1922 gave the property to the Archdiocese of Sibiu. Metropolitan Nicolae Bălan decided to revive the monastery, and work on the church began in 1926. It was slowed by the economic crisis and finished only after the Second World War, with the consecration on 15 August 1946. King Michael I, shown in a votive portrait inside the church, is counted as a second founder. Under the communist regime many monks had to leave in 1959, but building continued in the following decades, always in the Brâncoveanu style, and the monastery was reconsecrated in 1993. The church, the annexes and the park are each listed as historic monuments.
Curiosities about Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery
- The monastery is dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God, and the date, 15 August, is also the day on which Constantin Brâncoveanu is said to have died as a martyr.
- In 1761 an order to destroy the Orthodox monasteries of the region left Sâmbăta untouched, probably thanks to an intervention by the Brâncoveanu family.
- A votive portrait of King Michael I, who is counted as a second founder, can be seen in the church. During the first years of communism it was painted over with lime and it became visible again after 1989.
- Constantin Brâncoveanu founded at the monastery a school for secretaries, a fresco workshop and a small printing press.
- In the 1940s the monastery’s abbot was Arsenie Boca, a theologian and painter who is still much remembered in Romania.
- Besides the church, the restoration created two lakes, a flower garden, orchards and alleys; the park is itself a listed monument.
Tours near Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Visiting Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery: what to see
- The main sight is the church, rebuilt in the Brâncoveanu style, with the votive portrait of King Michael I near the entrance.
- The grounds are part of the visit: alleys, a park, two lakes and annexes that include wooden gates and wayside crosses.
- This is a working monastery and an Orthodox pilgrimage place, so modest dress and quiet behaviour are appropriate.
- Cârța Monastery lies about 21 km away, Făgăraș Citadel about 22 km, and Poenari Castle about 39 km, so it combines easily with other stops in the area.
- Check the current opening hours before you go, as visiting rules can change.
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery is
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Photos of Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery
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Questions
Where is Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery?
It stands in the village of Sâmbăta de Sus in Brașov County, Transylvania, near the town of Făgăraș and the northern slopes of the Făgăraș Mountains.
Who founded Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery?
Constantin Brâncoveanu, Prince of Wallachia, had a stone and brick church built around 1696, and the monastery is documented by 1701. Wooden churches had stood here earlier on the Brâncoveanu estate.
Why is it called the Brâncoveanu Monastery?
It is named after the Brâncoveanu family, who owned the village and land and founded the monastery. Their influence is also thought to have saved it from closure in 1761.
What happened to the monastery in 1785?
It was dissolved under the policy of Emperor Joseph II against contemplative monasteries. The church was heavily damaged but not demolished, and the buildings later fell into ruin.
When was Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery rebuilt?
Restoration began in 1926 under Metropolitan Nicolae Bălan, the church was consecrated in 1946, and further work was completed in 1993.
What can you see near Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery?
Cârța Monastery is about 21 km away, Făgăraș Citadel about 22 km, Poenari Castle about 39 km and the fortified church of Roșia about 40 km.
Also nearby
Cârța Monastery
Sibiu · medieval Cistercian abbey with a Gothic choir
21 km away
Făgăraș Citadel
Făgăraș · moated fortress and princely seat
22 km away
Poenari Castle
Argeș · clifftop ruin linked to Vlad the Impaler
39 km away
Roșia Fortified Church
Sibiu County · Saxon Romanesque basilica with a Baroque altar
40 km away