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Rāmnicu Vālcea
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In
County Vālcea
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 The
Jewel in the Necklace
Northern Wallachia is bordered by the long swath of the mighty
Southern Carpathians mountain range, where strung across each little
foothill valley like jewels in a necklace, you find yet another
beautiful monastery or church.
The Rāmnicu Vālcea region, in addition to being in the centre of
this necklace of national treasures, has the only UNESCO World
Heritage Site monastery at Horezu.
Rāmnicu
Vālcea has the curious advantage of being between both Sibiu in Transylvania
to the north, and Curtea de Argeş, over in Muntenia to the east, making
it a great base for taking in several aspects of Romanian culture.
As the de facto capital of Northern Oltenia, with a population
of over 115,000 townsfolk, it is an important economic and cultural
centre of the Northern
Oltenia region.
 Rāmnicu Vālcea is arranged along the sloping terraces of the Olt
river valley, just south of the subcarpathian foothills, full of
charming little villages and a world-class national park.
The area has benefited greatly by being a sort of melting pot
between the cultures of the traditional Romanian homelands of
Oltenia and Muntenia (which comprise Wallachia), as well as having
some Saxon influences from the North in Transylvania.
Much of the appeal of the Rāmnicu Vālcea for the tourist lies in
its actual location, between many of the local attractions which
attract tourists.
If you have some information for us about Rāmnicu Vālcea or County
Vālcea, please
Let us know about it now!
The nearby resort towns of Horezu, Băile Govora, Băile Olăneşti,
Costeşti and the natural wonders of the great Buila-Vanturarita
massif all contribute great reasons for making Rāmnicu Vālcea an
extra stop on any itinerary, especially those which already take in
Sibiu or Curtea de Argeş.
Rāmnicu Vālcea works well also as a side trip out of
Bucharest to avoid the crowds in the Bucegi mountains or other more
popular (and typically more crowded!) mountain destinations.
The photographs to take home with you will be equally as stunning,
and there is no better place in Romania to find such a rich and diverse array of traditional pottery
either!
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The Bishopric at Rāmnicu Vālcea
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Nicolae Bălcescu in Rāmnicu Vālcea
Thr Romanian Wallachian soldier, historian, journalist,
and leader of the 1848 Wallachian Revolution advocated
universal suffrage at a time when such a view was considered
radical by the church
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 The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
Photo:
© REST ROMĀNIA
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The Town of 13 Churches
Both within and immediately around the city, Rāmnicu Vālcea boasts
13 churches in Hermitages, each of which are at least a century old.
The spiritual life of the town was further enriched in 1989 when
more religious monuments were constructed once the oppressive yoke of
communism was lifted.
Coming into the town from the North, the first religious touchstone
of the region is the Castle Hermitage (Schitul
Cetăţuia). Constructed in 1525, this Hermitage was built by Radu
de la Afumaţi on the location of an older church dating from the 15th
century.
Unfortunately, Radu was assassinated on the steps of the Hermitage
church and by other local nobility, who were against political independence
from the Ottoman Empire.
The Castle Hermitage was reconstructed between 1677 and 1680 during
the reign of Şerban Cantacuzino. The brash and detailed frescoes in
the church interior will be easily recognized by anyone familiar with
the works of the great Gheorghe Tattarascu, who was commissioned to
do the frescoes in 1853.
The Bishopric
Continuing along the road through the foothills of Capela peak,
we come across the Rāmnicu Bishopric, the
second such ever built in Wallachia, under the purview of the Metropole
of Severin.
Unfortunately, during the Turco Austrian wars of 1737, a church
and the buildings which were of built in the late 16th century were
completely razed. The bishopric buildings were rebuilt in 1749,
but fell once again to fire, along with path of the town in 1847. Reconstruction
finished in 1856, thanks to the kind attentions of Lord Barbu Ştirbei
and under the direction of Bishop Calinic, whose portrait you can see
to this day in the pronaos (the narthex, or entry area for the church).
Painted in oil in the Renaissance style, it is one of the better
works of Tattarescu, who was an admirer of His Eminence. The bishopric
and its grounds are truly restful, with well manicured lawns and flowering
shrubs throughout the summer months.
Some Central Gems
If you do find yourself a limited time, something more close to
the centre of town, is the All Saints Church
(Biserica Toţi Sfinţii), built between the years of 1762 in 1764.
During
the Revolutionary War of 1848, the citizens surrounded the All Saints
Church in huge numbers, waving the flags of revolution, cheering on
leader-general Gheorghe Magheru. Over a bit more than a month, the citizens camped out here and in
Zăvoi park, where the first strains of today's national anthem "Deşteaptă-te!,
romāne" ("Rise up Romanians!") were heard.
Just down from the All Saints
Church, is the oldest church in Rāmnicu Vālcea, the
Cuvioasa Paraschiva Church. Building was begun
on this church under the reign of Pătraşcu cel Bun in 1557, and finalised
30 years later by his son Michael the Brave, the future leader of a
united Romanian principality, then just a regional administrator down
in Mehedinţi.
The Cuvioasa Paraschiva church, which means "The Venerable Paraschiva",
a title given to monks and nuns, in this case, it venerates the patron
saint of Moldova.
Faithful Pilgrims from all over the nation flock every year on 14
October to the Metropolitan Cathedral in the regional capital of Iaşi,
underscoring the fact that St Paraschiva has the following rather like
Teresa of Avila, curing the headaches of the faithful, with many miracles
attributed to the saint throughout the centuries.
Along Traian's Road
Calea lui Traian is the principal artery through Rāmnicu Vālcea,
and if you venture to the West, will discover the other fine old churches
of the town.
The first amongst them is the St Dimitri Church (Biserica Sfāntul
Dumitru), and although we do not know exactly when it was built. It
follows the local tradition and served as a chapel for the Franciscan
community. Having fallen into disrepair, this sweet old church was rebuilt
between 1783 and 1784, and work actually continued until 1815. Just
across from the St Dimitri Church, you can find the Protestant church,
one of the more "new" of the old churches in the town, of which the
day the construction was 1910.
One of the oldest church constructions in Rāmnicu Vālcea is the
Church of the Annunciation (Biserica Buna
Vestire), which stood in the time of Mircea Vodă in 1400, and was rebuilt
and dedicated by Mircea The Shepherd in 1549. It was again rebuilt from
the foundations up after it was razed during the Austro-Turkish conflicts
from 1716 to 1718, and the windows were sculpted out of stone in 1747.
The Saxon Catholics
Due to its proximity to Transylvania in the North, and the trade
routes along the Olt River Valley, Rāmnicu Vālcea had arguably the strongest
Saxon influence of any town in Wallachia.
Just across from Church of the Annunciation, you can find the
Catholic
Church of St Anthony. It was constructed between the years 1723 and
1724, largely due to the increasing Saxon population, who settled in
the area beginning in the 14th century.
Finally, just next to the main square in town, you can find in the
St Gheorghe church (Biserica Sfāntul Gheorghe), which was initially
constructed in 1636, repaired in 1681, and largely remade between 1737
and 1738.
Affected by the earthquake of 1838, the church was rebuilt from
the foundations up between 1857 and 1860. The church was actually constructed
near the former Mill Pond (Iaz al Morilor), which took the waters of
the Olăneşti river, filling the lake in Zăvoi park, going alongside
the town square and then returning to the river Olt, but not before
having serviced quite a few mills.
The South Side of Town
Continuing further down to the southern half of Rāmnicu, we find
the Inăteşti Hermitage, constructed in 1751, a superb example of Romanian
architecture.
If you only have time to stop in Rāmnicu Vālcea for one
or two of the local monasteries or hermitages, this one is easily accessible
south of the town square. Today home to the Saint Nicholas Seminary,
the Hermitage is a vibrant functioning organisation, underscoring the
popularity and permanence of the national Romanian Orthodox religion.
Continuing south to the left of Căii lui Traian you can find the
Saint John the Baptist Church, where the date of original construction
is not known exactly. It is known that it was rebuilt in 1813 and constructed
of brick in the period between 1912 and 1922. In olden times, the church
was known as "St John Over the Water" (Sfāntul Ion de peste apă).
Further out from Rāmnicu Vālcea is the Archangel Hermitage (Schitul
Arhanghel), about 5 km west of the town centre. This Hermitage was first
built in 1522, in the wild scenery of Priba Hill, crisscrossed with
ridges and deep valleys.
Town Parks and Statues
Rather amusingly, Rāmnicu Vālcea was known in the first half of
the 20th century as the town of the pensioners.
Contributing to this
name was the laid back atmosphere, the large tree-lined streets, and
the wide promenades set out in the town centre, perfect for anyone in
their retirement years! The systematisation of the communist years radically
changed the general feel of the town, and they were obsessed with destroying
several of the older homes, some of which were true architectural monuments.
Today replaced with the not-terribly-inspiring concrete blocks, there
still remains some of the old charm of Rāmnicu Vālcea, thanks to its
parklands, anf wide boulevards, which radiate out from the centre lined
with trees.
Zăvoi Lake Park
Zăvoi Park is one of the oldest parks in the country, founded in
1850, thanks to the kind efforts of Lord Barbu Ştirbei, another proud
Oltenian who hailed from mighty Craiova to the south.
Ştirbei's time
in Paris as a student gave him a great respect for city parks, and his
program to provide similar amenities in his homeland Oltenia saw Zăvoi
park planted with oaks, the namesake lake shaped from the landscape,
a restaurant, and the building of a municipal Theatre (the "Ariel" theatre).
A quick stop at any of the nearby fruit and vegetable markets will outfit
you with the perfect picnic to enjoy this lake and parkland during the
summer months.
Check out to the monument in the park dedicated to Barbu
Ştirbei, a close confidant and friend of Romania's Queen Marie, a fine
work done by Professor Constantin Mihăilescu in 1920.
Also in the park, you can find of The Spurter's Fountain ("Fāntāna
lui Turbatu"), built by C. Măldărescu in 1844, the very spot where the
revolution started in late July of 1848 when, for the first time in
an official capacity, was heard the nascent strains of today's national
anthem of Romania, "Rise up Romanians!" ("Deşteaptă-te!, romāne"). The
rather inspirational event is today marked with a marble plaque next
to the fountain.
Mircea the Elder Park
In the town centre, just 100 m from kilometre zero, you can find
the second public garden of the town, Mircea the Elder park ("Parcul
Mircea cel Bătrān").
The main park entrance is graced with a statue
of Lord Mircea the Elder, a work of the sculptor Ion Irimescu. In the
centre of the park, you can find on the Socoteanu - Lahovari house,
built in the 18th century and the headquarters of the municipal mayor
and the Children's Palace. Today the building contains furniture, representative
of the styles throughout the northern Oltenia area.
Not far from here is the Independence Statue, the monument symbolising
"Romania with a Face Stricken for the Brave Fallen in Battle" ("Romānia
cu chip īndurerat pentru fii căzuţi vitejeşte īn lupte") was inaugurated
on 17 May 1915, the work of sculptor Ion Iordănescu, honouring the heroes
of County Vālcea fallen in the war of independence, as well as the soldiers
and officers who died during the 1913 campaign.
The Museum of Rāmnicu Vālcea
Due to its location at the crossroads between Oltenia, Muntenia,
and Transylvania, Rāmnicu Vālcea really does have a slightly richer
history than many other regions of Romania.
Being at the point where
the Olt River flows down from Transylvania and opens onto the wide Wallachian
plains heightened the importance of this location for trade routes through
the centuries.
The old spirituality of the Rāmnicu Vālcea region is illustrated
in a series of collections, which describe and outline the history of
the town, including the popular traditions, the creative arts, and the
key personalities from the region and who had an influence on the region.
The history museum is hosted on what used to be the "Clock Schools"
("Şcoli cu ceas"), a primary school for boys dating from the end of
the 19th century. The permanent exposition here features local and regional
items through time, from archaeological finds from the Paleolithic era,
into the Neolithic and Bronze ages, through early Roman rule and into
the first feudal Romanian states.
The history collection continues to
outline the contributions of local residents to the revolutions of 1821
in 1848, and to the creation of the modern Romanian state through the
War of Independence in 1877.
Open Tuesday - Sunday, 10am - 6pm.
Village Museum at Bujoreni
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Photo: Rāmnicu Vālcea Mayor's Office
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Maldaresti Museum complex
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The Olt River at Rāmnicu Vālcea
The Olt river widens dramatically as it emerges out of
the Carpathians mountains
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The Anton Pann Memorial House
One of the sweetest little houses in Rāmnicu Vālcea,
furnished with fine linens and period furniture, a great way
to spend an hour before a lunch in one of the parks!
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Theatre in the Park!
The outdoor prosceniun of Rāmnicu Vālcea's Ariel Theatre
in the Zăvoi Park
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The Museum Of Art
The Museum of Art is housed in a building with rather unique and
interesting architecture, constructed in 1940 by the architects Gheorghe
Simotta and Nicolae Lupu, both adherents to the neo-Romanian movement.
The eclectic but harmonious space unites multiple stylistic elements,
thoughtfully blending Romance, Gothic and Renaissance influences creating
a general impression of an Italianate villa, accentuated by the existence
of interior gardens, terraces, tiled porticos and roofs.
Art lovers will revel in the items on permanent display at the museum
of arts, including valuable Romanian landscapes, with a long list of
luminaries on display, from Nicolae Grigorescu, Nicolae Vermont, and
Sabin Popp, to Gheorghe Petraşcu, the inveterate crowdpleaser Nicolae
Tonitza, Theodor Pallady, and many other notables. The sculpture gallery
includes works by George Apostu, Ovidiu Maitec and Costel Badea. The
museum also possesses a tableau from the Venetian school from the first-half
of the 18th century.
Opened Wednesday - Sunday, 10am - 6pm
The Bujoreni Village Museum
The Village Museum at Bujoreni is laid out in the classic form of
a village museum, spread across 8 ha and over 75 buildings. The well
thought out open air museum focuses on the functionality of a traditional
rural setting, with all of the requisite social and cultural institutions.
The museum is divided into four representative sections, including daily
living items (gospodărie-locuinţă), a socio-cultural section dedicated
to public utilities, a popular handicrafts and technical skills section,
and the final section dedicated to specialised construction methods.
Throughout the sections you can see well-done dioramas and presentations,
including full interior decorations, craftsmen studios, as well as fine
examples of local textiles, ceramics, woodworking metal and some good
painted icons and popular furniture.
Don't miss the fully restored roadside
inn, from the late 19th century, and as well as the adjoining general
store, and schoolhouse from the same era.
For those familiar with the
ASTRA open-air museum at Sibiu, further north, parts of this village
museum are actually equally well done. Pick up a maxi taxi either at
the train station, or the main town square, if you haven't already arranged
for a driver-translator.
Check out the
excellent website in both English and Romanian, with some good
photos of the exhibits.
Open 10am - 6pm (5pm Nov-Mar), closed Mon and
Thu,
+40 (250) 746 869
The Anton Pann Memorial House
The furniture which graces the Anton Pann Memorial house is a monument
to urban architecture as it was constructed in the middle of the 18th century,
having a hunting lodge and a gazebo (pivniţă). The house itself was
actually moved 37 m during systematisation and rearrangement of
the area.
Songs of Oltenia
On the cultural scene, Rāmnicu Vālcea bats above its weight, home
to the State "Ion Dumitrescu" Philharmonic Orchestra.
The professional musical organisation has two artistic ensembles,
with both the "Sinfonietta" symphony orchestra and the "Euphonia" academic
choir which sustains a permanent staff of 132. The performances of the
400 seat concert hall keeps artistic life in Rāmnicu Vālcea on the inspired
side.
The Theatres of Rāmnicu Vālcea
There are two active theatre institutions and Rāmnicu Vālcea, the
older Anton Pann State Theatre, and the younger municipal
Ariel
theatre, whose annual budget is guaranteed by the mayor's office.
Both contribute to town life throughout the annual calendar, presenting spectacles at the various shows, markets, and events of the town's yearly cultural cycle. Both present spectacular and diverse shows, from classic dramas
to experimental theatre.
The Potters' Guild
The Plastic Artists Union ("Uniunea Artiştilor Plastici"), operates in association
with the art gallery in the centre of town.
Local artists are involved
in many projects and enrich the town with their diver's creations, manifested
in various tableaux of sculptural creations including "Habitat and Art
in Romania", "Tradition and Post-Modernism", and "Riverbank Hill" ("Habitat
şi Artă īn Romānia", "Tradiţie şi postmodernitate" şi "Dealul Malului").
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Rāmnicu Vālcea on a crisp autumn morning
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Listed below are some local agents who can help you with bookings and organize local tours in the Rāmnicu Vālcea area.
  +40 (250) 734307 FAX: +40 (250) 734307
+40 (250) 733239 FAX: +40 (250) 733231 +40 (250) 746298 FAX: +40 (250) 748678 +40 (250) 739323 FAX: +40 (250) 739324 Ravetravel, Str. Regina Maria nr. 7(sediul Camerei de Comert, si Industrie Vālcea, etaj I) in Rāmnicu Vālcea+40 (350) 409990 FAX: +40 (350) 409990 +40 (350) 407687 FAX: +40 (350) 407688 +40 (250) 738435 FAX: +40 (250) 738435 +40 (250) 739749 FAX: +40 (250) 739748 +40 (250) 736601 FAX: +40 (250) 732390 +40 (250) 739917 FAX: +40 (250) 739917 +40 (250) 738543 FAX: +40 (250) 738543 +40 (250) 737316 FAX: +40 (250) 737316 +40 (250) 733318 FAX: +40 (250) 733318 +40 (350) 804706 +40 (250) 736043
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for info on each town in CountyVālcea
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See More Maps of Romania and Rāmnicu
Vālcea at
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Localities in
the Rāmnicu Vālcea and Olt river valley area:
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Rāmnicu Vālcea is found along the same latitude as Torino (Turin),
in Italy, and Bordeaux in France. As a cartographic curiosity, the town
just happens to be exactly halfway between the North Pole and the equator.
Just 18 km south of the Olt River Gorge, Rāmnicu Vālcea was sited
at the confluence of the Olt and the Olăneşti (previously known as the
Rāmnic) rivers. The main town in comprises a surface area of about 9000
ha, and borders on the communes of Bujoreni in the north, Daeşti and
Goleşti to the northeast, with Budeşti to be east, the town of Ocnele
Mari and to the west, and Mihaeşti and Vladeşti to the southwest and
northwest respectively.
The town stretches gracefully down from the Capela heights down
to the course of the river Olt. The Troian Hills are to the south and
to the southwest, the Petrişor Hills.
The northern border of the town is marked by the Cetătuia hill.
Most of the of an agglomeration use distributed on the upper terraces
along the river Olt, largely due to frequent flooding. Thanks to a series
of dams upriver, the threat of floods has been greatly reduced through
the decades. The town's altitude ranges between the 240 and 260 m above
sea level.
The larger municipal area is nestled in the centre of the
depression, which is delineated by the outlying communities of
Horezu, Olaneşti, Muereasca,
Calimaneşti, Berislaveşti, Salatrucu, Dobriceni and Zmeureni, bordered
to the northwest and north east by the Getici and Vālcii subcarpathian
foothills.
Located in the central eastern portion of the county, the town benefits
from a good road network, with Bucureşti being 175 km to the southeast,
Piteşti 60 km, and the main towns of Oltenia a relatively nearby: Craiova
(123km), Sibiu (99km), Tārgu Jiu (115km), and Slatina (100km).
Rāmnicu Vālcea is quite an important rail nexus, with the principal
international rail lines running through of the municipality, linking
Central Europe with the Balkan peninsula. The rudimentary airstrip serves
on the general aviation (known as "Whitebank", or "Malul Alb"), with
Sibiu to the north being the nearest international air hub (see our
air travel section for
route maps).
Trains run from the Bucharest and North station in the mornings
and afternoons to Rāmnicu Vālcea, taking about four hours, through
the countryside of counties Teleorman and Olt, turning north at
Caracal to go through Piatra Olt and on north to County Vālcea and
Rāmnicu Vāclea.
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beautiful bead work on display at Horezu, from the Suceava
artist Gheorghian Elena photo:
Mihaela Achiroaie
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Like so many of the main population centres of Romania, the county
seat of Rāmnicu Vālcea has its own little cultural mountain resort town,
in this case just 42 km away at Horezu.
However, Horezu has a slightly deeper cultural pedigree than most
of typical little mountain towns in Romania. Horezu was long a key stop
for shepherds during the seasonal transhumance, for wagon trains, laden
with salt from the mines, and even for outlaws. Today, and it is the
crucible of Romania's most famous architectural style, as well as being
a centre for unique and important pottery and handicrafts.
Much of the town's residents, numbering just over 7000, or involved
in the tourist trade, as well as agriculture in the outlying communities.
Horezu Welcomes You!
Indeed a destination in its own right!
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Architectural Bliss!
Just 45 km from Rāmnicu Vālcea, this Monastic
masterpiece at Horezu is a must see for any itinerary!
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The Monastery at Horezu
Well worth the trip from Rāmnicu Vālcea, or from Tārgu
Jiu
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The Beautiful Porch of Frescoes
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Photo:
G. Docleanu |
In 1780, it was already known as the Horezu market, and people
came from all around to barter with the craftsman. The town is
situated in the middle of the Horezu depression, being bordered to
the north by the Carpathians mountains, to the south by the Măgura
Slătioarei (the Slatina Knolls), and the Negruleştilor, Costeştilor
and Tomşanilor Hills.
Horezu benefits from being approximately halfway between the major
towns of Rāmnicu Vālcea and Tārgu Jiu to the West in County Jiu, and
Horezu serves as the regional centre for the outlying villages and communes.
An Excellent Extra Stop
Horezu, with its nearby national park in wealth of monasteries,
and is actually a rather ideal "tack-on" destination for many itineraries,
being on the main routes between central Transilvania and Bucharest.
It is about two hours from the international airport at Sibiu (just
under 90 km to the north), and four hours to Bucharest. You can also
fly into the capital of Oltenia, Craiova, about 2 1/2 hours to the south
by road or rail.
Access to the area is made by the DN 67, which makes the link
between the Rāmnicu Vālcea and Tārgu Jiu, and to the south with
Craiova.
Like all Romanians, the people here are engaged in pomiculture
and the raising of animals, but also have the two loves: woodwork,
from which you can see many inspired forms throughout the village,
and pottery, which has become the signature crest of the town.
The motto of Horezu says "Here we are in the middle of County Vālcea,
the proud jewel of Oltenia and one of the most beautiful regions of
the country." The quote is from Picturesque Romania, by Alexandru Vlahuţă,
and accurately describes the unique beauty of this place.
"Aici suntem īn mijlocul judeţului Vālcea,
podoaba māndrei Oltenii şi unul dintre cele mai frumoase ţinuturi
ale ţării." ("Romānia pitorească", despre Hurez).
The village was originally named Romani de Jos, after the river
valley of the same name with about 100 inhabitants prior to its rebirth
as the village next to the new Horezu monastery, which was constructed
between 1690 and 1693. The name Horezu actually comes from an owl-like
bird which lives on the surrounding forest margins, called a "ciuhurez".
The Brāncoveanu Monastery
If the humble residents of Romani de Jos were not honoured by the
arrival of Lord Constantine Brāncoveanu, well they should have been!
Construction began on the monastery in 1690 and continued through
until the eighth of September 1693. It is known for its architectural
purity and balance, the richness of its sculptural detail, the treatment
of its religious compositions, its votive portraits and its painted
decorandative works. The school of mural and icon painting established
at the monastery in the 18th century was famous throughout the Balkan
region.
The village itself would never be the same, transformed into a worksite
with artisans and supplies arriving from all points of the compass.
The monastery further cemented the role of the village as a market
town, where wool and cheeses from sheep, various grains, leather works,
and the growing ceramic trades all came together at the new vibrant
community of Horezu.
Because of its stunning representative architecture, and the brilliant
location, today the monastery is partly listed as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site.
More Monastic Life
It honestly would be a shame to visit Romania, and in particular,
the Horezu region, without taking in at least some of the fantastic
old monasteries of the region.
Horezu makes a great jumping off point for not only the
Brāncoveanu monastery, but also those at stashed. An
entire tourism industry has developed around the monastery trade, and
the Horezu zone has the highest density of monasteries anywhere in
Romania, an absolute wealth of unique architectural
features throughout the churches, hermatages, and monasteries of the
region.
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Peaceful and Welcoming!
One of the hidden treasures of Horezu, this monastery
was supposedly made out of a single old oak tree!
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A Pottery Shop in Horezu
Local Colour Abounds!
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Photo:
G. Docleanu |
Earthenware Fired from the Soul
Distinctive Horezu pottery, on display at the Pietraru
Laurentiu studio
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The majority of the monasteries of northern Oltenia can be
visited easily starting out of Horezu.
The beautiful Bistriţa monastery is just 10 km from Horezu,
dedicated to Our Sleeping Lady ("Adormirea Maicii Domnului"), and
charmingly nestled in the Carpathian foothills. Built in the 15th
century by the Craioveşti brothers and restored in 1683 by the
master Brāncoveanu, the complex had been destroyed by Lord Minhea
the Bad, but largely rebuilt in 1519.
An earthquake threatened to the monastery in 1838, and leaders
of Romanian nobility, Gheorghe Bibescu and then Barbu Ştirbei (a
confidant and friend of Romania's Queen Marie, originally from
Edinburgh), constructed a princely palace here as a summer
residence, and between 1846 in 1850, a princely church as grand as a
small cathedral. The beautiful painted fresco on the interior of the
porch is signed by Gheorghe Tatarescu.
Going up towards the quarry about 2 km you come across the
Arnota monastery, the highest monastery in Romania. Dedicated to the
archangels Michael and Gabriel, this pretty little monastery was
once refuge for, famous Romanian leader Matei Basarab, after he once
again lost a battle with the Turks. Arnota was constructed in the
typical Byzantine style, with Brāncoveanan touches.
A bit further out from Horezu, is the Surpatele Monastery,
dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Built in the 17th century, the
original frescoes remain intact to this day.
A rather enchanting path through a plum orchard connects this
monastery to The Wooden Monastery, just 1 km further on. This is one
of Brāncoveanu's more creative ventures, and was supposedly built
out of a single piece of giant old oak. Take the time to view the
stunning grove of centuries old oaks just behind the monastery, as
well as the very well-done icons inside the church.
You can continue your tour of monasteries with the
Jgheaburile monastery, about 21 km from
Horezu, built in the 14th century by Radu Negru and reconstructed in
the 17th century by Matei Basarab. The nearby sulphurous springs are
considered to be curative, and attract a steady pilgrimage.
The Polovragi monastery at 25 km out,
is a typical 18th century edifice, built by the local Chancellor
(logofatul) Danciu Paraianu.
At 27 km out from Horezu, the Govora
monastery is happily sited between two hills. Building
continued on this little monastery through the 14th and 15th
centuries during the time of the legendary Vlad Dracul.
The Patrunsa monastery, about 20 km
from Horezu, was constructed under the auspices of Climent, Bishop
of Argeş in the 18th century.
According to legend, the monastery was built as a tribute to the
events of 1685, when the Turks invaded for the last time. You can
take a little trail from here to the Pahomie Hermitage from the 15th
century.
Local Handicrafts
Mention Horezu, and you will get knowing nods above the fine
ceramics and pottery of the region.
With a distinctive style, which is recognizable throughout
Romania, the Horezu pottery on is a fine tradition of craftsmanship
and traditional work, handed down through the generations within
families. Much of the signature of symbols used in local pottery
included figures from local flora and fauna, in particular, the
Horezu cock, the fir tree, various snakes, and stylised snowflake
motifs.
Family members train for years to perfect their double spirals,
straight lines, undulating borders, stars, leaves, suns, and even
peacock tails, all hallmark features commonly used throughout the
rich palette of the Horezu potter repertoire. The colour palette is
dominated by deep reds and golds, with their unique clay coming from
the nearby Ulmetul hill.
The techniques, patterns, and secrets are passed down the family
line in the local Mischiu, Iorga, Frigura, Vicsoreanu, and Popa
dynasties of local artisans.
The ceramic pottery centre is one of the most important centres
of its type in Romania. Here you can see the work year-round of
local ceramic artisans and pottery craftsman both from the local
area, and from around Romania too. You can purchase directly from
the potter, or even commission your own works!
Interestingly, weaving and painting by lesser-known but equally
important skills on the local art scene. Fine linens, carpets, and
religious icons of excellent quality and value can be found in the
town and at the monastery.
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A spring morning
in the town of Horezu
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The Cock of Hurez Ceramics Faire
This annual festival began in 1971, when local plotters were invited
to the existing Festival which begins in early June. In 1974 the Faire
was moved to "The Oaks" Vacation Village park area, amongst beautiful
groves of old oak trees, where each of the exhibitors could have a bit
more room to display their wares. The number of exhibitors has now exploded
to include ceramic artists from all over Romania and the Northern Balkan
region. Additionally, the local cultural house in the Horezu hosts exhibits
of contemporary art.
Maldareşti Museum Complex
Just 3 km outside Horezu, this Museum complex combines the 1912
Memorial house of Romania's interbellum Prime Minister Ion Gheorghe
Duca, which combines traditional Romanian architectural elements and
those of the local peasanty.
The Duca Stronghold was constructed at the beginning of the 19th
century, and the property passed from the Maldarescu family to the Duca
family in 1910. It presently functions as the ethnographic and historical
Museum, and insight you can find various objects of mediaeval art, popular
ornamentation, sewing crafts, traditional furniture, original photography,
old-fashioned tiled stoves and other well preserved objects which really
bring into light how life used to be when Romania became a nation.
Sadly, Duca was assassinated by the fascist Iron Guard at
Sinaia in 1934. There
is a memorial on the spot where he died at the Sinaia train station
to this day.
The Cula Greceanu, or "Greceanu Stronghold" itself was designed
with fortifications, raised up and built to defend against the Tartar
hoardes.
A lookout tower was constructed in the 16th century, with additions
made by its most famous owner, Tudor of mail though. In the 18th century,
along with other constructions. The house is today furnished with local
handicrafts, handwoven linens, traditional furniture, and outfits traditionally
worn through the centuries in the house.
The Great Outdoors at Horezu
Ensconced in the foothills which majestically rise up to Bear Peak
(vf. Ursu) At 2124 m high, at the crest of the Carpathians mountains,
the territory around Horezu offers a wealth of natural attractions.
If you've had enough of museums and monasteries, you will love the
great trails heading up into the foothills of the Carpathian mountains,
along with fishing, hunting, hiking and rock climbing, spelunking, bike-riding,
paragliding, and all the wonders that the surrounding woodlands can
bring, from unique flora and fauna to just a great view from your chosen
lunch spot!
You will be enticed by the mountain trails, offering routes to great
fishing spots, and wonderful views of the Olt river valley far below.
The Bistriţa Gorges (Cheile Bistritei) are a must to see natural
wonder if you're in the area for any length of time, just over in the
neighbouring township of Costeşti.
The Bistriţa river dramatically cuts its way through this gorge,
revealing the tantalising Jurassic layers normally concealed under the
great Buila-Vanturarita massif. Snaking its way along almost 2 km, the
gorge narrows to just a 5 m wide chasm for about 250 m, with the great
crack plunging down 200 m, from the forest floor to the dark roiling
river far below.
The surrounding landscape is equally dramatic, with beautiful endocarstic
and exocarstic formations, rich in flora and fauna and crisscrossed
with historic trails.
Many of the trails were originally constructed for the wagons of
the old salt mining trade, also used by the local bandits who took their
bounty from the local lords.
This entire limestone wonderland of chasms and hillocks is protected
as a national park. With a surface area of over 4500 ha, the topography
is somewhat reminiscent of the better known
King's Rock National
Park near Bran and Braşov in Transylvania.
This area, and the Horezu zone in general, have benefited greatly
from the general lack of industry, keeping the air and water of a good
bit cleaner than some other regions in the foothills of the Carpathians.
The Park is a haven for local species, with the river full
of trout, European bullhead (Cottus gobio), Grayling (Thymallus thymallus),
and Mediterranean barbel (Barbus meridionalis). The trees and rocks
are home to the fire salamander, the yellow bellied toad, as well as
green lizards.
Further up in the clouds, eagles, falcons, woodpeckers, nightjars and
owls share the skies with horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum
and hipposideros), mouse eared bats (Myotis myotis), long fingered bats
(M. capaccinii) and more after dusk.
Higher elevations of course have the usual Carpathian mammals, from
the Carpathian bear, to lynx (Lynx lynx), wolf (Canis lupus), chamois
(Rupicapra rupicapra), as well as various martens and badgers.
There are 6 access points to Buila-Vānturariţa National Park, three
of which are accessible from Costeşti village not far from Horezu. One
of these allows entry from the Bistriţa Valley and the other two from
the Costeşti Valley at Pietreni-Prislop and Pietreni-Valea Morii. You
can also enter the park from the Bărbăteşti village in the Otăsău valley,
from Cheia village and river valley, as well as from the town of Băile
Olăneşti in the Olăneşti Valley.
For detailed tourist maps of the park, and for more
information, please contact the park headquarters in Horezu at 7 Pietei
Street, or call +40 (250) 860 157, fax +40 (250) 860 180, or e-mail
them on office@buila.ro
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See also County Vālcea
for accommodation in other nearby towns
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The Hydro Electricity Headquarters in Rāmnicu Vālcea
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The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (C) 2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
Photo:
© REST ROMĀNIA
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From the Rest Romania Website at
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Dialling the River Residents
All of the phone numbers in the river town of
Rāmnicu-Vālcea start with (250) or (350), depending
on whether the service is through the old state-run operatortitled RomTelecom,
or from one of the newer entrants into the market in Romania.
Dialling internationally into
anywhere in balmy Oltenia, you must remove
any leading zero from the county code portion of the phone number, so
that (0250) becomes (250). Dialling a mobile number, you
do the same, dropping the zero from the (07XX) part of the number, to
make it (7XX). Both landlines and mobiles have 6 digits
following the initial county code.
Hydro Town HotSpots
Yes, those dams on the River Olt do make a bit of
power, so why not use it wirelessly?
Enjoy your pizza and beer at the Pizza Hut on the River Olt.
Really, one of the last places we expected wireless and pizza, but hey,
the town's in a great location for a quick stop going to Sibiu or
Curtea de Argeş!
Pizza Hut, in the downtown River Plaza, Calea lui Traian,
nr 125 in Rāmnicu Vālcea
When the urge for pepperoni
and checking your e-mail hits you, this is the place to revel in a hot
slice of Americana. Open until 10pm, 11pm Sat/Sun.
+40 (250) 732 613 or +40 (749)
099 042
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From the Alexandru Balintescu fine arts collection
in Costeşti
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Early Rāmnicu Vālcea History
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The Town Hall of Rāmnicu Vālcea
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Photos:
B
Dinu
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The area has been inhabited since Dacian and Roman times, and was
the site of a castrum. A new fortress was built on the location during
the Middle Ages.
Rāmnicu Vālcea was first attested in the rule of Price Mircea cel
Bătrān, as "the princely town of Rāmnic" (September 4, 1388), and confirmed
as the seat of a Vālcea County during the same period (January 8, 1392).
The town seal was dated back to 1505. Cetăţuia, the actual fortress,
served as the residence of Oltenian bans and, from 1504, Eastern Orthodox
bishops; in 1543, it was in Cetăţuia that Prince Radu de la Afumaţi
was killed by a boyar conspiracy.
During the rules of Matei Basarab and Constantin Brāncoveanu, it
became an important cultural center.
It was here that the first paper mill and printing press in Romania
were built (see Anthim the Iberian). It was heavily damaged during the
Habsburg takeover of Oltenia in 1718-1739, and its purpose was again
reduced to that of a fortress.
During the 1848 Wallachian Revolution, on July 29 Deşteaptă-te,
romāne!, the current national anthem of Romania, was sung for the first
time in Rāmnicu Vālcea. Gheorghe Magheru gathered his military force
in Rāureni, now part of the city, in an unrealistic attempt to face
the anti-revolutionary forces of Imperial Russia and the Ottoman Empire.
In the 1980s the city has been completely rebuilt in a style combining
Socialist realism with local vernacular architecture.
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Read More about Rāmnicu Vālcea at:
The Rāmnicu Vālcea
town hall
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From the Rest Romania Website at
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Search
for
on other websites!
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