Cozia Monastery
Founded by Mircea the Elder in 1388, on the banks of the Olt in the Carpathian gorge.
<p>Cozia Monastery is the oldest voivode-founded monastery in Wallachia. Raised by Mircea the Elder between 1387 and 1388, in the middle of the Olt River gorge, at the foot of the Cozia Mountains. The original interior fresco — painted in 1390 — is among the oldest you can still see in Romania. Mircea the Elder is buried here, the voivode who ruled for 31 years and defended Wallachia against the Ottomans.</p><p>The church has 4 towers, a trefoil ground plan (typically Moldavian, unusual for Wallachia), and clearly visible Byzantine elements. Inside, the fresco covers every wall — Pantocrator in the dome, military saints in the chapel, Holy Trinity in the altar, the Pillars of the Church. A complete Orthodox iconography lesson.</p><p>Near the church is a small monastic museum with rare books, old icons, ritual objects. 100 m away is Stănișoara Monastery, smaller, in the forest.</p><p>Tip: free, donations welcome. Come in summer mornings — in August, pilgrims from all over the country arrive, the parking fills up. On DN7, 5 km away, is the Călimănești-Căciulata resort (thermal springs, spas, walks on the Olt). Plus the Olt Gorge — the Râmnicu Vâlcea–Sibiu drive is stunning.</p>
