Manastirea Radu Voda
On a hill at the edge of the Dâmbovita River, the church of the Prince Radu Monastery is set in a serene garden; built in 1613 and 1614, it replaced an earlier wooden structure. Bright, immaculate frescoes by Gheorghe Tattarescu were added in the 19th century. For a sublime experience, come for the liturgy, when worshipers kneel at the feet of the priest; as Mass is read and sung, you'll be hard-pressed to imagine that the Romanian language was not developed precisely for such heavenly devotions. Across the road from the monastery is the mid-18th-century Biserica Orthodoxa "Bucur Ciobanul" ★★ (tel. 0724-506-843; 8am-6pm daily), reached via a steep stairway. Dedicated to the shepherd Bucur, attributed with the founding of Bucharest, the walls of this tiny church are covered in icons, executed in various styles and rendered on wood and glass. Note: Services can last between 1 1/2 and 4 1/2 hours, but worshippers (and observers) can come and go as they please.
On a hill at the edge of the Dâmbovita River, the church of the Prince Radu Monastery is set in a serene garden; built in 1613 and 1614, it replaced an earlier wooden structure. Bright, immaculate frescoes by Gheorghe Tattarescu were added in the 19th century. For a sublime experience, come for the liturgy, when worshipers kneel at the feet of the priest; as Mass is read and sung, you'll be hard-pressed to imagine that the Romanian language was not developed precisely for such heavenly devotions. Across the road from the monastery is the mid-18th-century Biserica Orthodoxa "Bucur Ciobanul" ★★ (tel. 0724-506-843; 8am-6pm daily), reached via a steep stairway. Dedicated to the shepherd Bucur, attributed with the founding of Bucharest, the walls of this tiny church are covered in icons, executed in various styles and rendered on wood and glass. Note: Services can last between 1 1/2 and 4 1/2 hours, but worshippers (and observers) can come and go as they please.
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