Ostrov Monastery

Ostrov Monastery stands on an island in the Olt River, connected by a bridge to Călimănești. The Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God was built in 1520–1521, during the reign of Neagoe Basarab and Lady Despina. Its setting between the waters and the trees within the precinct makes it easy to recognize in the resort’s landscape, although the island and the banks have been altered by hydropower works.

The church preserves paintings from the eighteenth century and a gilded limewood iconostasis. In the same visit you can see the facades, the porch and the courtyard of the monastery. The bridge leads to the monastery, and access to the church depends on the monastic community’s schedule of services.

Photo: Leontin l / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized to fit 650 × 400 px. The adaptation is distributed under the same license.