Polovragi Monastery

Polovragi Monastery is located in Polovragi commune, Gorj County, at the entrance to the Olteț Gorge. This convent of nuns is dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God. The present church and the enclosure preserve building and restoration phases from the seventeenth century and from the time of Constantin Brâncoveanu.

The church has an open porch and murals painted in the Brâncovenesc tradition. The cells surround the courtyard and the entrance is through the bell tower. The exterior decoration includes arches and columns, along with carved stone door and window frames. Beyond the monastery begins the narrow Olteț Valley, with limestone cliffs and forests, and nearby is the Polovragi Cave.

Photo: Miehs · Photo source · CC BY-SA 3.0 ro. Cropped and resized to 650 × 400 px, without distortion.