Sunday Trip - Aninoasa and Corbii de Piatra

Yesterday, after so much barbecue and beer, we decided to take a round trip in the area. We loaded the kids in the car and we headed to see some forgotten attractions. 

If from Pitesti you choose to take the road to Mioveni (the place where Dacia Renault has the factory), then you drive some 30 more minutes, you will cross a wonderful area, with tender hills full of Acacia trees in bloom. Maybe is the spring, maybe is the view, but you can sure feel the nature with all the body and soul. All the hills were whitened with flowers and everywhere we saw lots of truck with bees. That's because the Acacia honey is very popular here.

We first went to see Aninoasa Monastery, easier to reach from Campulung (only 18 kilometers), situated on the left side of Bratia river. It was build in XVII-th century, founded by a local nobleman, on his name Tudoran Vladescu. Is a sad story, his wife died in the first year the building started, so he decided to become a monk and to change his name in Teodosie. The paintings on the walls are done by a famous religious painter, Parvu Mutu, who soon became the official family painter of Cantacuzino family.

The Monastery's walls can reach 1,84 m in thickness, is a fortified building, with battlements on the entrance, proving it was conceived for defense, not only for praying. It was also very rich, with many lands in possession, thousands of horses and cows, which made it a very desirable target for thieves.

In our days is a nun's monastery, very well-cared and, of course, very quiet.

Next stop was Corbii de Piatra, an amazing place, a church carved in a stone block, dating from 1512, as per official attestations. There are proofs that the cave was a monastery long before this date, from very early times, and it sure was an orthodox place of prayer. The paintings are the original ones, there was no restoration ever. Is not difficult to reach there, but you need to carefully follow the signs, not so visible sometimes.

We stopped on our way back to the river to see the horses, then to capture some more pictures on the road. The architectural style of the area is quite charming, with picturesque arches and verandas. This is the kind of house I'd like to have.

 

We returned back and we hurried to come back home on the daylight, but before we left, Bogdan took some pictures of the dramatic light in my brother's yard. Isn't it beautiful?