# Cocoș Monastery

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Dobruja](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/dobrogea) › [Tulcea County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/tulcea) › [Niculițel](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/locality/niculitel)

> A monastery for monks hidden in a forest clearing in northern Dobruja, with a three-domed church, a 30 m bell tower and cells with timber balconies; it keeps the relics of the Niculițel martyrs.

**At a glance:** Monasteries in Niculițel, Tulcea County. The visit takes 45 min. Information verified on 28 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** A working monastery of monks: visits take place during the day, outside services.
- **Visit duration:** 45 min — church, courtyard and cells
- **With kids:** Yes — modest dress and quiet
- **Parking:** Yes, free — in front of the gate
- **Best season:** All year round — all year, greener in summer
- **Address:** DJ229C, ~6 km from the centre of Niculițel commune, Niculițel, Tulcea County
- **Coordinates:** 45.21146, 28.41546
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coco%C8%99_Monastery
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5139911
- **Categories:** [Monasteries](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/monasteries)

## About Cocoș Monastery

Cocoș Monastery lies at the foot of a hill covered in lime forests, a few kilometres from Niculițel, in northern Dobruja. A hermits' skete, first mentioned in 1679, stood here before the monastery was founded in 1833 through the efforts of the monks Visarion, Gherontie and Isaia. The name comes from the nearby Cocoșului Hill.

The present three-domed church was built between 1911 and 1913 to plans by the architect Toma Dobrescu, replacing older churches demolished in 1910. The massive bell tower, about 30 m tall, dates from the time of Abbot Daniel (1862–1884); it burned in 1946, and the church and the tower were restored in 1954–1955. Since 1973 the monastery has kept the relics of the holy martyrs Zotikos, Attalos, Kamasis and Philippos, found in the crypt of the early Christian basilica at Niculițel, which makes it a place of pilgrimage.

### What you can see

You can walk into the wide courtyard around which the ensemble's buildings stand, and visit the church. A mosaic of the Holy Trinity decorates its façade. The two wings of cells, with an upper floor, arcades and timber balconies, give the precinct the look of a monastery on Mount Athos. The bell tower stands guard over the entrance from the road.

### Good to know

It is a working monastery of monks: visit quietly, outside services.

## Don't miss

- The three-domed church, with the Holy Trinity mosaic on its façade.
- The bell tower, about 30 m tall, guarding the entrance.
- The cells with an upper floor, arcades and timber balconies around the courtyard.
- The relics of the martyrs Zotikos, Attalos, Kamasis and Philippos, brought here in 1973.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** the monastery is ~8 km from Niculițel (~8 minutes), on the DJ229C, along a road through the forest, and ~11 km from Isaccea (~16 minutes). From Tulcea it is ~37 km (~40 minutes): on the DN22 towards Isaccea, then on the county road towards Niculițel. In the same area you can combine the Noviodunum Fortress at Isaccea and the Măcin Mountains National Park.

### Where to park

A paved car park in front of the monastery gate.

### Rules

Modest dress: shoulders and knees covered, women with their heads covered in the church. Keep quiet within the precinct and switch phones off during services. Photos in the church only with the monks' permission.

## Details

- **Construction period:** 1911–1913
- **Denomination:** Orthodox

## Frequently asked questions about Cocoș Monastery

**How long does a visit to Cocoș Monastery take?**

A visit to Cocoș Monastery takes about 45 min (church, courtyard and cells).

**Can you visit Cocoș Monastery with kids?**

Yes, Cocoș Monastery is suitable for children (modest dress and quiet).

**Where can I park at Cocoș Monastery?**

There is free parking at Cocoș Monastery (in front of the gate). More under “Where to park”.

**How do I get to Cocoș Monastery?**

Cocoș Monastery is located at DJ229C, ~6 km from the centre of Niculițel commune, Niculițel, Tulcea County. More under “Getting there”.

**When is the best time to visit Cocoș Monastery?**

The best season for Cocoș Monastery: All year round (all year, greener in summer).

## Nearby attractions

- [Noviodunum Fortress](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/noviodunum-fortress) — Fortresses and fortifications · Isaccea, TL · 45 min · 12 km
  The ruins of the Roman and Byzantine fortress near Isaccea, main base of the Danube fleet Classis Flavia Moesica, with stone-and-brick walls uncovered on the banks of the Danube.
- [Saon Monastery](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/saon-monastery) — Monasteries · Niculițel, TL · 45 min · 13 km
  A convent by Lake Saon with a white three-towered church built from 1909 and the old church of 1881, in the commune of Niculițel; a listed historic monument.
- [Măcin Mountains National Park](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/macin-mountains-national-park) — National parks and reserves · Greci, TL · 10 lei · 3½ – 4 hours · 17 km
  Romania's oldest mountains, Hercynian granite worn down to 467 m, with rocky ridges, steppe and Balkan woodland, land tortoises and hundreds of migrating birds of prey.
- [Celic-Dere Monastery](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/celic-dere-monastery) — Monasteries · Frecăței, TL · 45 min · 21 km
  A convent in the Tulcea hills, with a white church built in 1901–1932 reached by a monumental staircase, rose gardens and a wooden windmill listed as a historic monument.
- [Troesmis Fortress](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/troesmis-fortress) — Fortresses and fortifications · Turcoaia, TL · Free · ½ – 1 hours · 25 km
  The ruins of ancient Troesmis near Turcoaia: the base of the Fifth Legion Macedonica, then two Late Roman fortresses on the high bank of the Danube. An undeveloped site with free access.
- [Dinogetia Fortress](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/dinogetia-fortress) — Fortresses and fortifications · Garvăn, TL · ½ – 1 hours · 37 km
  The ruins of a Roman and Byzantine fortress near Garvăn, on a hillock in the Danube floodplain, its curtain wall and towers still standing, facing Galați across the river.

## Featured in the guides

- [Things to do in Tulcea: what to see in the city and around it](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/guides/things-to-do-in-tulcea) — Ecotourism Museum Centre (the aquarium, 30 lei), museums, waterfront, river station; Celic-Dere 26 km away, Cocoș, Saon, Enisala, Halmyris, Noviodunum.

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Last updated: 28 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania