Agapia Monastery
About Agapia Monastery
Agapia Monastery, also called Agapia din Vale or New Agapia, stands in the valley of the Agapia stream, between wooded hills, about 9 km west of Târgu Neamț. The main church, dedicated to the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, was built in 1641–1643 by Hetman Gavriil Coci, brother of Prince Vasile Lupu, and consecrated in 1646. The name comes from the hermit Agapie, who lived as an ascetic on the hill where the Agapia Veche hermitage now stands.
Since 1803 Agapia has been a convent of nuns, and it remains one of the largest in Romania. It was plundered several times and burned in 1821 and 1903, then rebuilt. Between 1858 and 1861, at the invitation of Abbess Tavefta Ursache, Nicolae Grigorescu, then only 20, painted the interior of the church in a style close to Renaissance painting, with the faces of saints inspired by peasants and nuns from the area. The ensemble was extensively restored between 1995 and 2009.
The place has also entered literature: Ion Creangă, Alexandru Vlahuță and Calistrat Hogaș all wrote about Agapia.
What you can see
The white church in the middle of the grounds, with neoclassical facades and a single tower, and inside it Grigorescu's paintings on the walls, the vaults and the dome. The grounds are enclosed by two-storey buildings with flower-filled verandas, with the bell tower on the east side and the Nativity of the Mother of God chapel on the south.
The monastery museum holds icons from the 16th to 18th centuries, carved crosses, manuscripts, old printed books and embroidery. Outside the walls lies the monastic village, with more than a hundred nuns' houses, two wooden churches and the Alexandru Vlahuță memorial house. The Agapia Veche hermitage is about 2 km away, up the hill, and Văratec Monastery a few kilometres off.
Good to know
It is a working convent where services are held daily: modest dress, quiet, and no walking around the church during services. Many pilgrims come for the patronal feast on 8 November.
Information verified on 20 October 2026.
- Nicolae Grigorescu's paintings in the main church, with the dome and vaults covered in biblical scenes.
- The inner courtyard with its flower beds and the verandas of the cells, with balconies full of geraniums.
- The monastery museum, with old icons, embroidery and manuscripts.
- The monastic village around the grounds, with the nuns' houses and the Alexandru Vlahuță memorial house.
- The wooden Church of St John the Theologian, from 1821, in the cemetery on the hill.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: Agapia is about 9 km west of Târgu Neamț, on the road that climbs the Agapia valley up to the monastery. From Piatra Neamț it takes about an hour. The monastery is easy to combine in a single day with Văratec Monastery, the Agapia Veche hermitage and Neamț Citadel.
Public transport: the nearest town with bus connections is Târgu Neamț; from there you reach the monastery by taxi.
- Where to park
Car park in front of the monastery gate; on the patronal feast and on summer weekends it fills up quickly.
- Fees & discounts
The monastery does not publish prices for entry, the museum or photography; ask at the gate.
- Rules
Modest dress: shoulders and knees covered, and women may be asked to cover their heads. Quiet within the grounds and no smoking. Ask beforehand whether photography is allowed in the church and the museum; no photographs during services. The houses in the monastic village are lived in by nuns: do not enter the yards.
- Facilities
Monastery museum · church shop · guesthouses in Agapia commune
Frequently asked questions about Agapia Monastery
- How long does a visit to Agapia Monastery take?
- A visit to Agapia Monastery takes about 1 – 1½ hours (church, grounds and village).
- Can you visit Agapia Monastery with kids?
- Yes, Agapia Monastery is suitable for children (modest dress and quiet).
- How do I get to Agapia Monastery?
- Agapia Monastery is located at At the end of the monastic village, in the valley of the Agapia stream, Agapia, Neamț County. By car: Agapia is about 9 km west of Târgu Neamț, on the road that climbs the Agapia valley up to the monastery. From Piatra Neamț it takes about an hour. The monastery is easy to combine in a single day with Văratec Monastery, the Agapia Veche hermitage and Neamț Citadel. Public transport: the nearest town with bus connections is Târgu Neamț; from there you reach the monastery by taxi.
- When is the best time to visit Agapia Monastery?
- The best season for Agapia Monastery: All year round (patronal feast on 8 November).
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