About Cozia Monastery
Cozia Monastery stands on the right bank of the Olt, where Căciulata gives way to the Olt Gorge, enclosed by high walls like a fortress. Mircea the Elder built it at the start of his reign: work began in 1387, the church was consecrated in May 1388, and the painting was finished in 1390–1391. The name comes from a Cuman word for walnut; in the charters of the time the place also appears as "Nucet" (walnut grove). The prince intended his foundation as a burial place and was buried here in 1418.
The Holy Trinity church, with a trefoil plan and a tower over the nave, took up the model of the Serbian churches of the Morava Valley and became, for three centuries, the reference for masonry churches in Wallachia. The façades alternate courses of stone and brick, with pierced stone rosettes and window frames carved with birds, serpents and the double-headed eagle. Constantin Brâncoveanu added the porch in 1707, and the monastery went through many trials: it was a prison between 1879 and 1893, a stable for the horses of the occupying troops in the First World War, and was consolidated in 1958–1959.
What you can see
In the narthex is the tomb of Mircea the Elder, a stone sarcophagus covered by the slab laid in 1938, and the gravestone of the nun Teofana, mother of Michael the Brave. The old painting of 1391 also survives here; in the nave is the votive painting of Mircea and his son Mihail. Within the walls are the chapels of the Dormition and of All Saints, the loggias opening towards the Olt and the museum collection, with icons, church objects, old books and fragments of the prince's former gravestone. Across the road, on the hill, is the infirmary church of the Holy Apostles (1542–1543), painted by the masters David and Raduslav; Ostrov Hermitage, on the island in Călimănești, is a separate monument a few kilometres away.
Good to know
It is a working monastery of monks. In December 2025 archaeologists examined the prince's tomb ahead of a restoration project funded by the EU, so works may appear in the ensemble.
Information verified on 20 October 2026.
- The tomb of Mircea the Elder, in the narthex of the Holy Trinity church.
- The façades with courses of stone and brick, pierced rosettes and windows carved with birds and serpents.
- The Brâncovenesc porch of 1707, painted by the masters Andrei, Constantin and Gheorghe.
- The votive painting of Mircea the Elder and his son Mihail on the wall of the nave.
- The infirmary church of the Holy Apostles, the small church on the hill, with its paintings of 1542–1543.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: the monastery is right by the DN 7 (E81), at the northern edge of Căciulata towards Sibiu, ~20 km (~25 minutes) north of Râmnicu Vâlcea and ~80 km (~1½ hours) south of Sibiu, in the Olt Valley. From Bucharest it is ~190 km, on the A1 to Pitești and then the DN 7 (~3 hours). The DN 7 is busy at weekends and in season.
Public transport: buses and minibuses run daily between Râmnicu Vâlcea and Călimănești–Căciulata, passing the monastery. Călimănești has a railway station on the Râmnicu Vâlcea – Sibiu line; from there it is a few kilometres along the DN 7 to the monastery.
- Where to park
Parking spaces along the DN 7, right next to the monastery, and the car parks of the Căciulata complexes, a few hundred metres away. On the feast day and on summer weekends the spaces by the gate fill up quickly.
- Fees & discounts
The monastery does not publish prices for visiting, for the museum collection or for photography; ask at the candle shop or at the museum entrance.
- Rules
Modest dress: shoulders and knees covered, women with their heads covered in the church. Keep quiet within the walls and switch phones off during services. Do not take photos in the church without the monks' permission; do not touch the frescoes or the gravestones.
- Facilities
museum collection of icons, church objects and old books · candle shop with icons and books · monastic workshops · restaurants, accommodation and thermal pools in Călimănești-Căciulata · the courtyard is stone-paved, the church has steps at the entrance
Frequently asked questions about Cozia Monastery
- How long does a visit to Cozia Monastery take?
- A visit to Cozia Monastery takes about ½ – 1 hours (with the infirmary church).
- Can you visit Cozia Monastery with kids?
- Yes, Cozia Monastery is suitable for children (modest dress and quiet).
- How do I get to Cozia Monastery?
- Cozia Monastery is located at Calea lui Traian 816, Căciulata, on the DN 7, Călimănești, Vâlcea County. By car: the monastery is right by the DN 7 (E81), at the northern edge of Căciulata towards Sibiu, ~20 km (~25 minutes) north of Râmnicu Vâlcea and ~80 km (~1½ hours) south of Sibiu, in the Olt Valley. From Bucharest it is ~190 km, on the A1 to Pitești and then the DN 7 (~3 hours). The DN 7 is busy at weekends and in season. Public transport: buses and minibuses run daily between Râmnicu Vâlcea and Călimănești–Căciulata, passing the monastery. Călimănești has a railway station on the Râmnicu Vâlcea – Sibiu line; from there it is a few kilometres along the DN 7 to the monastery.
- When is the best time to visit Cozia Monastery?
- The best season for Cozia Monastery: April – October (autumn, with the hills in colour).
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