# Plumbuita Monastery

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Muntenia](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/muntenia) › [București](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/city/bucuresti)

> A 16th–17th-century monastery in Colentina, with a church rebuilt by Matei Basarab in 1647, a gatehouse bell tower and an arcaded princely house.

**At a glance:** Monasteries in București. The visit takes 45 min. Information verified on 26 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Visit duration:** 45 min — church and courtyard; estimate
- **With kids:** Yes — quiet place, no play area
- **Best season:** All year round — all year round
- **Address:** 58 Strada Plumbuita, Sector 2, București
- **Coordinates:** 44.4717, 26.1349
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumbuita_Monastery
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12736256
- **Categories:** [Monasteries](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/manastiri), [Monuments and historic sites](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/monumente-si-situri-istorice)

## About Plumbuita Monastery

On a small hill on the bank of the Colentina river, in north-eastern Bucharest, stands one of the oldest monasteries in the city. Its founding began in the 16th century under Prince Petru the Younger, and in 1585 Mihnea Turcitul placed the foundation under the Xeropotamou Monastery on Mount Athos. The monastery suffered in 1595, when it was destroyed by the Ottomans, and was damaged by a fire in 1614. The present church dates from 1647, when Matei Basarab built it from the foundations in memory of his victory over Radu Iliaș, adding a princely house and thick defensive walls. According to local people, the name comes from the lead roof of the church.

The first printing press in Bucharest operated here: a plaque on the wall of the cells says it was set up in 1573, and the oldest book known to have been printed here is a Tetraevangelion of 1582. In the 19th century the monastery was closed through secularisation and the complex came close to ruin, before the restorations of the 20th century.

### What you can see

You enter beneath the bell tower, built between 1802 and 1806 and set into the enclosure wall, and come into a courtyard with stone paving, flowers and benches. The Church of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist has a triconch plan, a tower over the nave, walls almost a metre thick and Gothic window frames. The Princely House, with arcades on the ground floor and the upper floor, is one of the few civil buildings in Bucharest older than the 19th century, and brick cells surround the courtyard.

### Good to know

This is a working monastery, with a monastic community and daily services. The Princely House and the cells are admired from the courtyard.

## Don't miss

- The bell tower of 1802–1806, through which you enter the courtyard.
- Matei Basarab's church of 1647, with a triconch plan and walls almost a metre thick.
- The Princely House, with arcades on two levels, a rare example of early civil architecture in Bucharest.
- The plaque about the first printing press in Bucharest, on the wall of the cells.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** the monastery is on Strada Plumbuita, in the Colentina district in the north-east of the city, ~12 minutes from Piața Victoriei or Piața Unirii in normal traffic. The entrance is beneath the bell tower.

**Public transport:** the metro does not come close; the nearest station, Piața Iancului (M1), is ~5 km away by road. You can get there by the buses and trams of the Colentina–Tei area, or by taxi.

### Rules

This is a working monastery: modest dress (shoulders and knees covered, men bareheaded in the church), quiet, no food or drink. Do not use a flash and do not take photos during services; ask if you are unsure.

### Facilities

church and courtyard · bell tower

## Details

- **Construction period:** 16th–17th century
- **Founder:** Petru the Younger, Matei Basarab
- **Dedication:** the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
- **Denomination:** Orthodox
- **Architectural style:** Wallachian
- **Historical period:** medieval

## Frequently asked questions about Plumbuita Monastery

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

A visit to Plumbuita Monastery takes about 45 min (church and courtyard; estimate).

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

Yes, Plumbuita Monastery is suitable for children (quiet place, no play area).

**How do I get to Plumbuita Monastery?**

Plumbuita Monastery is located at 58 Strada Plumbuita, Sector 2, București. By car: the monastery is on Strada Plumbuita, in the Colentina district in the north-east of the city, ~12 minutes from Piața Victoriei or Piața Unirii in normal traffic. The entrance is beneath the bell tower. Public transport: the metro does not come close; the nearest station, Piața Iancului (M1), is ~5 km away by road. You can get there by the buses and trams of the Colentina–Tei area, or by taxi.

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

The best season for Plumbuita Monastery: All year round (all year round).

## Nearby attractions

- [Ghica Tei Palace](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/palatul-ghica-tei) — Castles and palaces · București · 15 min · 1 km
  A neoclassical summer residence built in 1822 for Prince Grigore IV Ghica on the shore of Lake Tei; today it hosts private events, and its façade can be glimpsed from the street.
- [Circus Park](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/parcul-circului) — Parks and gardens · București · Free · ½ – 1 hours · 3 km
  A park of about 26 hectares in Sector 2, laid out in 1961 on a former clay pit, with a lake of lotus and pond turtles, next to the Globus Circus.
- [Bordei Park](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/parcul-bordei) — Parks and gardens · București · Free · 45 min · 4 km
  A quiet 3.3-hectare park on the shore of Lake Floreasca in northern Bucharest, next to Herăstrău, with paved paths, benches and a playground.
- [Primăverii Palace](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/palatul-primaverii) — Castles and palaces · București · 85 lei · 45 min · Top 100 · 4 km
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- [Foișorul de Foc (Fire Watchtower)](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/foisorul-de-foc) — Monuments and historic sites · București · 10 lei · 40 min · 5 km
  The 42 m round tower built in 1890–1892 as a fire-watch lookout, today the National Firefighters' Museum, telling the story of firefighting in Romania.
- [Zambaccian Museum](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/muzeul-zambaccian) — Museums and memorial houses · București · 16 lei · ½ – 1 hours · 5 km
  The house museum of the collector Krikor H. Zambaccian, near Piața Dorobanților: Romanian art from Grigorescu to Baba alongside Cézanne, Renoir, Matisse and Picasso, in a 1940s villa.

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Last updated: 26 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania