# Stavnic Monastery

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Moldavia](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/moldova) › [Iași County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/iasi) › [Schitu Stavnic](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/locality/schitu-stavnic)

> A monks' monastery south of Iași, founded around 1727, with the ruins of the Vovidenia church bombed in the war and a new adobe church in use.

**At a glance:** Monasteries and churches in Schitu Stavnic, Iași County. The visit takes 45 min. Information verified on 13 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** The monastery does not publish visiting hours. The service times on its website (Liturgy at 5:30 on weekdays and 7:30 on Sundays, vespers at 16:00) date from 2016. The romania-atractiva.ro site gives 5:30–18:30, but that is not an official source; phone before you go.
- **Visit duration:** 45 min — ruin, new church and grounds
- **With kids:** Yes — modest dress, quiet
- **Best season:** All year round — nicer in dry weather
- **Address:** Schitu Stavnic village, Voinești commune (postcode 707602), Schitu Stavnic, Iași County
- **Coordinates:** 47.06909, 27.38935
- **Phone:** +40 766 466 665
- **Website:** https://stavnic.mmb.ro/
- **Wikipedia:** https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%83n%C4%83stirea_Stavnic
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12736296
- **Categories:** [Monasteries and churches](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/manastiri-si-biserici)

## About Stavnic Monastery

Stavnic Monastery lies in the village of Schitu Stavnic, in the commune of Voinești, about 22 km south-west of Iași, in a landscape of hills and fields. The hermitage was founded around 1727 by the medelnicer Constantin Cocoranu, who became a monk here and took the name Calistru, and its first dedication was "Vovidenia", the Entry of the Mother of God into the Temple. In 1766 the founder's heirs gave it to the Monastery of St Spyridon in Iași, and the village of the same name grew up around it.

The masonry church, with a nave and narthex and towers over both, was bombed during the Second World War and was left with only its side walls. The ruin can still be seen, with blind arcades and ogee niches on its facades, and the complex is listed as a historic monument. In the 1980s villagers built a modest adobe church nearby, and in 1993 Metropolitan Daniel re-established the hermitage; since 2005 it has been an independent monastery. Today's patron feast is that of the Great Martyr Demetrios, the Myrrh-Gusher, celebrated on 26 October.

### What you can see

The ruins of the old "Vovidenia" church are the main sight: brick walls rising on a hill, with the facade decoration still legible and, inside, traces of the burial chamber with a trefoil arch in the south wall of the narthex. The new church, of clay adobe reinforced with plaster, is not painted, and its walls are covered with icons. Within the grounds there are also the monks' cells and a monastic house, an orchard and a pond.

### Good to know

For the consolidation and restoration of the "Vovidenia" church, the monastery tendered design services (DALI stage) in October 2022, so the ruin has not yet been restored. It is a working monks' monastery with a community of a few residents: enter in modest dress and keep quiet.

## Don't miss

- The ruin of the 1727 Vovidenia church, with its brick walls and facade decoration still visible.
- The burial niche with a trefoil arch in the south wall of the old narthex.
- The new adobe church dedicated to St Demetrios the Myrrh-Gusher, decorated with icons instead of paintings.
- The hilly landscape around the grounds, with the monastery's pond and orchard.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** the monastery is in the village of Schitu Stavnic, Voinești commune, about 22 km south-west of Iași. You can drive up to the gate of the grounds.

**Public transport:** no confirmed public connection to the village was found; the simplest way is by car or taxi from Iași.

### Rules

Modest dress: shoulders and knees covered. Keep quiet within the grounds, no smoking. Ask at the gate whether photography is allowed, especially in the church and during services. The ruin is fragile: do not climb the walls or touch the masonry.

### Facilities

Grounds with a church, cells and a monastic house · no official information about toilets or a gift shop

## Details

- **Construction period:** 1727
- **Founder:** Constantin Cocoranu
- **Dedication:** St Demetrios the Myrrh-Gusher
- **Denomination:** Orthodox

## Frequently asked questions about Stavnic Monastery

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

A visit to Stavnic Monastery takes about 45 min (ruin, new church and grounds).

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

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

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

Stavnic Monastery is located at Schitu Stavnic village, Voinești commune (postcode 707602), Schitu Stavnic, Iași County. By car: the monastery is in the village of Schitu Stavnic, Voinești commune, about 22 km south-west of Iași. You can drive up to the gate of the grounds. Public transport: no confirmed public connection to the village was found; the simplest way is by car or taxi from Iași.

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

The best season for Stavnic Monastery: All year round (nicer in dry weather).

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Last updated: 13 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania