# Mraconia Monastery

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Oltenia](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/oltenia) › [Mehedinți County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/mehedinti) › [Dubova](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/locality/dubova)

> A monastery perched on a headland right above the Danube, in the Danube Gorges, on the site of the old monastery demolished in 1967 for the Iron Gates hydroelectric dam.

**At a glance:** Monasteries in Dubova, Mehedinți County. The visit takes 30 min. Information verified on 29 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** The church can be seen from the road at any time. The feast of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel is kept on 8 November.
- **Visit duration:** 30 min — church and view
- **With kids:** Yes — the road runs beside the walls
- **Parking:** Yes, free — on the side of the DN57
- **Best season:** All year round
- **Address:** DN57, Danube Gorges, Dubova, Mehedinți County
- **Coordinates:** 44.63731, 22.29351
- **Wikipedia:** https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%83n%C4%83stirea_Mraconia
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q118950390
- **Categories:** [Monasteries](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/monasteries)

## About Mraconia Monastery

Mraconia Monastery stands on the Romanian bank of the Danube, in the Danube Gorges, where the river is squeezed between rock walls. It belongs to the commune of Dubova, about 19 km from Orșova. The white church, with three dark-roofed towers, rests on a headland right above the water, and the wooded slope of the gorge rises behind it.

What you see today is a new monastery. After 1989 it was decided to re-establish it: the foundation stone of the church was laid in 1993, and the work was led by Father Cristian Târtea, with the help of believers. The church, built of brick in the shape of a cross, is dedicated to the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel and to the Holy Trinity.

The old monastery stood in the Mraconia valley: according to some accounts it existed as early as the 15th century, and in 1523 it was built anew by ban Nicola Gârlișteanu. It was destroyed in the Russo-Austro-Turkish war of 1787–1792, rebuilt, then demolished in 1967, when the Danube was dammed at the Iron Gates. Its cross-shaped ruins lie under the waters of the reservoir and can be seen only when the level of the Danube drops sharply. The royal doors and a lamp from it have survived, displayed at the parish museum in Eșelnița.

### What you can see

From the road you see the whole church, with the rock on one side and the Danube on the other; the Serbian bank is right opposite. Inside, the walls and vaults are covered in vividly coloured murals, and the iconostasis is of carved, gilded wood, with a large chandelier in the nave. The Face of Decebalus can be seen from nearby, about 500 m away, across the Mraconia bay.

### Good to know

Today's church is a recent building, not the historic one from the old site: of the 16th-century monastery only the ruins under the water remain. The monastery is a place of prayer: come modestly dressed and keep quiet. The DN57 runs right beside the walls, with tourist traffic in season, so stop cars only in the wider spots.

## Don't miss

- The white three-towered church on a headland right above the Danube.
- The vividly coloured murals and the carved, gilded wooden iconostasis inside.
- The Serbian bank, only a few hundred metres across the water, and the rock walls of the gorge.
- The Face of Decebalus, seen across the Mraconia bay, about 500 m away.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** the monastery is right on the DN57, the road along the Danube between Orșova and Moldova Nouă, about 19 km from Orșova (around 30 minutes), after Eșelnița and the Mraconia bay and before the Great Cauldrons (Cazanele Mari) and Dubova. It is ~48 km (about an hour) from Drobeta-Turnu Severin and ~85 km (about 1 hour 35 minutes) from Moldova Nouă.

**Public transport:** the nearest railway station is Orșova, on the Timișoara – Craiova – Bucharest line; from there, only a taxi or a car will take you to the monastery. It can also be seen from the boat trips through the Danube Gorges.

### Where to park

Cars are left on the side of the DN57, in the wider stretches by the monastery and towards the Mraconia bay. It gets crowded in summer; do not stop on bends.

### Rules

Modest dress: shoulders and knees covered. Keep quiet within the grounds, no smoking. Ask before photographing inside the church; no photos during services. The road is busy: keep children by the hand.

### Facilities

Guesthouses in Dubova and Eșelnița

## Details

- **Construction period:** 1993
- **Founder:** Father Cristian Târtea
- **Dedication:** Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, Holy Trinity
- **Denomination:** Orthodox

## Frequently asked questions about Mraconia Monastery

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

A visit to Mraconia Monastery takes about 30 min (church and view).

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

Yes, Mraconia Monastery is suitable for children (the road runs beside the walls).

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

There is free parking at Mraconia Monastery (on the side of the DN57). More under “Where to park”.

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

Mraconia Monastery is located at DN57, Danube Gorges, Dubova, Mehedinți County. More under “Getting there”.

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

The best season for Mraconia Monastery: All year round.

## Nearby attractions

- [Danube Gorge Road](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/danube-gorge-road) — Scenic roads · Mehedinți County · Free · 3½ – 4 hours · 0 km
  The DN57 runs about 100 km along the Danube from Orșova to Moldova Nouă, through the Great and Small Cauldrons, past the rock face of Decebalus, with Serbia on the far bank.
- [Rock Sculpture of Decebalus](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/rock-sculpture-of-decebalus) — Monuments and historic sites · Eșelnița, MH · Free · ½ – 1 hours · Top 100 · 1 km
  The face of the Dacian king Decebalus, carved between 1994 and 2004 into a 55 m rock at the mouth of the Mraconia, on the Romanian bank of the Danube: the tallest rock sculpture in Europe.
- [Danube Gorges (Cazanele Dunării)](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/danube-gorges) — Gorges and canyons · Dubova, MH · Free · 3½ – 4 hours · Top 100 · 6 km
  The narrowest stretch of the Danube Gorge, between Dubova and Ogradena: the river squeezes between limestone walls, with Serbia on the far bank, seen by boat or from Ciucaru Mare.
- [Veterani Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/veterani-cave) — Caves · Dubova, MH · 20 min · 6 km
  A broad grotto just above the Danube in the Great Cauldrons, with fortification walls from the Romans to the Austrians; reached only by boat, from Dubova or Eșelnița.
- [Ponicova Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/ponicova-cave) — Caves · Dubova, MH · 2 – 2½ hours · 7 km
  The largest cave in the Danube Gorge, with more than 1.6 km of passages running through Ciucaru Mare; entered from the Ponicova Gorge, off the DN 57, or from the Danube by boat.
- [Severin Medieval Fortress](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/severin-medieval-fortress) — Fortresses and fortifications · Drobeta-Turnu Severin, MH · 45 min · 37 km
  The ruins of the fortress on the Danube bank, centre of the Banate of Severin in the 13th century: consolidated walls and moat, the surviving north-east tower and a medieval festival each autumn.

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Last updated: 29 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania