Polovragi Monastery - details and images

Polovragi Monastery is located northeast of Tg. Jiu Tg on the road. Jiu - Ramnicu Valcea, in a picturesque setting at the foot of Stone Polovragi, 18 km from Horezu Polovragi nearby cave. Monastery entrance is through a massive wooden gate, beautifully carved, which reads: "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." On the right side of the gate is a beautiful carved wooden crucifix on the concrete pedestal, dedicated to Romanian heroes and martyrs.

Recent historical research has established the monastery Polovragi age around 1505, the Commission and four founders were Spataru Radu, noble sons of the great Danciu Zamona mentioned in a decree issued on 18 January 1480 by Prince Basarab the Young. In 1629, during the reign of Alexandru Ilies, take possession of the monastery jupan Paraianu Milescu, ban of Craiova. For a century and a half, the documents do not mention anything about this monastery. Danciu Paraianu In 1643, present church building, with Prince Matei Basarab.

Decree issued on 6 July 1648 by Matei Basarab, is the first document of the church.
Dedicated to the Holy Sepulchre of the second founder of the monastery is redeemed or ruler Constantin Brancoveanu Dositei Patriarch of Jerusalem, in 1693 and made the monastery Hurez subdued.

During Constantin Brancoveanu was restored church, which has built the tower and added a porch-style Brancoveanu was painted inside the restored cells, the bell, and the city walls. During the Austrian domination of Oltenia was last among the monasteries proper defensive fortifications. General Stainville chose as a residence, housing within its walls an army battalion (1718-1739). Later, on 27 April 1802, the monastery was ransacked by the army's talharesti Pasvantoglu. Legend says that when the monks monastery hidden treasures Oltetului water.

Polovragi monastery church dedicated to Virgin Mary is built in Byzantine style, trilobite-shaped with side aisles. The tower is a polygonal shape, with niches wide, ornamented at the top and covered with tin as the church. The nave and the narthex are spacious, with virtually the same size. Iconostasis made of lime wood, is a true masterpiece of Romanian ancient sculptures, with a rich floral decoration with braids. Brancoveanu style porch is spacious, open, supported by eight columns of stone. The porch is the tombstone of the founder's sister.

Byzantine painting tradition, executed in fresco was conducted between 1698-1705 during the reign of Constantin Brancoveanu (some sources indicate the years 1703-1712), the first out of school masters from Hurez Brancoveanu as: Andrew Constantine, George Istrate and wounded.

In the North precinct, in another courtyard, was built by Bishop Clement Lavrenty infirmary, 1732-1738. Polovragi monastery church is surrounded by cells, forming a strong fortress. In it enters through a massive gate that rises above the belfry.

The monastery has a museum collection, which houses a rich collection of icons on wood and glass, coming from the eighteenth century and nineteenth century and rare book store that contains over 3000 volumes in Romanian, Slavonic and Greek.

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