Brebu Monastery
Encyclopedia
The Brebu Monastery in Romania
is one of the most important architectural achievements of the rule of Matei Basarab
and of Romanian art in the 17th century. Constructions began in 1640.
The Romanian Orthodox
monastery is located in the present-day locality of Brebu Mânăstirei, Prahova County
, Romania. It is situated in the foothills of the Bucegi
and Grohotiş Mountains.
, and has dimensions of 30 x 10 m, constructed in a triconic formation, with a tower extending from the nave and another two smaller towers from the pre-nave. The walls of the chapel/church have a thickness of two metres, and are constructed from burnt bricks and stone. The exterior decoration is characteristic of Wallachia
n architecture at that time, being fairly devoid of ornaments. Some of the decorative elements resemble those of the late gothic period in Moldavia
. The interior decoration of the chapel dates from 1843, and was restored by Sava Henţia in 1901-1902.
The monastery's living quarters are formed by nine rooms and a hall, all of them communicating with each other. There is also a lower ground floor containing cellars. The access tower in the complex is fairly large, and is regarded as one of the most beautiful examples of such constructions found in Romania. It is situated in the southern part of the complex, and has three levels and a total height of approximately 20 metres. The third levels is used for bells, and has an open space in all four sides. Part of the exterior walls of the tower were repainted by Sava Henţia at the beginning of the 20th century.
The monastery is surrounded by six-metre-high wall, with an irregular octagonal shape. It is made out of stone and burnt bricks. The annexes are situated in the west of the complex, and today only their remains can be found. Their existence is confirmed by various milestones and markers which were erected after the site's restoration in 1963.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
is one of the most important architectural achievements of the rule of Matei Basarab
Matei Basarab
Matei Basarab was a Wallachian Voivode between 1632 and 1654.-Reign:Much of Matei's reign was spent fighting off incursions from Moldavia, which he successfully accomplished in 1637, 1639, and 1653 - see Battle of Finta...
and of Romanian art in the 17th century. Constructions began in 1640.
The Romanian Orthodox
Romanian Orthodox Church
The Romanian Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church. It is in full communion with other Eastern Orthodox churches, and is ranked seventh in order of precedence. The Primate of the church has the title of Patriarch...
monastery is located in the present-day locality of Brebu Mânăstirei, Prahova County
Prahova County
Prahova is a county of Romania, in the historical region Muntenia, with the capital city at Ploieşti.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 829,945 and the population density was 176/km². It is Romania's most populated county, having a population density double than the country's mean...
, Romania. It is situated in the foothills of the Bucegi
Bucegi Mountains
The Bucegi Mountains are located in central Romania, south of the city Braşov. They are part of the Southern Carpathians group of the Carpathian Mountains....
and Grohotiş Mountains.
Architecture
The architectural complex at Brebu is currently preserved in its initial form, being one of the few Romanian medieval monuments that is significantly preserved. The monastery's chapel is similar to that of the Dealu MonasteryDealu Monastery
Dealu Monastery is a 15th century monastery in Dâmboviţa County, Romania, located 6 km north of Târgovişte.The church of the monastery is dedicated to Saint Nicholas.-Sources and external links:...
, and has dimensions of 30 x 10 m, constructed in a triconic formation, with a tower extending from the nave and another two smaller towers from the pre-nave. The walls of the chapel/church have a thickness of two metres, and are constructed from burnt bricks and stone. The exterior decoration is characteristic of Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
n architecture at that time, being fairly devoid of ornaments. Some of the decorative elements resemble those of the late gothic period in Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
. The interior decoration of the chapel dates from 1843, and was restored by Sava Henţia in 1901-1902.
The monastery's living quarters are formed by nine rooms and a hall, all of them communicating with each other. There is also a lower ground floor containing cellars. The access tower in the complex is fairly large, and is regarded as one of the most beautiful examples of such constructions found in Romania. It is situated in the southern part of the complex, and has three levels and a total height of approximately 20 metres. The third levels is used for bells, and has an open space in all four sides. Part of the exterior walls of the tower were repainted by Sava Henţia at the beginning of the 20th century.
The monastery is surrounded by six-metre-high wall, with an irregular octagonal shape. It is made out of stone and burnt bricks. The annexes are situated in the west of the complex, and today only their remains can be found. Their existence is confirmed by various milestones and markers which were erected after the site's restoration in 1963.