Poiana Mărului Monastery, Orthodox monastery in Băltăgari, Romania
Poiana Mărului Monastery is an Orthodox monastery in Bisoca, Buzău County, sitting at the foot of Mount Ulmușoru. The main church has a cross-shaped plan with an open porch held up by six wooden pillars, and a stone wall encloses the courtyard around it.
The monastery was founded in 1730 by Constantin Mavrocordat, but the first wooden church burned down in 1771. It was rebuilt between 1780 and 1784, giving it the form it largely retains today.
The interior wooden walls of the church are covered in neo-Byzantine paintings made by craftsmen from different regions of the country. Walking inside, you notice how every surface has been carefully decorated, giving the space a layered, handmade quality.
The monastery is reached by car from Râmnicu Sărat or Buzău along route DJ204C, which crosses the Râmnicu Sărat river at a ford. The mountain roads are narrow and winding, so having your own vehicle makes the trip much easier.
The wooden bell tower dates from 1935, nearly 150 years after the church was rebuilt, showing that skilled woodwork continued at the site long after the main construction. The hexagonal towers of the main church have iron decorations around the windows, an unusual detail for a wooden church in this part of the country.
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