Dealu Monastery, Orthodox monastery in Dâmbovița County, Romania

Dealu Monastery is a monastic complex 6 km north of Târgoviște, whose only surviving medieval building is the Church of Saint Nicholas. The church is a tall triconch structure of pale limestone, 21.2 m long, 8 m wide and 24 m high, with a main dome and two smaller domes over the extended narthex. Its facades are covered in dressed stone and divided into two registers of blind arcades by a median band.

A monastic settlement is documented on 17 November 1431, when Alexandru I Aldea granted it two villages; it was probably founded by Mircea the Elder. Radu the Great rebuilt it from the ground up in its present form between 1499 and 1501, and the complex was completed under Vlăduț Voievod in 1510–1512. In 1508 the Serbian monk Macarie printed here the first book in the Romanian lands, a Liturghier.

The monastery is a working convent today. Its name comes from the hill (deal) on which it stands. Visitors can see the carved stone arcatures on the church facade and the tombs of Wallachian rulers in the narthex, including the head of Mihai Viteazul.

The monastery lies 6 km north of Târgoviște; the last 2 km are a steep, winding climb to the hilltop. The church of Saint Nicholas is the only surviving building of the old complex, so allow time for the ascent and wear suitable shoes.

The narthex holds one of the largest funerary spaces in Romania: Vlad II Dracul, Vladislav II, Radu IV cel Mare, Vlad V cel Tânăr, Radu VI Bădica, Vlad VII Înecatul and Mihail Movilă are buried here, along with the head of Mihai Viteazul. The two towers over the extended narthex were built to mark this sepulchral role.