A Visit to Sambata de Sus and the Brancoveanu Monastery

August 4, 2023October 5, 2023 Koen 0 Comments

This destination guide details my visit to the Brancoveanu Monastery (Mănăstirea Brâncoveanu) just outside the village of Sambata de Sus.

Last day in Transylvania

After a great night at the Brukenthal Palace in Avrig, I left the hotel early the next morning for the final day of my road trip across Transylvania.

The focus of this day was more on the mountain scenery of the Carpathians rather than the Saxon fortified churches, of which I had visited quite a few in the previous days.

Before driving into the mountains, I would however first visit the famous Brancoveanu Monastery in the nearby village of Sambata de Sus.

brukenthal summer palace orangerie — *I spent the night at the Brukenthal Summer Palace in Avrig. ©Paliparan*

river olt valley hosman fortified church holzmengen — *View over the Carpathian Mountains and the Olt river valley. ©Paliparan*

Road to Sambata de Sus

It was a straightforward 45-minute drive from Avrig to Sambata de Sus.

The drive led me first on the main provincial road (DN1) towards Sambata de Jos, where I took a right-hand turn onto the 105B towards Sambata de Sus.

This road turned out to be an absolute stunner.

Although some morning fog meant that there were no views as such at the beginning of my drive and I had to be extremely careful on the busy main road, the smaller 105B road was an absolute pleasure to drive.

By this time the fog had cleared up and I was driving straight towards the Carpathians, the mountain backdrop was absolutely stunning.

carpathian mountains car view — *When the fog cleared up, the majestic Carpathian Mountains appeared in the distance. ©Paliparan*

transylvania road trip carpathian mountains — *Proper Transylvania road trip vibes. ©Paliparan*

Brancoveanu Monastery

After a beautiful drive, I arrived at the parking lot of the monastery.

In the Romanian language, the monastery is known by two names that are used interchangeably: Mănăstirea Sâmbăta de Sus, named after the village it is located in, and Mănăstirea Brâncoveanu, named after its founder.

The village of Sambata de Sus and its surrounding lands were acquired by the powerful Brancoveanu family in the mid-17th century.

Around 1696, Constantin Brancoveanu, the Prince of Wallachia, made the decision to construct a stone church on the site of an old wooden church in Sambata de Sus.

Over the years, a complete monastic complex developed around the church, encompassing a school, printing house, and fresco painting workshop.

Being a devout Orthodox Christian, Brancoveanu envisioned the monastery as a stronghold against the rise of Catholicism in Transylvania, a consequence of the growing Habsburg dominance over the region.

However, even the mighty Brancoveanu family was powerless to stop the Habsburgs when the Austrian Imperial Court decided that the monastery should be disbanded.

In 1785, the Habsburg Imperial Army devastated the monastery, causing the majority of the monks to escape across the Carpathians from Transylvania into Wallachia.

constantin brancoveanu — *Cenotaph of Constantin Brancoveanu, who founded the monastery in Sambata de Sus. ©Paliparan*

Reconstruction

Following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire after World War I, Transylvania was reunited with Romania in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty of Trianon.

The ownership of the monastery lands was transferred to the Romanian Orthodox Church, more specifically, to the archdiocese of Sibiu.

Nicolae Bălan, the Archbishop of Sibiu and Metropolitan Bishop of Transylvania, made the decision to restore the monastery to its former glory.

The restoration works commenced in 1926, and the monastery church was ultimately completed and consecrated in 1946 during the reign of King Mihai I, whose regal portrait remains visible in the church.

While the Brancoveanu Monastery therefore boasts a rich history, it is worth noting that all the structures you will encounter during your visit are less than a century old.

brancoveanu monastery sambata de sus — *The entrance gate to Brancoveanu Monastery. ©Paliparan*

sambata de sus brancoveanu monastery — *The monastery is beautifully located in the foothills of the Carpathians. ©Paliparan*

Outer buildings

As you stroll along the footpath towards the main monastery complex, you will first come across some outlying buildings.

Among these outlying buildings are a monastery shop where you can buy religious icons and other objects, as well as a chapel where you can light some candles.

As is customary in Orthodox churches, you use the place designated with “vii” if you want to light your candle for a living person, and use the section “morţi” if you want to do so for a deceased person.

church building — *Monastery buildings. ©Paliparan*

creeper plant vines — *I love the climbing plants on the side of the tower. ©Paliparan*

carpathian foothills — *Monastery surroundings. ©Paliparan*

monastery chapel — *Monastery chapel. ©Paliparan*

burning candles chapel — *Burning candles inside the chapel. ©Paliparan*

Gate tower

You enter the monastery through a wide passage built into the bell tower.

The gate tower features colorful frescoes on the inside of the passage, which are well worth a closer look.

Additionally, there is a plaque on which a short history of the Sambata de Sus Monastery is written in Romanian.

frescoes brancoveanu monastery sambata de sus — *The wonderful frescoes in the passage through the gate tower. ©Paliparan*

monastery frescoes sambata de sus — *Monastery frescoes. ©Paliparan*

gate tower frescoes — *Frescoes on the walls of the gate tower. ©Paliparan*

brancoveanu monastery — *Entering the monastery through the gate tower. ©Paliparan*

Inside the monastery

The monastery complex is built around the main church, which stands in the centre of a well-kept grass garden.

It’s without doubt a serene setting, as the whitewashed church and monastery buildings harmoniously blend with the forested hills behind.

Monastery church

Unfortunately, the doors of the monastery church were firmly locked when I visited, and there was no monk in sight whom I could ask to open it.

However, I was able to admire the beautiful frescoes on the walls and ceiling of the front porch of the church

church complex — *The church and surrounding buildings. ©Paliparan*

church entrance — *Church entrance. ©Paliparan*

church frescoes brancoveanu monastery sambata de sus — *Frescoes on the ceiling of the church vestibule. ©Paliparan*

Brancovanesc architecture

The monastery in Sambata de Sus is a fine example of an architectural style that is known in Romania as Brancovanesc Architecture (Brancoveanu-style architure).

As one might expect, this artistic style is named after Constantin Brancoveanu, as it emerged during his reign and continued to be popular long after.

Brancovanesc architecture is essentially a fusion of Byzantine, Ottoman, and Renaissance styles which was developed at the time when Wallachia was still a vasal state of the Ottomans.

You can clearly see this quintessential Romanian architectural style if you look at the loggia right next to the gate tower.

With its finely-sculpted staircase and balustrade, as well as the large overhanging roof which is is clearly reminiscent of the orient, the loggia really is an excellent example of Brancovanesc Architecture.

sambata de sus monastery branoveanu style architecture — *Brancoveanu style architecture at the Sambata de Sus monastery. ©Paliparan*

brancoveanu architecture — *Architectural details of the staircase and balustrade. ©Paliparan*

Mănăstirea Brâncoveanu Sâmbăta de Sus — *Mănăstirea Brâncoveanu in Sâmbăta de Sus. ©Paliparan*

Arcade

The monastery complex features a striking white arcade running along its interior perimeter.

Most of the doors you will find here lead to the monastic cells where the monks live.

arcade brancoveanu monastery sambata de sus — *The beautiful arcade of the monastery complex. ©Paliparan*

monastery arcade — *Monastery arcade. ©Paliparan*

Other monastery buildings

There are a couple of other noteworthy buildings situated around the monastery complex.

Inside the complex right next to the main church, you can find a smaller wooden church.

Just outside the main complex, you can find a large building adorned with a triangular fresco, serving as an Orthodox church academy.

monastery complex wooden church — *Wooden church inside the monastery complex. ©Paliparan*

Sambata de Sus Academy brancoveanu monastery — *Sambata de Sus Academy. ©Paliparan*

Leaving the monastery

After taking some time to savour the beautiful surroundings of the monastery, I exited once more through the main passage in the gate tower.

On the main road just outside the monastery, you’ll find a couple of souvenir and food stalls.

I couldn’t resist stopping here to eat some lángos, a traditional Hungarian snack made out of a fried flatbread with sour cream, cheese and garlic.

monastery entrance — *Exiting the monastery complex. ©Paliparan*

souvenir food stalls romania — *Food and souvenir stalls at the main road in front of the monastery complex. ©Paliparan*

lángos transylvania — *Enjoying some delicious lángos outside the monastery. ©Paliparan*

Conclusion

The Brancoveanu Monastery in Sambata de Sus is well-worth a detour for its fine architecture and beautiful setting in the Carpathian foothills.

The monastery in Sambata de Sus is an excellent example of Brancovanesc Architecture, a magnificent blend of Byzantine, Ottoman and Renaissance influences.

Make sure you take your time to admire the beautiful frescoes and the exquisite Brancovanesc-style details of the loggia when you visit the monastery.

Trip report index

This article is part of the ‘Visiting the Saxon Fortified Churches of Transylvania‘ trip report, which consists of the following chapters:

Koen

Leave a Reply Cancel reply