St Stylianos Church, Chițorani

The Church of St Stylianos stands in the village of Chițorani, Bucov commune, in the Orlea valley east of Ploiești. It was built in 1797 by the paharnic (cup-bearer) Constantin Cantacuzino. At the end of the nineteenth century Bucov commune consisted of the hamlets of Bucov, Chițorani and Valea Orlei, each with its own church. The ensemble of the St Stylianos church is a category A historic monument of national importance (LMI code PH-II-a-A-16414). It comprises the church itself (PH-II-m-A-16414.01), dated 1797, and the bell tower (PH-II-m-B-16414.02), also built in 1797 and rebuilt in the nineteenth century. The old churchyard has a gravestone cross from 1843, and in the Orlea valley in the same village there is a wayside memorial cross from 1709; both are listed as monuments of local importance. The church is a place of worship; the sources consulted do not confirm the existence of a monastic community.