Brădetu Monastery

Brădetu Monastery, historically known as Schitul Brădetu, is one of the oldest monastic complexes in the Archbishopric of Argeș and Muscel, situated on the bank of the Vâlsan river, in the village of Brădet, commune of Brăduleț, Argeș county. The existence of monastic life in the area is attested as far back as the reign of Mircea cel Bătrân, with historical evidence pointing to a hermitage of monks between 1395 and 1396. The principal founder of the skete is considered to be Mircea cel Bătrân, with researchers placing its construction around the year 1400, during the same period as Cozia, Vodița, Tismana and Prislop. The first documentary attestation dates from 14 May 1506, from the time of Radu cel Mare. The church dedicated to the "Ascension of the Lord" is considered the first monument built entirely by Romanian craftsmen and represents an important edifice of early Romanian architecture, similar in proportions and plan to Mănăstirea Cozia — the necropolis of Mircea cel Bătrân. The church's paintings were redone in 1761 by the Târgoviște painters Mihai, Radu and Iordache, at the expense of the abbots of Mănăstirea Curtea de Argeș. Restoration works on the monument were carried out between 1926–1929 and 1964–1967. Within the precinct, the Museum of Brădet Church operates, established in the 1970s, housing original pieces and historical artefacts from the area. The skete shelters the relics of Saint Nectarie of Aegina and an icon of the Mother of God, donated in 2005 by the Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Aegina. Access is from Curtea de Argeș along the national road towards Câmpulung Muscel, through the village of Brăduleț.