Curtea de Argeș Monastery

Curtea de Argeș Monastery is an Orthodox monastic complex located at 1 Bulevardul Basarabilor in the town of Curtea de Argeș, Argeș County. The main church, dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God, was built between 1515 and 1517 at the initiative of ruler Neagoe Basarab, on the site of the old metropolitanate founded in 1359. The interior paintings were executed by the painter Dobromir and completed in 1526, during the reign of Radu de la Afumați. The church's architecture belongs to the Byzantine style, with a triconch plan, while the exterior decorative elements — stone-carved facades, twisted towers, and geometric and floral motifs — reflect Armenian, Persian, Georgian and Arab influences, forming an ensemble unique in Orthodox religious architecture. Over the centuries the monastery suffered several episodes of damage; between 1875 and 1886, at the initiative of King Carol I, it was restored by French architect André Lecomte du Noüy, an intervention that generated debate among specialists regarding the authenticity of its current form. The narthex houses the tombs of the founder Neagoe Basarab and his family, as well as the tombs of the kings of Romania: Carol I, Queen Elisabeta, Ferdinand I and Queen Maria. The monastery is included in the List of Historical Monuments of Romania (code AG-II-a-A-13628). The complex also comprises a 10-hectare French-style park, the Episcopal Palace and the Agheasmatar. Access is via DN73C from Pitești, at a distance of approximately 36 km.