Strehaia Monastery

Strehaia Monastery is a fortified Orthodox monastic complex situated in the centre of the town of Strehaia, Mehedinți County, in southern Romania, dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The site has a long history: historical and archaeological records attest to the existence of a boyar court here as early as the 14th century, the original residence of the Craiovești boyars, one of the most influential noble families in Wallachia. Over time, the court served as the centre of the banat of Severin, of Strehaia and of Mehedinți, and even as a temporary princely residence; between 1474 and 1503 it was also the seat of the bishopric (metropolitanate) of Severin. The monastery itself was founded by the ruler Matei Basarab, a descendant on his mother's side from the Craiovești boyars, who built the church from its foundations between 1640 and 1645, on the site of an earlier place of worship attributed to the Craiovești, and fortified the complex with enclosure walls and towers. The church preserves in the naos painting the votive portrait of its founder Matei Basarab, together with his wife Elina, as well as portraits of earlier Craiovești boyar ancestors. A rare architectural feature of the church is the orientation of the altar towards the south, unusual for Orthodox churches, around which several local legends have developed. In 1693, the ruler Constantin Brâncoveanu added a porch to the church. The complex, which today comprises the church, the gate tower, enclosure walls, the ruins of the princely palace and newer buildings for monastic life, is listed as a historical monument and functions as a convent, being one of the most important historical and religious sites in Mehedinți County.