Colțul Chiliilor Monastery

Colțul Chiliilor Skete is an Orthodox monastic establishment situated in the middle of the forest, in the northern part of the Munții Piatra Craiului, on the territory of the municipality of Zărnești, Brașov County. It is the oldest place of worship documented in this area, with its first mention dating from 1421. It was built at the foot of a rocky outcrop — from which it takes its name — as a place of refuge for local inhabitants during Turkish and Tatar incursions in periods of conflict. In 1718, the skete and its cells were burned down on the orders of the Austrian imperial authorities, who sought to eliminate Orthodox monastic life from Transylvania. The local community nonetheless kept the tradition alive: every year they would come to the site of the former skete together with priests, and inside the natural cave beneath the rock they arranged an altar and a semantron made from a length of iron rail. Father Ioanichie Moroi, a native of Zărnești who later became abbot of Sihăstria Monastery, spent a period of his life in ascetic practice in this cave. Reconstruction of the monastic complex began in 2001, when the first cells were built, and the wooden church, dedicated to Saint Panteleimon the Great Martyr and Saint Parascheva, was consecrated in 2009. A short distance above the church, further into the forest, lies the natural grotto of approximately 20 metres in length, its walls covered with icons painted by monks. Access is from the centre of Zărnești along the road towards Plaiul Foii, for approximately 3 km, after which a marked hiking trail through the Parcul Național Piatra Craiului leads to the site; vehicle access along the forest road is permitted exclusively to monks for supply purposes.