Map of Sinaia: Sinaia monastery

Mihail Cantacuzino (1650-1716) second in command of Walachian troops,went on a pilgramage with his family and reached mount Sinai, where he visited an old IVth century Orthodox monastery Sf. Ecaterina. The impact was so stong that once home he commenced the building of the monastery, and named it after the mount. The town which came into being was also named Sinaia. The monastery built in between 1690-1695 had a double function: first of defence and surveillance, of the Prahova valley commercial route, and of cherity: providing shelter for the needy. Here one can find the Old Church, the Great Church, a museum and Tache Ionescu's (prime minister during WWI) grave.
The Great Church was built in between 1842-1846. In 1892 the Bell Tower was added, with its 1700 kg weighing bell. Tkanks to Carol I this was the first church lit by electic power. The paintings of the church were made by a Danish painter Aage Exner. They show Queen Elisabeth and her daughter Mary who died at a young age, and Mihai Cantacuzino, the founder of the church. The furniture is carved wood, the altar screen, the furniture of the nave and the two thrones are gold plated.
The King's chair bears the royal emblem and the 'Nihil sine Deo' (Nothing without God) inscription. Elisabeth's chair bears the monogram E.D. One of the remarkable pieces in the museum is Ana Roth's epitaf emroidered with silk and gold thread, made in between 1897-1900. There are two Russion icons representing Saint Serghei and Saint Nicholas, which were a gift from the Russian czar Nikolai II, to Nifon Arhimandritul, the leader of the monastery at that time, on baptising Nicolae, King Ferdinad's son.
In 1895 200 years after the Old Church was built the country's first exhibition of religious objects was opened. In between 1897-1903 Eforia which manages the wealth of the monastery renovated the building. It was then that the church gained its today look.
The restoration of the Old Church was completed in 2006. The painting on the porch and the open hallway are original, made by Pârvu Mutu, the favourite painter of the Cantacuzinos. The chapel was built in 1695. Its size and more than 300 years old, blackened paintings evoke the religious creeps of the catacombs in the early years of Christianity.
Open hours:
10:30 - 16:30.
Between 16 September and 31 May the museum opens only with advance booking for groups larger than 20 persons
Contact
Tel : 0040-244-314-917
The quid's phone number:
0040-722-834-603
You can speak with us in: Romanian, English, French, Italian

Great Church, Photo: Goargiana Corovița

The Great Curch tower, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Entrence of the Great Church, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Inside of the Great Church, the chandeliers were made in Wien at the end of the XIXc., Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Great Church, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Great Church, The painting above the altar, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Great Church, Iosif Gheorghian archbishop and king Carol I, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Great Church, Queen Elisabeth, Princess Mary and commander Mihail Cantacuzino, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Great Church, Queen Elisabeth, Princess Mary and commander Mihail Cantacuzino, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Great Church, Emblem on the king's chair, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Great Church, The queen's chair, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Great Church, The gilded pulpit, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Great Church, Queen Elisabeth and Princess Mary, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Great Church, The king's chair, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Great Church, Ana Roth's epitaf, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Take Ionescu's grave, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

The monastery, Photo: Răzvan Sabău

Great Church, The chalice veil, XIXc. Ana Roth's embroidery with gold and silver thread, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Great Church, The altar screen, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Great Church, Russian icon Saint Serghei, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Great Church, Russian icon Saint Nikolai, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Great Church, Pontificial chair, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

The museum, Mitre, XIXc. Ana Roth's embroidery with gems, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

The museum, Carol I's chalice, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

The museum, Eucharist, gilded silver, copy of Curtea de Arges monastery, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

The museum, Petite cross, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

The museum, Pârvu Mutu's painting, Holy Trinity, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

The museum, Bojar's buckle, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Old Church, Frescos, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Old Church, Frescos, 1695, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Old Church, Hallway, The Holy Virgin with wings, unusual representation, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Old Church, The entrance, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Old Church, Frescos in the churchnave, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Old Church, Frescos above the entrance, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Old Church, Frescos and silver icons, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Old Church, Lead bottle and saints, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

The monastery, Photo: Răzvan Sabău

Jesus, Photo: pr. Mihail Nagy

Old Church, Photo: Nagy Adél

Old Church, Photo: Nagy Adél

Old Church, Photo: Nagy Adél

Old Church, Photo: Nagy Adél

GPS: 45.35542N, 25.54922E