I miss the moments when all my travel articles were related to the hidden gems I was able to explore in my home country, Romania. But I also miss the times when I was able to have a yearly tour in order to be able to find out about these and then return home with plenty of stories waiting to be written down.
2024 it's been a terrible year for me, perhaps the worst I ever remember when it comes to travels because my parents used to take me and my sister on trips in various parts of the country from an early age. That's why I can't even remember the first ever trip together because there have been so many along the way.
However, things have changed in our lives, just like happen for pretty much anywhere out there. And while I am used to deal with all kinds of situations, the one that seems the hardest to get used with is to not be able to travel that much anymore. That's how, last year, we've only got to see 3 places in Romania which were linked to a visit of ours to some relatives, not that we actually planned the trip itself.
I feel both depressed for this thing but also for not being able to promote Romania as much as I did in the past years because I really feel like being a very underrated touristic destination. There are still plenty of people that think of Romania either as being the home for Dracula and that's it or thinking about it as being in Italy, because of... Roma-nia. I know, might seem hilarious, but I really heard this a lot.
Hence why, today's post is going to be a very important one, because it represents the last memories I have created in my country at the time I'm writing this, the last monastery from the list of 3 creating the spiritual triangle of cave monasteries, but also another unique place that I hope it will make more people add this country on their must-see lists.
So without any further introduction, today's post is all about Stone Ravens Monastery but also about a museum located right next to it which has some really interesting legends that I bet will stir lots of curiosity, but let's start with the beginning.
Historically speaking, the actual beginnings of this place are not really known, the first documentary attestation taking place only on 23rd June 1512.
Some might believe that this could also be the year when the monastery was built, but there are dates confirming it be active way more before than this date, especially that some of the things you will soon discover on the inside of the religious place, were already damaged by both historical moments and the passage of time, which strengthen the idea of having this monastery date from maybe at least half a century before its official discovery.
The monastery was built inside a stone wall that is made almost entirely of sandstone and still within the same block and it always represented a unique place of worship for the country, which even if it didn't manage to keep the regular prayer services active all these years, starting with 2003, these services are again a common thing that take place even if the monastery is more known in the 21st century as a unique an interesting place to visit, only.
So, even if the monastery brings a lot of attention to the village is located in, this one was always interesting because of its historical moments, reminding about the Corvins, a very noble family that played a pivotal role in the country's past.
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When it comes to the Stone Ravens Monastery's interior side, things are completely different from what most of the people seen before when visiting a monastery.
First, we are speaking about two rooms that on a quick look might seem empty, without much to be seen. But the truth is, they are some of the most interesting walls I've stared at, due to the various details that one can observe, only if paying enough attention to.
With the risk of repeating myself, The Stone Ravens Monastery representing a very important historical place for Romania, and that can be seen on the walls that are so loaded with stories. From indecipherable markings to barely seen remains of religious paintings, from the floor to the double altar meant to serve both Orthodox and Catholic people, makes Mănăstirea Corbii de Piatră unique in Romania.
Right next to the altar, we even spotted an oil bottle which made us think of the backpacks we carried all the way to the top of Mănăstirea Cetăţuia - Negru Vodă (Negru Vodă Monastery), yet the first monastery out of the three creating the spiritual triangle of cave monasteries we've seen back then.
As soon as we finished exploring this place and loading our hearts with even more knowledge and love for our country, Romania, we continued our walk along the stone wall that shelters the monastery, reaching some stairs that stirred our curiosity.
Even if that can't be visible from the attached picture, the stairs are quite long and even a very trained hiker will need a few breaks here and there before reaching the top, but it feels like such a great activity especially during the summer because the whole path is under the shadow and it does feel like a great way to take a break from the bitter kiss of the sun rays.
All stairs were arranged with natural materials having the railing added later perhaps for the older people wanting to follow this route, but even so, the walk is very safe and I recommend to anyone who stops by the monastery too.
This one will lead to the top of the wall that has the monastery carved within, and it comes with a mesmerizing view over the town that gained a bit more popularity with the discovery of the Stone Ravens Monastery.
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I couldn't find the story of the cross placed right in front of the view you can have from here, but I think it could be related to the monastery resting just under your feet since the cross couldn't be placed on top of the building, not having a proper roof for it.
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Before making our way back to the car and hitting the road home, we had one last stop for the day which was just 3 minutes of walking upstream from the monastery and which leads to The Blue House.
This represents a genuine local house who has been dating for 150 years already and it now serves as a special place where tourists can stop by to listen stories but also see tools and clothing items that are at least as old as the house.
Sadly, this one was very crowded with tourists during our visit, so we decided to continue our walk in the courtyard which is the actual interesting part of the story.
The stones, similar to the ones where the monastery was built, make the landscape even more beautiful, but what makes these walls so interesting is that, 48 years ago, a giant's bone was discovered as being part of one of these walls.
The man who made this discovery is a local teacher who was coming often to this garden to relax, read, and simply stare at what nature was so generous to offer on this part of the country, when he spotted a one of a kind formation in the whole and started making researches.
Along with the stories of vampires, Romania is also very known for the legends with giants, such as, one of the assumptions about this location, is that it once served as a place for giants that were even 6-7 meters tall.
Along with the interesting formation on the wall, there are a few more spots that could catch one's attention if you walk by, such as the ladder leading to a secret grotto or even how the stone walls are linked to each other creating a V shape that often brings a waterfall with, when it's not too hot outside.
But the thing that creates the connection between everything you've seen so far in this countryard and The Blue House, is, that, this tiny construction was never part of serious renovation actions. So while most of the locals' houses of the same age turned into ruins with the passage of time, The Blue House seems like having a really interesting formation for the walls that have not been damaged at all during this whole period. But not proper studies has been made with this purpose so far.
Stone Ravens Monastery is located in Jgheaburi village and can be reached from the center of the town in just 20 minutes of walking, yet the right amount of time to get used with the beauty of this part of Romania. The monastery is 50km away from Pitesti and 170km away from Bucharest but it's easy to be reached from pretty much any part of the country, representing one of the most picturesque parts of Arges county. Entering the monastery and The Blue House are free of charge.
The full list of the churches creating the spiritual triangle of cave monasteries:
- Mănăstirea Cetăţuia - Negru Vodă (Negru Vodă Monastery)
- Mănăstirea Nămăești (Nămăești Monastery)
- Stone Ravens Monastery (Mănăstirea Corbii de Piatră, Romania)
Gabriela Travels is the FOUNDER of "Festival Mania" who started this community from the passion of attending various festivals and with the purpose of encouraging more people to explore festivals all around the world and share their experiences. At the same time, Gabriela is an independent Graphic Design Freelancer since 2019 completing over 600+ orders in this time and collaborating with various businesses and people from all over the globe. Additionally, Gabriela has her own corner on the internet since 2017 where she writes various articles for her blog, the most popular being the travel ones (300+ articles written on this field), but also approaching other topics as well, like game reviews, movie and series reviews, photography posts, cooking recipes and more, boosting the total number of articles written to 750+ blog posts. Gabriela is also a gamer since she was 11 years old and gaming remains one of her biggest passions along with traveling, editing, cooking, and doing various sports activities.
~ @GabrielaTravels ~
[//]:# ([//]:# (!worldmappin 45.27510 lat 24.81114 long A unique place in Romania and perhaps in Europe too, which will impress you not only through its look but also with its story d3scr))