Bran Monastery

Bran Monastery

Take the road to Rucăr from Bran and on the first Valley, Simon, you go straight for about 8 kilometers. Somewhere on the Valley, after a few kilometers, a road goes on the left towards the slope which borders the valley on the east side. The road climbs to the ridge where is located Bran Hermitage. 

Here, we enjoyed the view. The place is high and gives you the possibility of seeing from above all the villages from Piatra Craiului: Ciocanu, Şirnea, Măgura, and Peştera. Beyond, you can see Piatra Craiului Massif. I remember now the sunset on these towering ridges. A warm and gentle light that floods the whole plateau. You almost can’t look towards Piatra Craiului as the sun casts its last rays. Close, in the valley, the stables of the cows stay in the shadow.  

The wonder here it is that you can actually see towards the east as well. There is part of Bucegi Mountains. Somewhere in the horizon, you can see a little part of Bran and beyond is the plain of Transylvania like a flat plateau streaked by houses. Here you feel protected. You can see far and you are far as from Bran to here there is way for an army of pedestrians and even a rider. I always imagine how the inhabitants of these villages on the mountain were privileged in Middle ages because they could see everything and had shelter too.  

At Bran Monastery you have to come for the panorama. It is the best place from the ones accessible to tourists from where you can see Piatra Craiului Ridge and the villages at its foothills.  

Depending on the season, the colors change and they have lots of shades. So does the scent and the gentleness of the wind. We got here late in autumn, descending by bike from Bucegi, from Şaua Strungă more precisely. We were caught by rain, a cold and heavy rain. We got to Simon when the rain was almost over. Then we climbed towards Bran Monastery to see everything from above. Far away the game of lights and clouds was pleasant. It made us feel small, but it gave us strength.  

Many routes start from here as well. Upstream you get fast in Bucegi through Șaua Strunga, or even at Omu on Gaura Valley – a more difficult and forbidden route.  

I haven’t told you much about Bran Monastery. Before everything, it is a place of worship that brings peace all around. It is also a place of silence where you can go once in a while. This monastery is a modest, small one build in 2006 as a hermitage and later transformed into a monastery. It was raised to honor the soldiers who died in combat here during World War I. It is covered with shingle, painted in clean white that harmonizes perfectly with the place and its peace.  

More info about this Place of worship built on Balaban Ridge (this is the name of the plateau) you can find on the official page. 

About the place, I can say that it is always an oasis of silence, beauty, vibration, and recharge. 

Article by: Alexandru – Pure Romania

Photos – Pure Romania