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On the way up to Peleș Castle, it’s worth popping in to see the Sinaia Monastery. The town of Sinaia was named after the monastery which was named after Mount Sinai in Egypt.
History
Romanian Prince Mihail Cantacuzino, a descendant of the Byzantine royal family, went on a pilgrimage to Sinai. Upon his return to Romania he founded the monastery in Sinaia in 1695.
Visiting
Visiting the monastery is free (as of February 2024). It’s open Monday to Saturday in the summer from 8am to 6pm. In the winter, it’s open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 3pm. During winter, you can visit the Old Church and museum by appointment only for groups of ten or more.
Great Church
After passing through the gates next to the 1892 bell tower, the first structure you will see is the Great Church. It was built in 1842 and was the first church in Romania to use electric lights.
Old Church
The much smaller Old Church, which was built in 1695, has some impressive iconography done by Pârvu Mutu (1657-1735).
Tomb of Take Ionescu
The tomb of former Romanian Prime Minister Take Ionescu (1858-1922) is in a small room off the inner courtyard. The walls are carved with excerpts from his speeches.
